Nigerian women have always risen to global stardom through hard work, determination and grace, despite the challenges they face. BUKOLA OGUNSINA and SAMUEL ABULUDE write about the impact of Nigerian female musicians on the global stage.
With Afrobeats gaining traction worldwide, Nigerian female artists are making waves and beginning to receive the recognition they deserve on the global stage. Tems and Ayra Starr are having a significant global impact, but before them, Tiwa Savage and Yemi Alade, among others, were already on the international scene.
But the rise to stardom has not been easy, as many artistes showed great potential yet struggled because of a lack of adequate support systems and talent managers who ought to have helped them build their careers. As a result, several Nigerian women did not reach stardom.
For the female music icons being celebrated now, the journey did not begin with them but spanned decades, shaped by pioneering women.
In the beginning
While some may argue that the ‘Sweetest Taboo’ singer, Sade Adu, is British, she is also Nigerian, as her father is from Nigeria, and she was born in Ibadan. In the 1980s, Sade Adu was regarded as the most commercially successful musician of Nigerian heritage in history. The music icon won four Grammy Awards and sold more than 50 million albums internationally.
Another Amazon, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, was regarded in her time as a force to be reckoned with. This Lady of Songs was popular in the 70s and 80s. Christy’s 1981 success ‘Seun Rere’ received international acclaim.
We also have Onyeka Onwenu, who came to prominence in the 80s with various songs, including ’One Love’, a chart-topper that became an international hit.
Lijadu Sisters, Taiwo and Kehinde Lijadu, were also popular in the 1970s and 80s for their signature blend of Afrobeat, rock, and soul, which earned them a cult following in the United States and Europe.
In the 2000s, Asa, born Bukola Elemide, and Nneka, whose full name is Nneka Lucia Egbuna, took the global stage. Asa made a breakthrough in 2007 with her self-titled album ‘Asa’. Her chart-topping song ‘Fire on the Mountain’ became an international anthem. Asa also won the prestigious French Constantin Award in 2008.
Meanwhile, Nneka, who lived mostly in Germany, became an international voice for conscious soul and hip-hop in the mid-2000s, touring with pop stars like Damian Marley and Nas.
Shining On Global Stage
In recent times, female amazons making massive success on the international scene include: Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Tems, Arya Starr, among others.
While Tiwa is famously known as ‘Queen of Afrobeats’, she was the first female artist to win Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards (2018). It was also an honour for her and a feather in Nigeria’s cap to be invited to perform at King Charles III’s coronation concert in 2023.
Temilade Openiyi, alias Tems, is also the first Nigerian female artist to win a Grammy (for her collaboration on “Wait For U”) and the first to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Tems was nominated for an Oscar for co-writing “Lift Me” for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. Another great achievement was co-headlining the halftime show of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup final last year at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where she performed her hit song ‘Love Me Jeje’ with Doja Cat and J Balvin.
Meanwhile, Yemi Alade is regarded as the first African female artist to reach 100 million views on a single YouTube video, ‘Johnny’. She has been a consistent force on international tours and in collaborations, including one with pop star Beyoncé.
Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, professionally known as Arya Starr, is currently making waves on the global stage. At a very young age, she received global recognition in 2022 with the release of her song ‘Rush’, which entered the music charts of several countries and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance.
So, what makes all these women different and able to attain such heights over such seemingly short periods?
