Editor’s note: To mark the end of 2015, Naij.com presents our nominees for best female artist of 2015 as compiled by music reviewer and Naij.com contributor, Udochukwu Ikwuagwu. Who do you think should win? Vote in the poll below!
1. Yemi Alade
In a rather quiet year for Nigerian female artistes, Yemi Alade
continued where she left off in 2014, stacking her claim on the King of
Queens title. After successes of Johnny and her début album, Yemi Alade
went on tour, increasing her fanbase from Congo to Ghana to Zambia to
Togo. 2015 was even bigger as the Effyzzie act sold-out shows in France,
Germany, Italy and Switzerland on her European tour. She released
videos for Sugar, Duro Timi, Pose, Temperature off King of Queens, and
collaborated with Cameroonian and Kenyan acts. Yemi Alade’s efforts in
the year under review could match that of her male counterparts; she
lived up to her Mama Africa epithet grabbing MAMA Best Female Artiste,
NEA Best Female Act, AFRIMA Best Female Artist in Western Africa, and
getting nods from the MTv Europe Music Awards and BET.
2. Seyi Shay
Seyi or Shay marked the sole album by any Nigerian mainstream female
artiste released in the year under review— a really poor musical year
for female acts, if one were to judge. The début effort by Sound
Sultan’s mentee contained previously released hits Murda, and Crazy. The
former really set Seyi Shay’s career on track, as she had had an
identity crisis—some said her style aped Beyoncé’s, Rihanna’s, or even
Keri Hilson’s. The turn of the year saw Irawo sign an international
record deal and a Pepsi endorsement came along. On the music front, her
Harrysongz-penned Jangilova and Right Now were well-received among fans
and critics putting her foot firmly in the industry. She received the
MAMA Best Female Artiste nod.
3. Cynthia Morgan
Dancehall godmother, Cynthia Morgan didn’t do badly for herself, starting off with the release of hit single
German Juice
in February. Weeks later, she featured on the remix of Mr. 2Kay’s Bad
Girl Special which went on to win the Best Collaboration at the NEA.
Come and Do, and Simati Niya received fair spins on the radio. Though
the expectation, given the buzz from the previous year, was that the
Northside Entertainment act will drop her début album in 2015, that
didn’t come to fruition.
4. Tiwa Savage
The joys of motherhood took Tiwa Savage away from the booth and
consequently spotlight. But it would be unfair to not cut Mrs. Billz
some slack. She had such a run in 2014, winning all that was up for
grabs in the female categories, sitting as queen with the lucky charm
that was Eminado. Even in her state, she found time to hop on arguably
the biggest remix this year (Woju) and contribute to the Mavins’
Jantamanta and the SMD prince’s Romantic.
5. Simi
The days of the gospel act crooning Ile Amo or Ara Ile could be said
to be over! She tried switching to electro-pop/dance but was lukewarmly
received. The Mass Communications grad then hooked up with Oscar
Heman-Ackah, whom is responsible for her new sound and direction, under
the X3M label. Tiff kick-started that transformation into a Pop/Soul
artiste with Jamb Question putting her on stage to win the NEA Most
Promising Act. Her sound engineering skills that birthed 2014 Restless
EP got praised on Adekunle Gold’s Orente, she also mixed Falz’s Soldier
(a song her soulful vocals brought to life). She has written songs for
celebrated artistes Darey and Bez
Source: Naija.com
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