These are the top 20 Afrobeat artistes in Africa at the moment
The genre’s growing global traction was seen in traditional and new avenues starting with a steady supply of hit songs, international collaborations and awards and here are the Top 20 Afrobeat artistes in Africa at the moment
Howeve, with usual suspects including Burna Boy, Davido, Tiwa Savage and Wizkid leading affairs.
In July, the genre got its first ‘official’ chart, which highlights impactful Afrobeats artists in the UK, where the scene has accrued widespread popularity for about a decade.
Last year, for instance, Afrobeats artists spent 86 weeks on the Official Charts Company’s Official Chart Top 40.
“This fast-growing genre is having an increasingly powerful impact on the music landscape right now, both in the UK and further afield, through artists including the likes of NSG, J Hus and Burna Boy,” Official Charts Company CEO Martin Talbot said.
Top 20 Afrobeat artistes in Africa at the moment
Femi Kuti
Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti (born 16 June 1962), popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician born in London and raised in Lagos.
He is the eldest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and a grandchild of political campaigner, women’s rights activist and traditional aristocrat Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
Femi Kuti began his musical career playing in his father’s band, Egypt 80. In 1986, Femi started his own band, Positive Force, establishing himself as an artist independent of his father’s legacy.
Wizkid
For something like a decade, the Nigerian star has consistently secured himself a place in the upper reaches.
This year is no different, as the singer continued his winning ways with the release of his brilliant new album Made In Lagos, which, in November, became the third most-streamed Nigerian album on Spotify with more than 10 million streams.
The ‘Ojuelegba’ star also chalked significant success with his international collaborations, notable among them Beyoncé’s ‘Brown Skin Girl’, which this year was recognised at the NAACP Image Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, and the BET Awards.
Wizkid also grabbed the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) trophy for Best African Act, as well as multiple nominations at the 2020 Headies in Nigeria.
Burna Boy
Burna Boy crowned his 2020, which was characterised by the release of a new album and #EndSARS activism, with his second consecutive Grammy nomination.
The nod, together with notable feats including high-profile performances, several other nominations and the BET Award for Best International Act, reasserted his place as Africa’s foremost entertainer today.
Davido
Like Wizkid, Davido has been an Afrobeats mainstay for many years. As has been characteristic about him over the period, he has functioned as a repository of hit songs. This year, his sophomore full-length A Better Time also dropped.
Guesting collaborations from international icons including Nas and Nicki Minaj, the LP, which was released in November, has already exceeded 100 million streams across all digital platforms.
Davido’s 2020 was also steeped in political activism as he was among the musicians who spearheaded the #EndSARS protests against police brutality in the country.
Seun Kuti
Seun Anikulapo Kuti (born 11 January 1983), who is called by the name Seun Kuti, is a Nigerian musician, singer and the youngest son of the famous Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti.
Seun leads his father’s former band Egypt 80.
Mr Eazi
Joining the list of Afrobeats’ best performers this year is Mr Eazi, who continues to seamlessly straddle his musical career with entrepreneurial activities.
Apart from the release of his EP One Day You Will Understand and the star-studded ‘Oh My Gawd’, which swiftly reached No 1 on the iTunes Chart in the US and Billboard World Digital Sales Chart, Mr Eazi, who was recently recognised by the Latin Grammys for guesting on Columbian Reggaeton star J Balvin’s Colores, also expanded his business initiatives – launching the Africa Music Fund earlier this year for emerging artists and securing a global distribution deal between his independent music company emPawa Publishing and Kobalt.
Tiwa Savage
Tiwa Savage also had a good showing this year, complementing her global inroads over the years with the well-received album Celia, which follows Once Upon a Time (2013) and R.E.D (2015).
Celia, which was named among Time Magazine’s top 10 albums of 2020, boasts collaborations from Nigerians Davido, Naira Marley, Dice Ailes and Adekunle Gold as well as British artists Stefflon Don and Sam Smith.
This year also saw Tiwa make her US TV debut by making an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
She also contributed an at-home performance to Tiny Desk Concerts, a gig she described as a dream come true.
There was also a plethora of award recognitions, including a Soundcity MVP gong for African Video of the Year as well as nominations at the 2020 MOBOs and Headies, to complement her glorious year.
Yemi Alade
‘Johnny’ hitmaker Yemi Alade also joins our list of the 2020s most impactful Afrobeats artists.
On 20 November, she issued Woman of Steel, her fifth LP, as the topping for a remarkable year that saw her star in Beyoncé’s film Black Is King and become a brand ambassador for Hollandia Yoghurt and goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Development Programme.
Omah Lay
Omah Lay continues to grow his reputation as incoming Afrobeats golden boy, having racked up millions of streams for his sultry love songs, which unfold in the EPs Get Layd and What Have We Done.
The singer, who recently secured a deal with Warner Music, was also listed on Apple Music’s Africa Rising and Audiomack’s #UpNow programme.
Showing no signs of slowing down, industry watchers expect the singer to continue his winning ways in 2021.
Rema
Divine Ikubor (born 1 May 2000), known professionally as Rema, is a Nigerian singer and rapper. He rose to prominence with the release of the song “Iron Man”, which appeared on Barack Obama’s 2019 summer playlist.
in 2019, he signed a record deal with Jonzing World, a subsidiary of Mavin Record
Fireboy DML
Adedamola Adefolahan (born 5 February 1996),known professionally as Fireboy DML, is a Nigerian singer.
He is signed to YBNL Nation, a record label founded by Nigerian rapper Olamide.
His debut studio album Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps was released in 2019.
He won Listener’s Choice and was nominated for Song of the Year for “Jealous” at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festiva
KiDi
Behind widely successful anthems like ‘Enjoyment’ and ‘Say Cheese’, whose remix guested American R&B legend Teddy Riley, Ghana’s KiDi kept his place among Afrobeats’ elite.
The year also saw the musician add to his Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs) tally, picking up the trophy for Album of the Year with Sugar.
Kuami Eugene
Kuami Eugene is currently GH music’s top man, having been named Artist of the Year at the VGMAs.
Constantly on call for collaborations and shows, the singer also dropped his sophomore project Son of Africa this year, laying bare his intentions to conquer the continent in no time.
Despite having to cancel his international tour in support of the project, Kuami Eugene will look back on 2020 with fondness, and as one that established him as a continental brand.
Simi
Simisola Bolatito Kosoko, better known by her stage name Simi, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress.
She started her career as a gospel singer, releasing her debut studio album in 2008, titled Ogaju.
She gained prominence in 2014 after releasing “Tiff”, a song that was nominated for Best Alternative Song at The Headies 2015
Wande Coal
Wande coal started singing in the teenage choir at his church. He got his first break in the Nigerian entertainment industry as a dancer. He got signed to Don Jazzy’s Mo’ Hits Records in 2006.
He featured on D’banj’s Rundown/Funk you up album on singles such as “Loke”, “tonosibe” and “why me”.
Being signed to Mo’ Hits records, he is also a member of the Mo’ Hits allstars and played a major role in the released CV (Curriculum Vitae) album.
. Runtown
Douglas Jack Agu, better known as Runtown, is a Nigerian Afrobeats artist who began releasing music in 2007 and gained global fame in the mid-2010s.
After spending years under the radar, Runtown released his career-making single, 2014’s “Gallardo (feat. Davido),” which won Best Collaboration honors at that year’s Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
Ghetto University, his debut LP, arrived in 2015 and featured such A-list collaborators as DJ Khaled and Wizkid.
He earned his first global hit with the 2016 single “Mad Over You,” which reached the Top 40 of the Billboard + Twitter Top Tracks chart.
Kizz Daniel
Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe, better known by his stage name Kizz Daniel, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter.
He is best known for his singles “Woju” and “Yeba”, he went by the stage name Kiss Daniel prior to changing it in May 2018.
He founded the Fly Boy Inc record label in November 2017.
. Adekunle Gold
Adekunle Kosoko, known professionally as Adekunle Gold, is a Nigerian highlife singer, songwriter, and graphic designer.
He gained widespread attention after releasing the 2015 hit single “Sade”, a highlife cover of One Direction’s “Story of My Life”.
In 2015, he signed a record deal with YBNL Nation and released his debut studio album Gold, which debuted at number 7 on the Billboard World Albums chart.