5 Nigerian Artistes Driving the Global Wave of Afrobeats in 2023

Iyke Bede

Just this year alone, the Nigerian music industry is expected to attract over $44 million in direct revenue (streaming, digital downloads, and physical sales) alone, with afrobeats accounting for the most consumed genre. But beyond these parameters, a select class of artistes are contributing significantly through various other means to elevate the music industry and deepen the reach of afrobeats globally.

Unlike earlier periods when venturing into international music markets was limited to well-known folk artists such as Sunny Ade, and Ebenezer Obey, who occasionally left a lasting impact on intrigued foreigners captivated by African culture—an audience that can be described as rather niche,  contemporary acts have turned touring international markets into an integral part of their career. 

With the advent of streaming that now solves the problem of accessibility, as well as the fluid format of afrobeats that allows for a great level of cultural exchange through song sampling or infusion of elements with global appeal, the gap further shrinks, thus creating more demand for modern-day African pop sounds.

Over the years, global communities have begun to discover the vast richness of African sounds through afrobeats, with many seeking collaborations. 

The new crop of Nigerian artistes now aspires to become a main feature in global music rather than just have their music played on streaming sites, in effect, making the once-obscure afrobeats genre gain global mainstream status.

In 2023, five Nigerian acts sustained the course of the global momentum of afrobeats with sheer audacity and raw talent. They include:

Burna Boy

On his latest album, ‘I Told Them…,’ the Grammy favourite crafts more appeal for afrobeats to the international audience by weaving samples of popular songs that shaped the musical experiences of foreign communities. Sampling ‘Brandy’s Sittin’ On Top of the World’ and Jerimih’s ‘Birthday Sex’, in addition to sampling efforts on previous albums, he successfully was able to sell out stadiums in Europe and score a number one album on the UK charts with ‘I Told Them…,’ a first for an afrobeats artiste.

Ayra Starr

Marked by the typical pop star look of the 2000s, Ayra Starr also adopts the tour route. She has continued to grow her international fanbase through the ‘19 & Dangerous’ tour scheduled for North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa. In the same breath, the Mavin princess has continued to populate her list of collaborators both on the continent and internationally, which includes Fousheé, Kelly Rowland, Lil Durk, David Guetta, and Neiked.

Davido

Nominated in three categories at the 66th Grammy Awards, Davido brilliantly transformed the music videos from his ‘Timeless’ album into a portrayal of royalty in African culture. Beloved for his acumen for great sounds that pairs well with his lyrics, the singer in his long trek of pushing Nigerian music into global consciousness since early 2010, has proved his mettle, be it on special performances on late-night shows in the US to his sold-out concerts at the O2 Arena. In the true sense, he’s available for global domination. 

Rema

From the MTV VMAs to the Billboard Music Awards, 2023 was officially Rema’s to conquer. Aside from amassing plaques, courtesy of his smash hit with Selena Gomez ‘Calm Down’ (longest-running number one on the billboard US Afrobeats chart, spending over 50 weeks atop the chart and crossing the one billion streams on Spotify, the first for an African artiste), Rema also collaborated with Ice Spice for the moderately successful ‘Pretty Girl.’

Crowned Spotify’s Most Globally Exported Artiste, Rema is currently on a world tour that traverses North America and Europe.

Asake

Evidently, Asake evaded the ‘sophomore album curse,’ with his second studio effort ‘Work of Art,’ after garnering acclaim and commercial success, one which attracted a feature from American R&B singer H.E.R. on the beloved and viral ‘Lonely at the Top.’

And just like every other artiste in this lineup, the ‘Organise’ star is also currently on a world tour, the ‘Work of Art Concert,’ further spreading his message marinated in fuji and house music.