The year 2012 is one that would not be forgotten in a hurry by close watchers and players alike on the entertainment scene. We take a peek into the New Year, chronicling those who may likely make the headlines in 2013.
Making up the roll-call in no particular order are a list of promising acts and the ‘usual suspects’ set to take the scene by storm.
Olamide: Filling the void
Barely two years into his professional music career, Olamide Adedeji, known for his creative lyrics, has become a household name in the Nigerian music circles. His single titled ‘Eni Duro’ literarily catapulted him into national prominence while he also seemingly filled the void left by DaGrin with his endearing lyrics delivered in Yoruba.
Olamide’s road to fame is one for the history books, this time two years ago he was a regular kid growing up in the heart of Lagos Mainland, Bariga. Even though Olamide insists he is still that Bariga boy, a lot has changed in his life.
A recording artiste signed onto ID Cabasa’s Coded Tunez Record label and managed by industry heavy weight Toni Payne, his rise to fame was not handed to him on a silver platter. Olamide’s hard work and pure unbridled talent are responsible for the artiste that we see today.
In an industry filled with artistes delivering their lines in American accents, whether real or imagined, it is a relief to have at least one artiste we can call 100% Nigerian.
King Sunny Ade: Set to usher good tidings with ‘My Year’ In a manner that looks more of a prophecy, newly crowned ‘music emperor’ King Sunny Ade is launching into the year 2013 with a new work which predicts a bountiful and rewarding year for Nigerians.
According to KSA; “the work, titled ‘’My Year’, is packaged to bless my fans particularly and Nigerians in general, encouraging them to hold on to the belief that 2013 is their year of blessings and rewards in their individual endeavours.”
A sneak preview into the collection indicates another major music piece from King Sunny Ade as he goes back into musical archives for arresting lyrics, technically crafted into moving proverbs of songs and danceable beats that had been his trademarks for years.
Distributor of King Sunny Ade’s works, Mr. Ademola Joshua, said, “’My Year’ is an essential musical work to stimulate those who are looking forward to 2013 as a rewarding year.”
Tiwa Savage: Tightens her grip on the scene Ever since she dropped her endearing single, titled ‘Love Me Love Me Love Me’, sexy artiste Tiwa Savage has won for herself a glut of fans and admirers alike. She is a singer cum songwriter signed onto Mavin Records who seems poised to tighten her grip on the music scene which is equally littered with quality female vocalists.
Currently working on her debut upcoming album, Tiwa’s career received a big boost when she was named Pepsi Ambassador- a role she shares with EME’s cash cow, Wizkid.
She has collaborated with Chuck Harmony (Rihanna, Mary J. Blige), Warren ‘Oak’ Felder (Chris Brown and Jennifer Lopez) and producer So Sick, just to mention a few, on her debut collection.
Weaving an eclectic collision of influences on her forthcoming piece, Tiwa says her album will be a blend of “songs in my native language and some straight up Soul and R&B cuts.”
Tuface Idibia: Away and beyond While faceless people were spreading rumours about his death, 2face Idibia was far away in a Los Angeles studio waxing a song. The rumour which came days after proposing to his girlfriend, Annie Macaulay, didn’t deter the musician as he went on to launch his celebrity hangout Rumours in G.R.A, Ikeja while also acquiring choice properties in Victoria Island.
2Face Idibia is scheduled to return to the school circuits come 2013 after a six-year hiatus. Idibia will embark on a scheduled campus tour that would see him visiting various tertiary institutions in Nigeria for the first time in over six years.
The tour was engineered to provide the artiste with a platform on which he could show gratitude and appreciation to everyone who played a part in making the 2face brand successful in the year 2012. In the year 2013, the ‘African Queen’ crooner seeks to foster a lasting relationship that will ensure continued association and cooperation in the future.
Don Jazzy The godfather of club hits The recently was rated as the 36th “Most powerful celebrity in Africa” according to Forbes. Such is the stock of Michael Collins Ajereh (born November 26, 1982), better known as Don Jazzy.
Jazzy is a multi award-winning record producer, singer-songwriter, musician, former CEO of Mo’ Hits Records founded in 2004 and current CEO of the Mavin Records label which he founded in May 2012 after his split up with childhood friend D’Banj.
Don Jazzy’s first full credit production work was in 2004 on Tongolo for Nigerian singer D’Banj. He went on to produce D’Banj’s first studio album titled No Long Thing released in 2005.
Jazzy’s appetite for a full-time career in music could no longer be satiated when, in 2004, he partnered with D’Banj to set up the Mo’ Hits label. Within two years, the prolific producer had wrapped up two albums (No Long Thing and Rundown/Funk You Up) with his former Mo’ Hits partner and was working on a third, Curriculum Vitae. By this time, he had already started becoming a household name with the trademark intro It’s Don Jazzy Again!
In 2008 there were further production credits for the best selling album of that year; Jazzy repeated the trick with Wande Coal’s Mushin 2 Mo’ Hits, an album that was described as one of the best albums to ever come out of Nigeria.
2013 will definitely be a busy year for Jazzy as he is set to make more hits for his signees on the Mavin Record stable such as Tiwa Savage, D’Prince, Wande Coal and Dr Sid.
Burna Boy: Blazing the trail His songs are said to be a break from the norm as he succeeded in changing the sound gear of present day Nigerian lovers of music who mostly love songs with heavy beat and low message.
Burna boy showed why he indeed is the King of the Afro Fusion genre as he perfectly blends English with a bit of Igbo and Yoruba over the smooth sound of the house influenced beat produced by LeriQ.
The Aristokrat Records signee officially dropped four singles off his forthcoming debut album L.I.F.E. (Leaving an Impact For Eternity) which will include successful singles such as ‘Like To Party’ and ‘Tonight’.
Expect more singles from the six pack artiste who has got female fans excited about his music in 2013, leading to the launch of his debut album.
