The Most Famous
SINGERS from Nigeria
This page contains a list of the greatest Nigerian Singers. The pantheon dataset contains 4,381 Singers, 6 of which were born in Nigeria. This makes Nigeria the birth place of the 80th most number of Singers behind Chile, and Kazakhstan.
Top 9
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Nigerian Singers of all time. This list of famous Nigerian Singers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity.
1. Sade (b. 1959)
With an HPI of 75.38, Sade is the most famous Nigerian Singer. Her biography has been translated into 56 different languages on wikipedia.
Helen Folasade Adu (Yoruba: Fọláṣadé Adú [fɔ̄láʃādé ādú]; born 16 January 1959), known professionally as Sade Adu or simply Sade ( SHAH-day or shah-DAY), is a Nigerian-born British singer and songwriter who is the lead vocalist of her band Sade. One of the most successful British female artists in history, she is often recognised as an influence on contemporary music. Her success in the music industry was recognised with the honour Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2002, and she was made Commander in the 2017 Birthday Honours. Sade was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, and was brought up in England from the age of four. She studied at Saint Martin's School of Art in London and gained modest recognition as a fashion designer and part-time model before joining the band Pride in the early 1980s. After gaining attention as a performer, she formed the band Sade, and secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1983. A year later, the band released the album Diamond Life, which became one of the era's best-selling albums and the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist. In July 1985, Sade was among the performers at the Live Aid charity concert at Wembley Stadium and in November the band released their second album, Promise. The next year, she appeared in the film Absolute Beginners. The band released their third album (Stronger Than Pride) in 1988, and a fourth album (Love Deluxe) in 1992. The band went on hiatus in 1996 after the birth of Sade's child. The band reunited in 1999 and the following year, released Lovers Rock, their first album in eight years. Lovers Rock was a departure from the band's earlier jazz-inspired sounds. In 2010, the band released Soldier of Love, their sixth studio album, and toured arenas worldwide. Since that tour ended in 2011, the band has released three songs: "Flower of the Universe" for the soundtrack of Disney's A Wrinkle in Time, "The Big Unknown", part of the soundtrack of Steve McQueen's film Widows, and "Young Lion", part of the Red Hot compilation album TRAИƧA in 2024.
2. Burna Boy (b. 1991)
With an HPI of 45.84, Burna Boy is the 2nd most famous Nigerian Singer. His biography has been translated into 37 different languages.
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (born 2 July 1991), known professionally as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He gained recognition in 2012 after releasing "Like to Party", the lead single from his debut studio album L.I.F.E (2013). In 2017, Burna Boy signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and its parent company Warner Music Group. His third studio album Outside, which became his major label debut, was released in 2018. In 2019, Burna Boy won Best International Act at the BET Awards and was named an Apple Music Up Next artist. That same year, he released his fourth studio album, African Giant, which won Album of the Year at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards and was nominated for Best World Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. In 2020, Burna Boy won African Artist of the Year at the Ghana Music Awards, and released his fifth studio album Twice as Tall, which won Best World Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. He won Best International Act at the 2021 BET Awards for the third time. Burna Boy's sixth studio album Love, Damini, which was released in July 2022, became the highest debut Nigerian album on the Billboard 200 chart. It also became the highest-charting African album in France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In October 2022, Burna Boy was awarded the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic plaque for his achievements in music. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked him number 197 on its list of the 200 greatest singers of all time. Burna Boy won his fourth Best International Act at the 2023 BET Awards. His song "Last Last" won Afrobeats Single of the Year and Song of the Year at The Headies 2023. Burna Boy became the first African artist to have two albums earned over 1 billion streams on Spotify.
3. Nneka (b. 1980)
With an HPI of 45.02, Nneka is the 3rd most famous Nigerian Singer. Her biography has been translated into 19 different languages.
Nneka Lucia Egbuna (born 24 December 1980) is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress. She sings in English, Igbo and Nigerian Pidgin.
4. Wizkid (b. 1990)
With an HPI of 44.09, Wizkid is the 4th most famous Nigerian Singer. His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), better known as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Born in the Ojuelegba suburb of Surulere, Lagos, Wizkid is a voice in the emerging Afrobeats movement. His music is a blend of Afrobeats, afropop, R&B, afrobeat, reggae, dancehall, and pop. He began recording music at the age of 11 and released a collaborative album with the Glorious Five, a group he and a few of his church friends formed. In 2009, Wizkid signed a record deal with Banky W's Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E). He rose to limelight after releasing "Holla at Your Boy", the lead single from his debut studio album, Superstar (2011), which also spawned the singles "Tease Me/Bad Guys" and "Don't Dull". On 17 September 2014, he released the self-titled second studio album, Ayo, which was supported by six singles, including "Jaiye Jaiye". Wizkid left E.M.E. after his contract expired. In 2016, he achieved international recognition following his collaboration with Drake on the hit single "One Dance", which reached number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in 14 additional countries. The song broke multiple records, making Wizkid the first Afrobeats artist to appear in the Guinness World Records. In March 2017, he signed a multi-album deal with RCA Records and released his third studio album, Sounds from the Other Side, later that year. The album was supported by five singles, including "Come Closer" (featuring Drake). In October 2020, he released his fourth album, Made in Lagos, which received commercial success and acclaim reaching number-one on the Billboard World Album Chart. The album includes the single "Essence" featuring Tems, which became the first Nigerian song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top ten following a remix released by Justin Bieber. Wizkid's fifth album, More Love, Less Ego, was released on 11 November 2022. His sixth album Morayo, which is dedicated to his late mother, was released on 22 November 2024. The album broke the record for the biggest streaming debut for an African album on Spotify.
5. Rema (b. 2000)
With an HPI of 42.68, Rema is the 5th most famous Nigerian Singer. His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.
Divine Ikubor (born 1 May 2000), known professionally as Rema, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and rapper. He gained recognition with his 2019 song "Dumebi". That same year, he signed with D'Prince's record label, Jonzing World. He achieved international recognition with his 2022 single "Calm Down", which spawned a remix with American singer Selena Gomez that peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also led Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart for a record-setting 58 weeks. That same year, he released his studio album, Rave & Roses (2022), which peaked at number 81 on the Billboard 200. His second album, Heis (2024), was supported by the single "Benin Boys" (with Shallipopi) and yielded Rema's first Grammy Award nomination—for Best Global Music Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.
6. Yemi Alade (b. 1989)
With an HPI of 38.05, Yemi Alade is the 6th most famous Nigerian Singer. Her biography has been translated into 24 different languages.
Yemi Eberechi Alade (born 13 March 1989), known professionally as Yemi Alade, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, actress and activist from the Akoko part of Ondo State. Her music is a mixture of Afropop, highlife, dancehall, pop and R&B, and has been of influence in several countries across Africa. She sings in English, Igbo, Pidgin, Yoruba, French, Swahili and Portuguese. Alade won the Peak Talent Show in 2009 after which she signed to Effyzzie Music Group, and had a hit with her single "Johnny" in 2014. Following the releases of her albums King of Queens and Mama Africa, Alade embarked on world tours consecutively. In 2016, she debuted on Billboard at No 4 on the Next Big Sound Chart She won the MTV African Music Awards for Best female in 2015 and 2016 consecutively and was nominated for Artiste of the Year in 2015, making her the first female to win the MAMAs for Best female consecutively twice and nominated for Artiste of the Year. In 2015, Alade was the first African female to be nominated for the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) and she was nominated for the BET awards for Best International Act: Africa in 2015 and 2016. Alade is also applauded for her creative and overwhelming stage performances, fashion and music videos, She has won The Headies Award for Best Performer twice, in 2018 and 2019. The slot was initiated at The Headies 2018 and she was the first artiste to win the category. Alade is also the second Nigerian and Afrobeats artist and the first female to hit 100 million views for a single video on YouTube after Davido. Alade's song "Tomorrow"- the lead single from her sixth studio album Rebel Queen, earned her first Grammy nomination, it received a nomination at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards for Best African Music Performance.
7. Tems (b. 1995)
With an HPI of 33.96, Tems is the 7th most famous Nigerian Singer. Her biography has been translated into 24 different languages.
Temilade Openiyi (born 11 June 1995), known professionally as Tems, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. She rose to prominence after being featured on Wizkid's 2020 single "Essence", which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart following the release of the remix version with Justin Bieber. The song earned her a Grammy Award nomination. That same year, she was featured on the song "Fountains" by Canadian rapper Drake. In 2020, Tems released her debut extended play (EP), For Broken Ears. She signed with RCA Records to release her second EP, If Orange Was a Place (2021). In 2022, Tems' vocals from her song "Higher" were sampled by Future on his single "Wait for U", which led to her being credited as a guest artist alongside Drake. The song debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first African artist and second Nigerian artist to have a song do so on the chart. The song earned her the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance. Tems covered Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack album in July 2022 and in the same month, her song "Free Mind" (from her debut EP) debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 46 and breaking the female record for longest charting number one song on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. She also co-wrote and rendered background vocals on the song "Lift Me Up" by Rihanna, which earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media. In 2024, Tems released her debut studio album Born in the Wild to critical acclaim. The album reached the top 30 in the Netherlands, Switzerland and in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 24. She embarked on her ongoing Born in the Wild Tour, a supporting world tour. Tems won a Grammy Award from three nominations at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards: her song "Love Me JeJe" won Best African Music Performance, while Born in the Wild was nominated for Best Global Music Album and its third single "Burning" was nominated for Best R&B Song. Tems became the first Nigerian artist with multiple Grammy Awards. Throughout her career, Tems has received several accolades, including two Grammy Awards, a Billboard Women in Music Award, four NAACP Image Awards, four BET Awards and three Soul Train Music Awards.
8. Simi (b. 1988)
With an HPI of 30.92, Simi is the 8th most famous Nigerian Singer. Her biography has been translated into 14 different languages.
Simisola Bolatito Kosoko (née Ogunleye; born April 19, 1988), better known as 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 public recognition in 2014 after releasing "Tiff", a song that was nominated for Best Alternative Song at The Headies 2015. Simi signed a record deal with X3M Music in 2014, but left the label in May 2019 following the expiration of her contract. She released her second studio album, Simisola, on September 8, 2017. Her third studio album, Omo Charlie Champagne, Vol. 1, was released to coincide with her thirty-first birthday on April 19, 2019. Simi launched her record label Studio Brat in June 2019. She was a judge on season 7 of Nigerian Idol in 2022.
9. CKay (b. 1995)
With an HPI of 30.73, CKay is the 9th most famous Nigerian Singer. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Chukwuka Chukwuma Ekweani (born 16 July 1995), better known by his stage name Ckay (stylized as CKay), is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer signed to Boyfriend Music, Warner Music Africa (formerly known as; Warner Music South Africa) and Atlantic Records. He was formerly signed to Chocolate City, a member of Warner Music Group independent label services ADA. His international hit single "Love Nwantiti", also known as "Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ahh)", was released in 2019 by Chocolate City. On 29 March 2022, the song debuted at number one, following the launch of the Billboard Afrobeats chart. On 9 May 2022, it became the first-ever African song to surpass one billion streams on Spotify and has since been deemed "the biggest hit in African history". Asa Asika signed Ckay to The Plug, under management during the early peak of his global career as Ckay's manager.
People
Pantheon has 9 people classified as Nigerian singers born between 1959 and 2000. Of these 9, 9 (100.00%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Nigerian singers include Sade, Burna Boy, and Nneka. As of April 2024, 3 new Nigerian singers have been added to Pantheon including Tems, Simi, and CKay.
