Popular Nigerian singer Yemi Alade has opened up about the story behind her decision to keep her birth name throughout her music career, revealing that she intentionally turned down stage names because she wanted her artistry, not her name, to shape people’s first impression.
Speaking during an interview with the BBC, the award-winning singer explained that she explored several stage names early in her career but eventually realized they carried expectations she wasn’t comfortable with.
“One of the names that I had played with in my early days was Electra, but I changed my mind because I felt that the minute you hear Electra, you already expect me to be electrifying, and I didn’t want people to see me coming or overexpect.
I wanted them not to know what’s coming, and then I tried another name, Ginger, but the problem is, in Nigeria, when you say ginger, it means energy, and I’m just telling everybody who I am before they meet me.”
Rather than settling for a stage identity, Alade said she sought divine guidance before ultimately deciding that her given name best reflected her purpose and personal journey.
“I had a moment where I just sat on the idea, and I honestly just reached out to God and just asked, ‘Please lead me,’ and the reckoning that came to me was that I needed to stick to my birth name because it had a huge meaning behind it.
Opeyemi means ‘thanks be to God,’ and Alade means ‘the one who holds the crown.’ I feel like that embodies who I am, so I held on to it.”
The singer also shared how her relationship with fans across Africa inspired her to make her music more accessible by recording songs in multiple languages. According to her, the idea came after witnessing the passion of audiences who sang along to her music despite not understanding English or her native languages.
“The first language I translated my music into was French, and it was born out of curiosity. I felt a very strong connection with many French-speaking African fans when I saw them in the front row of my concerts, singing my songs even though they didn’t speak English or any of my native languages.
So I thought to myself, why don’t I do something very dear to them and show them I truly love them? That’s where my desire to start translating my music came from. I later went on to translate my music into Swahili and Portuguese.”
Reflecting on the evolution of the music industry, Alade acknowledged that women today are receiving greater acceptance than in previous years. However, she stressed that there is still more work to be done to achieve stronger female representation across the industry.
According to the singer, the journey has not necessarily become easier for women, but opportunities have gradually expanded. She encouraged more women to step forward and continue breaking barriers, noting that increased participation is key to creating a more balanced and inclusive music industry.
Yemi Alade has built a reputation as one of Africa’s most internationally recognised performers, with her multilingual approach helping her connect with audiences across the continent and beyond. Her latest reflections offer a glimpse into the intentional decisions that have shaped both her identity and her enduring success in the global music scene.