This facet of the Nigerian music scene makes it almost impossible for you to thrive commercially as a musician or an artiste with vocal power and 10 people have made that unique list of great voices.
Music and its creators are highly regarded all over the world. Although, Nigerian musicians tend to bend to the demand for Afro beats and danceable rhythms, there are still some beautiful voices to be heard when they sing. There are plenty of talents and these are a perfect proof. These artistes have songs that have made the hearts of Africans and music lovers all over the world beat faster with excitement.
Of course, the top list of the most beloved Nigerian musicians is much longer than only ten names. Yet, this is what the tops are: a small part of the whole, the best of the best. Here they are, welcome the most popular and successful singers who have won the biggest part of the population’s love and even international recognition so far.
1. Tiwa Savage
Looking for a female artiste with “star” written all over her? Look no further than Tiwa Savage. She is a beautiful, talented, popular, successful, and one of Nigeria’s favorites in music and the richest female musician. At the beginning of her career, she sang back up vocals for George Michael, Emma Buton and other international celebrities. Her singing ability is never in question, lyrically she’s solid, performance wise she’s outstanding, and the star quality/commercial acceptability surrounding her is beaming to the skies.
With major mainstream singles like Lova Lova, Olorun Mi, My Darlin’, One to add to the mega hits, Dorobucci in which she rendered her amazing vocals, she burst onto the scene with so much vigor. Quite frankly, her list of songs are getting endless not to talk of outstanding features she’s done. And awards? They’re way too many to name, but when you’re nominated for the BET international act award, you know you’ve made it.
2. Sade Adu
Sade Adu is a living legend with Nigerian roots and one of the most influential musicians not only in the country but also in the entire world. She has a great name in the late 1980’s due to her outstanding vocals and the unique style in music. Today, she is not only one of the brightest stars in the sky of soul music but also a fashion designer and a model herself. She is a 4-time Grammy award winner and made history as the first Nigerian singer to have won it.
She has been one of Nigeria’s most successful singers and the award-winning star has inspired many lives through her music. She got both millennial and the generation before echoing melodious rhythms from her mind-blowing tracks of Jazz, RnB, and soul. Sade carries with her a subtle yet fierce aura which built her enigmatic exterior over the years. She is popularly known for hit tracks like ‘Sweetest Taboo’, Smooth Operator. Like most of her counterparts, Adu has a story to tell with regards to her career.
3. Simi
Simi’s sultry voice is one of the newest revelations in Nigerian music. There is a distinct child-like highlight to her voice almost similar to the seductive vocals of songstress, Joanna Newson. Ultimately, her voice is not the most difficult to identify in a room. She has been killing it right from the year her sophomore album hit major record stores and online music streaming platforms.
Having launched fully into the limelight, Simi has released successive singles, Tiff, E No Go Funny, Jamb Question, Joromi all showing her melodious approach to story-telling and with distinct relish. She is referred to as the one with a velvet voice. You can always bank on her voice at any time of day and it’s an unusual feat that has given her quite the edge.
4. Waje
Her vocal range covers over 3 octaves. She was the voice in P Square’s hit track Do Me. Waje can sing! She was also the voice in Banky W’s “Thief my Kele,” as well as M.I’s “One Naira.” You shouldn’t be surprised, as she has great voices such as Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin to improve her music. With her hit singles, Oko Mi, Onye and I Wish, her singing is such a listening pleasure to the ear.
There have been several events where Waje performed the Nigerian National Anthem to the bewilderment of guests present and that was not the first time she did it. She has repeated this enviable feat countless of times. Like her name implies, words aren’t just enough to describe this talent. Her skill at hitting top notes and maintaining her vocal range at high pitches is worthy of recognition.
5. Praiz
Praiz Adejo can be likened to the John Legend of Africa, and it is obviously tied to the fact that he sounds a terrific lot like the multiple award-winning international artiste. He entered into limelight from a revered music talent hunt where he placed second, showing off his utterly impressive and unequivocal skills to particular relish. No doubt, he’s quite famed for the R&B single Rich and Famous, he has also expended vocal effort (summa cum laude style) on other music material like M.I’s Epic, Bez’ That Stupid Song and a cover version of Rihanna’s Stay.
Growing up listening to Barry White, you can see that must have rubbed off on him. He cites Michael Jackson, Boys II Men, John Legend, Carl Thomas and Joe as his musical influences. Praiz’s heartfelt melodies and making sure he stays on point on his songs is always admirable even when he doesn’t release much content.
6. Omawumi
There has been an analogy of Omawumi and her vocal prowess to that of Grammy Award Wining African woman, Angelique Kidjo. She is no doubt one female musician that delivers. She also was in the competition as Timi Dakolo and was the first runner-up. Her performance of Onyeka Onwenu’s Ekwe won the hearts of her fans while in the competition. Omawumi went on to be a major music force to reckon with in Nigeria. She has owned her vocals and she has been unmatched.
Although she stamped her musical feet in the sands of the Nigerian music scene, her sophomore album, The Lasso of Truth, was reported to be a commercial success in Nigeria. She won the Next Rated Award at The Headies 2009. With songs like, If You Ask Me, Bottom Belle, When Breeze Blows, and I Go Go, you would agree that she really is a majority in terms of vocal prowess and capability.
7. 2Face Idibia
2Face Idibia is a real music star who started his musical career as a member of boy band, Plantashun. His alluring voice has drawn him to many and his musical career has grown considerably. With blockbuster singles like African Queen, If love is a crime, Gaga Shuffle, he has continued to churn out one monster hit after the other. Till date, he remains one of the most decorated Nigerian artistes of all time.
2Face has to compete with younger peers nowadays, so his music has grown sleeker and more up-tempo.He has received a number of prestigious musical awards, including MTV awards. His popularity in all spheres of life is doubtless and the number of viewers on Youtube confirms the title of one of the most successful and beloved artistes in Nigeria. The multi-talented singer and vocalist has featured in some of the most inspirational songs ever to be released in the Nigerian music and his vocal prowess is unbeatable.
8. Asa
When it comes to Asa, there’re different schools of thought as to where to place in terms of female singers in Nigeria. For Nigerians, she’s up there. While she might not sound like your stereotypical RnB singer, she’s unrivaled in pure musical ingenuity. She’s something like a complete musician. Writing, composing, and orchestrating her sounds to fit the kind of music she wants to put out. Her debut album, ‘Asa’, is considered a classic, and one of the best albums in the past decade. But more important that any of these is her consistency.
Asa has put out 3 solid albums that have not only appealed to the local audience but internationally as well. She might be our best musical export right now. Her debut album will live on in the hearts of Nigerian music as it broke grounds and pushed her craft outside the shores of Motherland, all thanks to her vocal delivery and guitar keys.
9. Timi Dakolo
He needs no introduction. He is the winner of the first season of Idols West Africa in 2007. His RnB/ Soul style, vocal dexterity and technical know-how have been likened to RnB greats like Lionel Richie and Lemar. Timi Dakolo has proven his mettle as well as everyone out there that he is here to stay. Interestingly, he also goes by the alias ‘The Voice’. The soul and R&B singer possesses a firebrand tenor that has his heart and soul deeply sewn into it. He has been influenced by a string of life experiences that have birthed stellar records like Let It Shine, Heaven Please, Great Nation, Iyawo Mi and Wish Me Well.
Using vocal emotion, his rich, deep sounds transcends you past the evoque musical orchestration and into a virtual world that vividly encapsulates the message in his song which are mostly conscious, often in real time and sometimes true life. Timi Dakolo’s pitch will shake a wedding and marriage proposal but his pitch will be the end of some of Nigerian women. He also headlines political events and different live concerts all over the country and across the Atlantic.
10. Wande Coal
Right from his days with the now defunct Mo’ Hits crew, WC had always shown prospect as a vocalist and a knack especially for commercially styled R&B/afro pop genre of songs. He featured on the vamp for one of D’Banj’s familiar singles, Why Me, and later getting his big break on the label’s compilation debut with Ololufe, which was adjudged to be one of the greatest love songs ever written by a Nigerian.
He’s remained constant with several other on-point releases including Bumper2Bumper, Private Trips, Rotate and Baby Hello, not forgetting his epoch delivery on musical collabos with Patoranking, Flavour and the Ghanaian duo, R2Bees. Wande Coal’s Mushin to Mo’hits days will serve as reminder that the chubby man released one of the best projects more than a decade ago. His vocal strength has cemented him a place on this list.
To shed more light on these artistes, as a singer or a musician in the Nigerian entertainment scene, you hardly find people come out as vocalists and having commercial success. Not like these kind of artistes/musicians aren’t available per say, they just are rare. One cannot but appreciate these talents. They have stood the test of time and, of course, paraded themselves as the vocally-capable ones.
