One thing I have always been grateful for, growing up in the internet age, is the accessibility of music / films / shows from different cultures and countries. I was not limited to just what was around me, or what broadcasters chose to show me but, through apps like YouTube, I was able to connect and understand different people. Growing up as an immigrant in the UK, listening to African music was not something foreign to me nor listening to...
Some of us grew up listening to One Direction, some of us grew up listening to Taylor Swift however, I grew up listening to Naija Music from whilst living in England (via Iroking.com of course!). Below are my favourite throwback Naija songs from the early to mid 2010s: 10. P-Square - Shekini 9. Wizkid - Caro 8. May D - All Over You 7. Jessie Jagz - Wetin Dey 6. Bracket - Girl 5. Flavour - Ada Ada 4. Davido - Aye 3. Mavins Ft. Don Jazzy, Reekado...
I would call myself fortunate for being around when Zule Zoo, a Nigerian music duo, started to blow up in the Nigeria. Zule Zoo was formed by Michael Aboh and Al-Hassan Ibrahim, childhood friends, who bonded over their love of music and performance. Their name means 'Forgotten Warriors Never Die'. Zule Zoo made their mark in Nigerian music history with their innovative sound (especially the use of African percussions) and their unique lyrical...
If you're looking for a Christmas playlist that not only contains Christmas classics e.g. 'All I want for Christmas' , but also some African Christmas tunes, check out the playlist below! From Amapiano to Afro-pop, listen to Xmas tunes from across continents which celebrate the special day: Check out more blog posts here.
Everyone has been so excited to unravel their Spotify Wrapped this year! Spotify Wrapped allows users to view their top artists, top songs, favourite genres and more for the year. This year, Spotify added some amazing new features including the location of where people have listened to similar music. It wasn't surprising that my location was Abuja, Nigeria as Asake, Zinoleesky and Rexxie have been all I've been listening to this year. Something...
Last month, NSG (A British Afroswing Collective) sang a Rock version of their single OT Bop and we loved it! For people like myself who love Rock music and Afrobeats / Afroswing, this was a match made in heaven. An unlikely pair however, a great power combo. The rhythmic bass makes us want to move our hips however, the electric guitar in this rendition makes us want to continue headbanging to the song. It seems that Rock music and Afro inspired...
One of the most admired Nigerian artists of the 2000s is Timaya, a port harcourt born musician who grew up in Odi, Bayelsa State. Timaya often blends multiple genres e.g. Nigerian pop and reggae etc. in his music. His first single, Dem Mama, was released in 2005 and was about the massacre that occurred in Odi. Though a sensitive topic, Timaya perfectly describes the feeling of losing his loved ones and all he knew due to corruption and greed....
Let's go a trip down memory to listen to tunes from the streets to commercial British charts. Artists like Tinchy Stryder, Dizzee Rascal, Tinie Tempah and more created the foundation for British Urban music to become more mainstream in the UK. In the late 2000s, the UK charts were mainly dominated by American R&B / Pop music and British Indie music. During this time, Urban music began to gain more mainstream traction due to artists like...
Here are a list of more songs we have on repeat, this year, coming from emerging R&B / Urban artists in the UK. 10. Czafari - Body Language 9. vi0let, Kaisha - Psyche 8. SUPERtiny - Borderline (feat. Nyah Grace) 7. Chel - Pesa (Give It All) 6. Freya - Land Back on Earth 5. Farah Audhali - On The Run 4. Binta - Do You Wanna 3. Svetlana - Soul Sister 2. Vacatixn - Lessonlearned. 1. Secret Night Gang - When Will the Sun Rise Again...
Childhood Growing up as a black girl of Nigerian Heritage in Hertfordshire meant that I wasn't like the rest of the people around me. Not totally included or part of the group. Why so? Maybe because of the way I was raised. Being raised by a strict (but amazing) Nigerian mother meant that in inside my house, it was like Lagos, but outside my home, I was in a completely different environment. Besides church, it was hard to meet and connect with...
