Nigerian David Adeleke, aka Davido, is one of the biggest names on the Afrobeat scene. He isn’t just an artist, he is also a producer and has helped drive the careers of other talented Afrobeats stars. Some of Davido’s most popular songs are “All of You,” “Dami Duro” and “Back When” featuring Naeto C.
It is hard not to get drawn in by the unstoppable energy of Nigerian Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, aka Wizkid. He began his career at the age of 11 and hasn’t taken a break since. He’s been incredibly influential in spreading Afrobeat around the world and has several impressive awards under his belt, including City People Entertainment Musician of the Year.
The media – and public — can’t get enough of Tiwa Savage. She is known for doing things like cutting her honeymoon short so she could perform for thrilled fans. While many African Afrobeat stars have been influential abroad, Tiwa Savage has probably had the most impact. She openly talks about her experience as a Nigerian growing up in London and sings in English and Yoruba. She’s also worked with many leading rappers from the West, including Snoop Dogg, helping the spread the sound of Nigerian Afrobeat.
D’banj, whose talent includes playing the harmonica, incorporates many different sounds into his Afrobeat music. Mixing everything from early Afrobeat to dancehall, he creates a fusion of sounds which has international appeal. Right now, he is most famous for his track, “Oliver Twist.”
Fuse ODG has been called an Afrobeat trailblazer because of his mission to “change the perception of Africa.” As a first-generation immigrant to the U.K. from Ghana, Fuse ODG has been very influential with U.K. youths. Though his breakthrough only came last year, he’s already received awards for his music and has been nominated for awards like the World Music Awards’ World’s Best Entertainer of the Year and MTV Africa Best Pop award.
The duo of Nigerian brothers known as P-Square is the most successful act in all of Africa according to MTV. By sampling popular songs from the West, often with a lot of controversy, P-Square has been able to gain attention and draw in many types of listeners. You can hear P-Square as ringtones coming out of phones in East Asia.
Ghanaian Zafi B is one of the newest names in Afrobeat and she is still a teenager, but already she has proven very influential. It seems that Zafi B may be destined to be a star, with her career as an actress beginning at the age of 8.
U.K.-based Nigerian Moelogo is also new to the Afrobeat scene but is already becoming a household name with hits like “The Baddest” and “Pangolo.” He got our attention after winning the NEL (Nigerian Entertainment and Lifestyle) Award for Best Emerging Afrobeat Artist 2014.
Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, is a Nigerian native whose grandfather used to work as Fela Kuti’s manager. So, it isn’t too surprising that Afrobeat ended up being one of Burna Boy’s influences when he decided to follow his passion for music. He is also known for his versatility, combining influences like dancehall, rhythm and blues, and hip-hop into one tight-knit fusion. Burna Boy got his start in 2010 but really took off in 2012 with his hit, “Like to Party.”
Olamide Adedeji, known on stage by just his first name, got his start in 2011. Since then, he has appeared alongside some of the biggest names in the Nigerian music scene and has numerous hits of his own. Unlike a lot of the other Afrobeat stars who sing in English, Olamide sings mostly in Yoruba. Despite being so young and new to the scene, Olamide is already being praised for bringing his own unique style to Afrobeat.
