These are the top 10 Nigerian new age musicians with the best stage performance
Live shows and concerts have always been a mainstay in the local music scene and for many Nigerian musicians, it is their bread and butter, here are the top 10 Nigerian new age musicians with the best stage performance.
Most times these live shows are concerts brought to life by the guest performers and a DJ playback so as a nation, we’ve become used to being entertained by pumped-up performances as our favourite musicians take the stage, hopping and dancing from one end to the other while yelling the lyrics to elicit a response from the excited crowd, all the while with their records playing from the deck.
In more recent times, these concerts are being upped to live shows complete with live instrumentalisation from a band and the artiste’s records, rearranged and differently rendered to give new life to their music and by so doing, the audience.
Rema
When Rema had broken out, some doubters had camped on the other side of his artistry, firm in their belief that the now international sensation was a fluke.
Rema had consistently put these notions to flame as his debut EP continued to top charts and make records.
But the biggest hush with which he’d burned these backtalks to nothing had been at his first-ever live performance.
It had been at the Lagos Homecoming concert of 2019 and he had taken to the stage in a ski mask, which had captured the crowd’s attention and then he’d proceeded to steal them away as he performed with a confidence and stage presence beyond what anyone would have imagined for the fresh act.
Tems
In conversation with Apple Music as part of her release campaign for her second EP, If Orange Was A Place, Tems plain-facedly shared that she had been extremely introverted growing up, and not many people had known of her vocal powers.
Vestiges of that little girl still carry in the global sensation that is Tems of today in the star’s reserved, out-of-the media nature.
But that self-contained persona evaporates whenever Tems climbs a stage and begins to put her voice to use as she visibly transforms in front of the crowd into a soulful goddess-like singer, singing her heart out just the way she wanted when she was a little girl.
It had however taken unrelenting practice for Tems to tap into her inner diva and since then she’s headlined shows at soldout venues in New York, London and Lagos.
The Cavemen
In 2020, off the back of their debut album, Roots, The Okorie brothers had hit the music scene with a sound so fresh yet familiar, their music had defied the language barrier of being rendered in Igbo to become one of the most enjoyed projects of the year.
They had nonetheless not rested on their oars. But had flipped the relish of their project into an entire experience that saw them perform live at solo shows in different locations with gradually increasing price points no one could baulk at.
A real-life encounter with modernised Igbo highlife music at its best, their performances had been so thoroughly enjoyed, the shows soon led them to take on Ghana and the viral moment where Wizkid had displayed his fondness for their sound by spraying them dollar notes.
Ayra Starr
At 19, Ayra Starr continues to leave fans and spectators flawed by her unshakeable confidence and sense of self.
The young star had hit the ground running like the secrets to stardom had been imprinted on her palm and in December 2021, she’d proved in flesh via her concert performances that she is indeed 19 & Dangerous.
Off the back of her Bloody Samaritan hit single as well as Beggie Beggie with Ckay, from her debut album, Ayra Starr had made a staggering number of guest appearances at shows during Detty December.
And even when she’d had the flu, with her voice unable to bend and soar to her every command, Ayra Starr had captivated the crowd still with her sparkling aura, crowd control and cute little breakdance.
She also joined the international show headliners group chat following the success of her first-ever show in London and soon after, in Kenya.
CKay
CKay may not have had any headline shows but the global sensation left a lasting impression at the concerts he’d made appearances at.
Most noteworthy of all was his set at Wizkid’s 3-day show at London’s 02 Arena.
Brimming at full capacity of 20,000 guests, CKay had taken to the stage, guitar slung across his frame, strumming and casually singing his Love Nwantiti smash hit, acapella, as he performed in front of a 6-figure audience every other day.
CKay also took his Afro Emo sound to American television host, Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show, singing Love Nwantiti and Emiliana so well, he put autotune to shame.
Lady Donli
Lady Donli is known by two monikers; Cash Mummy and also as the Pan African Rockstar. And she’s known by the latter for one major reason; her electrifying live performances and thrilling stage antics.
An alte sweetheart, during her days as an up and comer, she’d honed her performance skills by holding live sessions from spaces as small and intimate as a living room.
She’s since then, had an impressive run of headline shows in Lagos as well as Abuja which gave fans of the stage-tornado a night they wouldn’t forget in a hurry.
Tomi Thomas
Tomi Thomas was blessed with a voice that he never shies away from making good use of. It’s however one thing to have spine-tingling vocals and another to channel that vocal ability into a full package that brings an arresting stage presence into the mix.
In fact, the singer’s transcendental performances have become such a fan favourite, they gladly re-immerse themselves in the experience of his periodic shows tagged ‘Higher Vibrations.’
Blaqbonez
A rapper like no other, Blaqbonez has made a name for himself as an all-round entertainer, making us laugh at his antics while bopping to his songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j3MD3QnFRs
With a recently successful headline show; Breaking the Yoke of Love tucked under his belt, Blaqbonez had re-inforced his star power by not only sticking to the theme perfectly but carrying the crowd along while dishing out a well-arranged rendition of his Sex Over Love album.
Ironically, prior to his first-ever sold-out show, Blaqbonez had almost fallen prey to doubters who were of the opinion that he was only great as an internet sensation.
Lojay
Last year when the West African art fair, Art X had made a comeback, they’d done it with a bang and a night of pulsating live music from Lojay and his LV & ATTN collab album with Sarz.
It had been Lojay’s first rodeo headlining a show but he had handled the show like a pro, giving the audience an energised and very alive performance.
Lojay was also one of the new age musicians who had debuted at the 02, sharing a stage with Wizkid as he brought his hit record Monalisa to a fresh climax.
Ruger
A natural star, Ruger’s freestyle videos alone hold a fascinating aura that sucked viewers in from the get-go and he’s since been established as a new-gen sweetheart with hit song after hit song which he always revitalises when he hits the stage.
In fact, Ruger’s appearance at the 02 Arena to support Burna Boy earned him glowing remarks from the show’s headliner.
Ruger has also sold-out shows at African destinations such as Kenya and Rwanda.