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4 biggest musical revelations of 2022
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The greatest musical surprises of 2022 in the Nigerian Music Industry
There were a lot of musical surprises that the Nigerian Music Industry experienced in 2022.
The year 2022 was eventful for the majority of Nigerian musicians, but for a select handful, it marked a pivotal moment that propelled their careers from relative obscurity to enormous success.
These few artists finally gained the success they were in search of with the help of the hit songs they released in 2022.
These are the Nigerian music industry’s biggest musical surprises of 2022
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Asake
Ahmed Ololade Asake, better known by his stage name Asake, claims to have started singing in 2015; his first-ever produced song, “Lady,” was released in 2020.
With the release of the single “Lady,” Asake made his debut in the industry. He promoted this song alongside Sydney Talker, Tunde Ednut, NastyBlaq, and Broda Shaggi. After the song’s success, he released “Mr Money,” which became a hit and earned him the moniker “Mr Money.”
These songs, however, did not gain him the attention he deserved, but they provided a platform for him to create a musical career, a career that finally flowered in 2022 after he was recognised and signed by rap king, Olamide, to his record company, YBNL.
Asake seized the chance to get signed by a reputable music label, and with the help of two back-to-back hit songs, he quickly rose to fame. “Mr Money” and “Sungba” are the songs.
Asake’s musical sound is distinguished by fast-paced Afro beats and Amapiano-styled production. His music also incorporates elements of Fuji. Since then, Asake has released a number of hit songs that have many of his admirers raving.
Some of his tracks include: “Lady,” “Palazzo,” “Mr. Money,” “Sungba Ft. Burna Boy,” “Mr. Money With The Vibe,” “Terminator,” “Body,” “Gbale Lo,” “Star,” “Trabaye,” “Payin,” and “Loaded.”
Pheelz
Philip Kayode Moses, better known by his stage as Pheelz, has always been seen as a producer. Actually, Pheelz shot to fame in 2012 when it was revealed that he had produced all but one track on Olamide’s Baddest Guy Ever Liveth album.
Following in the footsteps of producers like Terry G, who had a successful music career after moving to perform songs, Pheelz released his first single, ‘One Life,’ in 2020.
On March 15, 2022, he secured a record deal with Warner UK. Soon after, his song “Finesse,” which was already blaring from Nigerian speakers, became a worldwide hit and gave him his first career entry on the Billboard Global 200 at number 131, the TurnTable Top 50 at number 1, the World Digital Song Sales at number 10, the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart at number 1, and the UK Singles Chart at number 52.
Additionally, Pheelz was the first Afrobeats performer to appear at the BET Awards Pre-Show, where he was nominated for Best New International Act in 2022.
With his most recent hit, “Electricity,” which is currently blasting through the speakers, Pheelz has solidified his position as one of Nigeria’s most intriguing crossover artists. The song provides a sound that will undoubtedly be played repeatedly at parties throughout the summer.
Young Jonn
Just like Pheelz, Young Jonn is another producer who made the bold move into singing and it has resulted in a huge yield for him.
Young Jonn whose real name is Udomboso John Saviours was first introduced to the music industry as Young John the Wicked Producer who has produced hit songs for Nigerian artists like Olamide, Lil Kesh, Davido, Flavour and Phyno.
However On 18 March 2022, Young Jonn unveiled his deal with Chocolate City, with the release of “Dada“, off his first extended play, Love Is Not Enough, which was released on 1 April 2022.
“Dada” gained traction before being dominated by its remix which features Davido which aided Young Jonn’s intention to be taken seriously as a singer. His biggest song in 2022 was however the melodious “Xtra Cool” which really pushed the envelope for him.
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Victony
Antony Victor, professionally known as “Victony,” began as a rapper but then shifted to R&B, trap music, and Afropop music. The year 2021 began with his song “Pray,” which was released following a vehicle accident, garnering popularity. His biggest break came in October 2021 when he collaborated with Mayorkun on the song “Holy Father.”
Victony had been melodiously outstanding since the beginning of his career. However, in 2022, the singer released a few hit songs, establishing him as one of the year’s top musicians.
Victony’s exceptional talent was never in question, though, as he is the inspiration behind “kolomental,” one of the innovative chart-toppers of 2022, which he released from his forthcoming album “outlaw.”