Solid gold music

Nigerian music has gone global, with international superstars, planetary hits, soaring revenues and Afrobeat resonating in recording studios worldwide. Jeune Afrique looks at a unique phenomenon out of Africa. 

«Africa is the centre of the universe,” Fela Kuti said, and its musical heart is increasingly Nigeria: over $14 million was generated on Spotify in 2022, and growth has been exponential since the mid-2010s. In 2016, when Afrobeat burst onto the scene with a bang, sales were $39 million. By 2023, they had more than tripled. In the 1970s, Fela originated afrobeat, a skilful, innovative blend of funk, highlife and jazz, building a bridge between Nigeria and the United States. Today, there are many incarnations, all named after the original movement. Hybridity is still the essence, with a diverse mix of ingredients: rap, dancehall, fuji, soukous, juju and makossa have been added to Fela’s base, not to mention amapiano, which WEA brand manager Amélie Abou El Karam defines as “the logical continuation of Afro music, an encounter between electronic music, Afrobeat and hip-hop that brings people together”.

“There’s something for everyone because this genre pushes hybridity very far,” says music and culture consultant Charles Moukouri Bell, who co-founded the Dat-Way agency. “The hip-hop component is capable of many mutations. Vibes are the main thing here. And vibes travel, no matter what the story or language. People dance and identify with the music.” “Nigeria’s music scene is on fire!” says Effyzzie Music Group CEO Taiye Aliyu. “Incredible diversity, multiple ethnic groups, languages and cultures blending into one unique musical style, is what makes it modern. The artists are masters in the art of mixing Afrobeat, hip-hop and more traditional sounds, a musical feast that speaks to everyone, from Lagos to Los Angeles.” Last June, musician and producer Leke Awoyinka, aka Ekiti Sound, recalled the richness of an ultra-contagious sound loved around the world. “Nigeria,” he says, “is blessed with a wide range of sounds, from folk to Pentecostal church music and intense Nigerian street-pop, as well as interesting producers such as Rexxie.” In the late 2000s, Afrobeat artists like Davido, 2Face [editor’s note: now known as 2Baba] and D’Banj worked with Akon and Kanye West. In 2016, “Wizkid and Drake’s successful collaboration on One Dance planted the seeds of Afrobeat,” says Mr. Bell. “A peerless trend-spotter with a sharp R&D team, Drake fell in love with Wizkid and immediately began promoting him internationally”. Four years later, Wizkid’s Made in Lagos, the first African album to make the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10, became the first Nigerian record to sell over 500,000 copies in the United States.

However, today’s most famous name is undoubtedly Burna Boy, the first African artist to sell out New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden. “This summer,” says Ms. Abou El Karam, “we passed a milestone when he released his seventh album, I Told Them…, whose goal was to establish his status as an international star.” The album hit the SNEP chart at number six as soon as it came at and reached number one in the United Kingdom. Burna Boy’s diverse musicality and magic hitmaking recipe appeals to different kinds of people. It is made for dancing and arousing emotions. Born into a musical family, his sister is his manager and his grandfather was Fela’s. Like Fela, he does not want to be pigeonholed. The artist makes it a point of honour to position West Africa as the leader of a musical genre instead of perpetuating the cliché of a place of endless suffering constantly in need of help. He has worked with famous rappers as well as pop stars like Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran. His influence even extends to fashion: luxury brands invite him to their shows and he has just signed a collaboration agreement with Jean Paul Gaultier. Burna Boy wears a Fela chain around his neck, which is hardly surprising since, like his illustrious forerunner, he boldly and successfully mixes modern American sounds with 100% genuine Nigerian beats.

IMITATED BUT NEVER EQUALLED

“In the 1990s, Nigeria was one of the world’s most corrupt countries,’ says Mr. Bell. “Now it’s Africa’s leading economic power. It’s strengthened its cultural influence and fostered national pride. It’s Africa’s most populous country—213 million people—and the diaspora is making an impact. More millionaires are visible, such as Davido, whose father is the one of country’s richest men. This has led nightclubs to play Afrobeat. In Atlanta, the new promoters are Nigerians, spreading our country’s music.” Many Western pop artists are wild about Afrobeat. “Nigerian artists don’t follow any rules,”says Universal Music artistic director Jules Borie. “Their approach to song-writing, and creativity in general, leaves me speechless. At every level of development, they break away from contemporary mainstream pop conventions. Afrobeat will increasingly influence the pop gold toplines. Americans and Europeans might copy it, but they’ll never equal it. They’re better off building bridges and collaborating with Nigerian artists.”

Beyond artistic ingenuity, their communication and marketing skills are unparalleled. Algorithms no longer hold any secrets for composers, songwriters or musicians, and streaming platforms draw an astronomical number of digital listeners, making them a sought-after commodity for international labels. Connections with the United States remain strong (some, like Davido, have dual citizenship), but they are also closely interested in Europe, whose importance they do not underestimate. Their vision is global, both artistically and commercially. “Innovation is essential,” says Ms. Aliyu. “Nigerian artists are trailblazers, always willing to try new things. The stories they tell touch people around the world. The videos and production are super-creative. And social media and streaming platforms have changed the game. Artists are no longer afraid of using them to reach a global audience.” Some projects, like one run by Rema, Barack Obama’s favourite, whose breakthrough came with 2019’s Dumebi, have drawn attention from major French labels. Virgin Records France Executive Vice-President Greg Debure talked about the company’s strategy to “make Rema part of France’s musical landscape”. “Luckily,” he says, “we could have confidential talks with his label, Mavin Records/Jonzing World. Rema considers France key to the development of his career. He’s come over several times to promote his live album, an area he excels in. For Calm Down, we first did a lot of work on the playlists on the DSP. Skyrock, NRJ, Fun Radio and local radio stations played the track, which climbed to the top of the charts, reaching number one on Airplay before becoming the second-most streamed song in France in 2022 and a hit in Europe. The only place left to conquer was the United States. The duet with Selena Gomez made the song a global hit.”

While female artists sell less than their male counterparts, they are nevertheless prominent, from Yemi Alade to Tiwa Savage. “Powerful women drive the Afrobeat star system,” says Mr. Bell. “Tiwa Savage, called ‘the Beyoncé of Afrobeat’, has long been at the top of the charts. American label RCA has signed another popular artist, Tems. A hit-maker with Try Me, she has 15 million followers.” Newcomers include the flamboyant Ayra Starr and rising stars Midas the Jagaban and Sade Awele, born in Kaduna and Lagos and brought up in London and Vancouver, respectively. They combine intelligent lyrics with a party groove.

A BRIGHT OUTLOOK

Kel-P, who has sung duets with Burna Boy and Angélique Kidjo, Oxlade, who signed with Epic and Columbia UK, and Asake are up-and-coming names to keep an eye on. Asake will be “the next Afrobeat star,”, says Mr. Bell. “Born in a poor Lagos neighbourhood, he began as a beatmaker before learning to sing a mixture of Afrobeat and amapiano. He has a singular flow and an unmistakable look.” There is also Omah Lay, who released the excellent Boy Alone in 2022. “He’s worked with Justin Bieber and rap stars like JuL and Ninho, which bodes well for his future in France,” says Ms. Abou El Karam. “An Afro-fusion artist, he doesn’t shy away from other genres such as electro or from writing deeply personal, moving songs, like Soso. Last month, he sold out the Olympia, where the audience knew his songs by heart.” The best is yet to come for Nigerian music.