#1
Psquare
2016 was a very turbulent year for the twin brothers Peter and Paul Okoye, considered by many to be the most popular musical act to come from Nigeria. They split and then reunited with the now viral hit, Bank Alert. They started performing while studying in an obscure high school in Jos. Today they are household names not only in Nigeria but in many other countries all over Africa.
#2
Yemi Alade
When Yemi Alade released the music video for ‘Johnny’ in March 2014, it gained over 800,000 VeVo/YouTube views in 2 months, making ‘Johnny’ an international smash hit. Alade was born to a Yoruba father and an Igbo mother, causing her to be fondly referred to as “Yoruba-Igbo girl”. Yemi obtained a degree in Geography from the University of Lagos and has performed across the globe, sharing the stage and songs with both international and local acts like Mary J. Blige, Shina Peters, M.I, Wizkid, Becca,May D, Waje and Yemi Sax. She gained prominence after winning the Peak Talent Show in 2009.
#3
Wizkid
The starboy has remained relevant since he came into the industry. Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun started his musical career at age 11. In 2009, he signed a record deal with Banky W.’s imprint Empire Mates Entertainment. He rose to prominence in 2010 with the release of the song “Holla at Your Boy” from his debut studio album, Superstar (2011). He was ranked 5th on Forbes and Channel O’s 2013 list of the Top 10 Richest/Bankable African Artists. In February 2014, Wizkid became the first ever Nigerian musician to have over 1 million followers on Twitter. In May 2016 He was nominated for BET Award. He is one of the top four earning Nigerian artistes of 2016.
#4
Davido
The HKN boss was voted by many to be the second best artist in Nigeria year 2015. The star singer did really well both locally and internationally. Starting with hit singles like; Owo Ni Koko, The Sound, Fans Mi, Dodo, and more, Davido pushed his brand hard. His music video for “Fans Mi” set a record on YouTube as the fastest Nigerian video to hit 1 million views on YouTube. He is one of the top four earning Nigerian artistes of 2016.
#5
Olamide
He is nicknamed ‘Badoo’ and He is the most consistent Nigerian rapper. Olamide set a record with headies awards in 2015 after racking up 8 nominations. Olamide released “BOBO” which is one of the most popular songs in the country with its stylish dance steps, still trending across the country. On 17 July 2013, Olamide became the first Nigerian to sign an endorsement deal with Cîroc. Olamide has won several music awards, including multiple Nigeria Entertainment Awards and The Headies Awards. He is the first and only artist in Nigeria with 5 albums in 5 years and He is one of the top four earning Nigerian artistes of 2016.
#6
Kiss Daniel
The young star really showed Nigerians he is not just a cute singer but a dope one as well. Kiss Daniel’s ‘WOJU’ is one of the most purchased songs on iTunes and MTN musicplus. ‘WOJU’ is also one of the most subscribed caller tunes. Kiss has released other hit songs; Laye, Molue, Good Time and a few collabos.
Missing your favorite artiste in our list? Submit your top 6 in the comment section below.
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Really it’s a nice compilation and the artists short bio is nice. But in my opinion the list is grossly deficient and perhaps only represents the composer’s Views without much consideration of the general public.
No list of top artists in Nigeria is complete when 2face and/or D’banj is not there. The two represent the foundation of Afro hip-hop in Nigeria and in fact Africa at large, with multiple awards and international recognition to their trademark names, and have consistently maintained these positions sensibly over a span of more than a decade.
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Thank you for your kind words and sharp observation. However, this list is focused on 2016……in other words, it answers the question: who are the top 6 musical artists in Nigeria right now?
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