Best Female Musicians in Nigeria

Over the years, Nigeria artistes have distinguished themselves in Music Industry in Africa and the world at large. Female musicians are not left out too, as we take a look at the new generations of Nigeria female singers who have achieved so much in their music careers and have also touched so many lives in Nigeria, Africa and the world. So here we go in no particular order;

Sasha P

Yetunde Antonia Alabi (otherwise known by her stage name as Sasha P) was born on 21 May 1983 in Ibadan, Oyo State located western Nigeria. She is a songwriter and is popularly known as First Lady as she became one of Nigeria’s first new generation of pop female musicians. Her music is often characterized with hardcore rap lines to produce strong energy and melodies. The stage name Sasha was adopted after she realized it meant ‘Victory’ by a Russian family friend who translated it for her. She started singing at a very tender age of 5 in family gatherings and went on to compete at the Girls Nite Out talent show in 2001 where she finished as 1^st runner-up.

Sasha P rose to stardom that same year when she met popular musician Eldee, joined his group called Trybesmen and was signed on to Trybes records. Sasha left Eldee to join Storm Records in 2005 and soon released her hit single ‘Adara’. She won both the MTV Africa Music Award for the Best Female Artiste and also Channel’O Music Video Awards for the Best Female Video in 2010.

Sasha now has a fashion label called ‘Electric by Sasha’. In 2012, Sasha was the Olympic torch bearer for Nigeria and she currently is a motivational as she has worked with a campaign to end violence against women.

Tiwa Savage

Tiwa Savage (born Tiwatope Savage-Balogun) was born on 5 February 1980 in Lagos, Nigeria. She graduated from the Berkley College of Music with a degree in Professional Music during which she auditioned and made it to the top 24 in UK’s X-Factor singing competition. After graduation, she had been a back-up vocalist for several world international singers like Mary.J Blige, George Williams and has also performed on stage with Robbie Williams and Destiny Child.

Tiwa Savage the came back home to pursue her career and released her first studio titled Once Upon A Time’ in 2013. She was signed to Mavin Records owned by popular producer Don Jazzy and since then has released hit singles such as Kele Kele Love, Eminado, Dorobucci and recently My Darling

Tiwa Savage got married to her manger Tunji "Tee Billz" Balogun and recently gave birth to bouncing baby boy on 22 July, 2015. She is involved in many charitable works which includes Youth empowerment, breast cancer research and campaign in Nigeria.

Chidinma

Chidinma (otherwise known as Chidinma Ekile) who hails from Imo State was born on May 2 1991 in Ketu, Lagos State located in Western Nigeria to her Igbo parents as the sixth of seven children. She is considered to be one of the brightest and most lively Nigeria female musicians who rose to fame after she won the third edition of the famous music reality TV show called MTN Project Fame West Africa.

Chidinma released her first and single album titled ‘Chidinma’ in 2012 which had hit tracks singles like "Jankoliko", "Carry You Go", "Kedike" and "Run Dia Mouth". Her hit single Kedike won her the Kora Awards for the Best Female West African Act category that same year. Chidinma has performed in several countries across Africa, including Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Cameroun, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana and South Africa.

Chidinma is currently signed on to her record label called Capital Hill Records which is owned by producer illbliss. She is also currently studying sociology at the University of Lagos in Yaba, Lagos State.

Nneka

Nneka (born Nneka Lucia Egbuna) was born on 24 December 1980 and was raised in Warri, Delta State located in Southern Nigeria to her parents. Growing up in Nigeria has hugely influenced her life experiences and choice of music which infuses reggae and hip pop with her trademark guitar.

After graduating from Hamburg University in Germany where she read Anthropology, Nneka released her first album in 2005 called ‘Victim of Truth’ which made her popular in Germany, Nigeria and other European countries as she was compared to the Miseducation album of the famous musician Lauryn Hill. Three years later she released her second album titled ‘No Longer At Ease’ whose name she got from the book of famous author Chinua Achebe.

In 2010, she had her first US concert which includes songs from her previous album and ones she recorded while in Nigeria. She has won several awards such as Channel O Music Awards and the MOBO Award for Best African Act.

Omawumi

Otherwise known as Omawumi Megbele, who hails from Warri was born on April 13, 1982 in Delta State, Nigeria to the family of Chief Dr. Frank and Mrs. Aya Megbele. She is a popular Nigeria female songwriter, singer and also an actress whose Afropop type of music often depicts the ugly plight of an average Nigeria-African woman in the society. She is a graduate of Law from Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma in Edo State. Her music career took a huge step forward, when she became the 1^st runner-up in 2007 edition of a music reality TV show called West Africa (now Nigeria) Idols.

Omawumi released her first album The Lasso of Truth which had hit track such as Bottom Belle ft Flavour and won her the ELOY Awards as the Best Female Artist in 2014. She is also an actress who has starred in some movies like Inale, a Hollywood/Nollywood Bongos-Ikwe production (2010), Funke Akindele's Return of Jenifa (2011), Yvonne Nelson's House of Gold (2013).

Omawumi is currently a brand ambassador of Globacom telecom, Konga and Malta Guinness. She is also part of the campaign called "Rise with the Energy of Africa".

Waje

Waje (born as Aituaje Iruobe) who hails from Benin, Edo State was born on September 1 in Akure, Ondo State located in western Nigeria. She was the first child and the first daughter to her already divorced parents, attended Word of Faith Group of Schools and then graduated from University of Nigeria Nsukka with a degree in Social work.

Waje is a singer has become a household name in Nigeria music with her powerful vocal range that covers three octaves. She specializes in R&B, Hip pop soul and Afropop and her first major spotlight came in 2008 when she was featured in P-Square’s hit track titled "Do Me". She released her first self-titled debut studio album in 2013 which had hit track, “I Wish”. Waje has won so many individual awards which includes, Nigerian music video awards (best new video) 2009, Channel o music video awards (most gifted female video) 2011, Deafa afro-europe entertainment awards (best African art) 2011.

Waje is a proud single mother of two Emerald (who who was born when Waje was 17 years old) and Vannesa. Waje is currently working with the youths of her community through an organisation she calls Waje's Safe House, where she teams up with other NGOs quarterly to help fight for their cause.

Asa

Asa (Born Bukola Elemide) was born on 17 September 1982 in Paris, France but grew up in Alagbole, a border town in Ogun state near Lagos, in the south-western part of Nigeria to her Nigeria parents. She is one Nigeria female musician whose quality of music is well appreciated both at home and abroad with a large fan base in different continents of the world as she plays the guitar very well too. Asa literally means “Hawk” in native Yoruba language and she sings in both Yoruba and English as her music is characterized mostly portrays her country and her life. After she finished her school in London, she came back home to discover and learn more about music at home where she met with famous artist like, Fela, Angelique Kidjo, Erykah Badu and host of others.

In 2007, Asa released her first album called ‘Asa’ which eventually was a huge success and had hit tracks like “Fire on the Mountain, Jailer and Eye Adaba which gained huge popularity shooting her to stardom. She followed up to release her second album ‘Beautiful Imperfection’ in 2011 and in 2013 released her third ‘Bird of Stone’ with Dead Again already a hit track in the album.

Yemi Alade

Arguably the hottest female musician in Nigeria today, Yemi Eberechi Alade was born on March 13, 1989 in Abia State to the family of James Alade (Yoruba Man) and Helen Uzoma (Igbo Man) resulting in her being referred as "Yoruba-Igbo girl". Alade is the fifth out of the seven children in her family. She attended St Saviour British Primary School, then went on to Victory Grammar School in Lagos.

Alade made her musical debut in an all-girl group called Noty Spices in 2005, but her music became widely popular after she won the Peak Talent Show in 2009. She later released her first single "Fimisile" under the Jus' Kiddin' label.

She was nominated and won the Best Female Artiste by MTV African Music Awards twice ( in 2015 and 2016). Yemi Alade has two music albums to her credit King of Queens( released on 2 October 2014) and Mama Africa (released in March 2016.) Her popular hit tracks are "Johnny" (October 2013), "Kom Kom (ft. Flavour)" (May 2016), Herself (2015)