6 most underrated Nigerian musicians

By Hassan Sanusi

Over time, some truly talented acts have not got the level of recognition they truly deserve. Photo: Instagram/Facebook/NET

In the Nigerian showbiz parlance, talent is never enough. You need packaging, good management and a lot more to reach the Promised Land.
If you possess all these and the right qualities in required proportion, it works like magic and you can very well be on your way to becoming the next big name. Over time, some truly talented acts have been struggling and not getting the level of admiration and recognition they truly deserve.
In this special report, NET unveils six of the most underrated acts in the Nigerian music scene.

Praiz<

Praiz...

Read More at thenet.ng/2014/12/i-dont-see-iyanya-as-competing-with-me-praiz/ Follow us: @theNETng on Twitter | theNETng on Facebook

Praiz...

Read More at thenet.ng/2014/12/i-dont-see-iyanya-as-competing-with-me-praiz/ Follow us: @theNETng on Twitter | theNETng on Facebook

Praiz...

Read More at thenet.ng/2014/12/i-dont-see-iyanya-as-competing-with-me-praiz/ Follow us: @theNETng on Twitter | theNETng on Facebook

Ladies man, bunch of talent and more, Praiz is one of the music acts that have not got the level of respect and buzz he deserves. Photo: X3M

Praiz Ugbede Adejo, better known as Praiz is a singer, songwriter and music producer who has carved a niche for himself in his almost one decade in the Nigerian music scene.
The singer has remained consistent since he came into limelight in 2008 when he emerged second runner-up in the popular music reality TV show, MTN Project Fame.
With songs like – ‘Rich and Famous’, ‘Mercy’ and ‘Oshey’ featuring Congolese musician, Awilo Longomba and a rendition of Rihanna’s mind-blowing single, ‘Stay’ to his name, the soul/R&B singer has worked with notable artistes like M.I, Sound Sultan, Wizkid, Bez, Sheyi Shay, Iyanya, Chidinma, Kcee, Waje, Cobhams Asuquo, Patoranking and Skales.
After nearly a decade in the industry, on December 14, 2014, the singer who is currently signed to X3M Music, dropped his debut double album, Rich and Famous, with a UK promo tour scheduled for this year.
 In 2012, his track – ‘I love you’ was nominated for The Headies Recording of The Year/Best Vocal Performance and the Next Act by NEA. He was also nominated for NEA Best Pop/R&B Artist of the Year Awards in 2014.
Music fans who wonder what has become of Nigerian R&B acts should keep in touch with this artiste as he possesses what Banky W, Timi Dakolo or Bez would offer.

 Niyola

Pretty and armed with a voice that can disarm the hardened, Niyola should be among females in the frontline on the Nigerian music scene. Photo: Facebook

Soul singer, Niyola deserves better recognition even if there has not been any new release from her this year. Her previous songs are exciting and rich in melody.
Niyola got into the music mix in 2000 when she emerged runner up at the Amen Starlet Competition but began her professional music career in 2005 when she became associated with Trybe Records owned by Eldee. She recorded 3 singles before getting signed to EME ,working along with Banky W and Shaydee and spent some time with Wizkid and Skales who were with the label then.
In 2013, she dropped 2 hit singles – ‘Toh Bad’ and ‘Crazy’ laced with her warm and refreshing voice. Since then, she has gone on to work with the likes of Sound Sultan on ‘Belle No Be Showglass’, Banky W’s track – ‘Be My Lover’ and Lynxxx‘s ‘No Comment’.
Niyola, won the ‘Female Artist of the Year’ gong at NEA Awards last year, is yet to release a debut album but her recent track – ‘Love To Love You’ featuring Banky W is also a song one can mark as a favorite while we continue to expect more. For many of us who love cool music, Niyola is surely one of our favorite artists.

 Brymo

Listening once more to Ice Prince’s smash hit, ‘Oleku’ and his own songs like – ‘Ara’, ‘Omoge Campus’ and others, you would know why it is difficult not to include Brymo in this list. Photo: Facebook

Having dropped a debut album in 2007, his career started out well with his first single being ‘Ara.’ After the classic single and featuring on Ice Prince‘s monster hit, ‘Oleku’, Olawale Ashimi, popularly known as Brymo should be among the biggest stars on the Nigerian music scene by now.
But that is not really the case with the singer, composer, songwriter and recording artist with over 10 years in the industry and 4 albums to his profile.
Starting with his first official single, ‘Ara’ released in 2011, Brymo followed up with ‘Good Morning’ and released his 2nd album with Chocolate City in 2012 titled The Son Of a Kapenta before leaving the label in 2013. He has since dropped 2 independent albums.
First is Merchants, Dealers & Slaves in 2013, an album which he said was recorded at a time his aspirations were at crossroads in a battle against societal limitations and prejudice (a journey into self-realization) and in October 2014, he dropped his most recent studio album, Tabula Rasa (The Gift), which is his fourth.
With several nominations from awards organisers like NEA, The Headies, Channel O Music Video Awards, Hip Hop World Awards and others, the R&B singer has only won 3 official awards, namely Hip Hop World Awards for Recording of the Year in 2012, Channel O Music Video Awards Most Gifted Afro Pop Video of the Year for ‘Ara’ in 2012 and the 2013/2014 All Africa Music Awards Songwriter of The Year for ‘Down’.


 Mo’Cheddah

While her beauty is easy to take you away, Mo’Cheddah even has more in terms of the creative output and has shown us time several times that she can hold her own in the music industry. Photo: Instagram

Mo’Chedda got in into the industry in 2009 as a 19-year old rapper and singer who delivered an exceptional performance on the song and video of Knighthouse featured track, ‘Won beri’ alongside Sauce Kid and Teeto. Her unique style of freestyling has grown over the years as she’s not ready to drop out yet even with so many young acts in the industry today.
The pop artiste totally won our hearts when she dropped her hit single – ‘Ko ma roll’ off her debut album, Franchise Celebrity released in 2010. She has since remained relevant and has worked with notable artistes like M.I, Phyno, Eldee, T.R, Sasha, Mode 9, Cobhams, Ice Prince and Skuki on ‘Stamina’.
She won MTV Africa Music Awards Best New Artiste award in 2010 alongside the Channel O Music Video Awards for ‘If You Want Me’ that same year. She left the scene for a while to focus on a few other things, among which is her education, she made a comeback, teaming up with Phyno and Cobhams Asuquo on her 2014 debut single, ‘Destinambari’.
Elated with the recording then, she retorted: ‘The making of the song was an amazing experience; working with Cobhams and Phyno on this track is a match made in heaven! I am so excited and can’t wait to share it with the world.’ She has followed up with ‘My Time‘ and ‘Tori Olorun’.
Just like the highly rated Wizkid, Davido and Tiwa Savage and co, Mo’Chedda is also a superstar from the female side. Why not pay more attention to her and see what you are missing?

Jeremiah Gyang 

Jeremiah Gyang is among the fin breed of musicians dripping with talent. A pioneer Chocolate City act, he remains very relevant a dacade after. Photo: NET

Gyang successfully dropped his debut album – Na Ba Ka in May 2005 as the first act signed by Chocolate City and winning various honours along the way. A decade after, Jeremiah has proved to be one of the vocalists that shouldn’t be neglected in the our dear country as seen in the soundtrack she recorded for the movie, A Place in the Stars.
The vocalist released singles like ‘Wakar Najeriya’, ‘Gonna Be’, ‘Kasi Tala’, and ‘Ban Da Kai’ during his stint with Chocolate City and has since had several collaborations. How can we forget when he teamed up with Asa on the viral track – ‘Comforter Song’? He has also produced contents for the likes of T.R, Bouqui, and Skales.
He lost his parents recently and rather than allowing that affect him, he has drawn strength from the experience to make good music for his fans. He has since delivered tracks like ‘Dan Gata’, ‘Stay with Me’, ‘A Place In The Stars’ and featured Nikki Laoye on ‘Someone 2 Love’

Nneka

Regarded as a force of creativity in Germany where she is based, Nneka has not got her dues in Nigeria as a musician. Whereas her talent, humility and conscious nature burn very bright across the projects she has been involved in. Photo: Instagram

Since dropping her debut EP The Uncomfortable Truth in 2005, this singer has had an outstanding music career with 2 EPs and 5 albums. She gained worldwide appraisal from the media when she dropped her first studio album – Victim of Truth, which was released in Germany, England, France, Netherlands, Nigeria and Japan.
Having toured Africa and several countries in Europe and highly rated in Germany where she is based, the singer is not getting enough buzz in Nigeria whereas she should be reckoned with as an equal to Asa but we seem not to give her the desired attention.
Nneka has won MOBO Awards, Channel O Music Video Awards, Museke Online Africa Music Award and NEA Awards and recorded a song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa titled: ‘Viva Africa’.