When talking about Nigerian music, we often focus on the achievements of megastars like Burna Boy, Davido, and Wizkid. We focus on them so much that we sometimes forget the exploits of the queens of Nigerian music. From the pioneering efforts of female artists like Nelly Uchendu in the 1970s to the record-breaking exploits of the current crop of female artists, Nigeria has been blessed with talent.

Some of these women have stood out and made their mark on Nigerian music, and others are just beginning to make waves, but they're all extremely talented and beautiful. In this article, I talk about my top six female Nigerian artists...

Top Six Female Artists in Nigeria

Tiwa Savage

Probably the number one female artist in the country, Tiwa Savage started her music career as early as high school. Her family moved to London from Nigeria when she was only eleven years old, and she thrived. She went all the way in her education, graduating with an accounting degree from the University of Kent, but she never abandoned her true love: music.

She started singing backup for George Michael at the tender age of sixteen. This exposure opened her up to many more opportunities and she went on to sing for several superstars including Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Kelly Clarkson, and Andrea Bocelli. This was only the beginning of her journey, though.

Tiwa went to music school and decided to test herself by participating in the British X Factor but she couldn't make it to the final 12. Unfazed, Tiwa graduated from music school one year after her elimination and signed a deal with Sony three years later. This opened the door to even more opportunities. By 2012 when she returned to Nigeria, she was already a well-rounded singer and astute professional.

Tiwa Savage has released five studio albums and won several awards. She became the first woman to win the Best African Act category in the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards and has won several more after that. With all her experience and achievements, Tiwa Savage stands today as the queen of Nigerian music.

Asa

Born to Nigerian parents in Paris, Asa returned to Nigeria at the tender age of two. She grew up in Lagos where she started her music career, releasing Eye Adaba. She then went back to France to study music professionally, but her teachers were so impressed they advised her to go ahead and become a full-time recording artist. Armed with this euphoria and encouraged by the reception back home for her first single, Asa took the advice of her teachers.

She signed for Naive Records, then went on to release her first studio album with the help of Nigerian producer Cobhams Asuquo. This first album, named Asa after her, shot her up into stardom. Her album went platinum, and she followed this up with a second album, Beautiful Imperfection, which also went platinum. She's released three more albums since then and has cemented her place in Nigeria and all over the world as a force to be reckoned with.

Yemi Alade

Yemi Alade burst into the public eye when she won the Peak Talent Show in 2009. It took her five years to release her debut album, but what a success it was! One song especially, Johnny, is still played in clubs to this day. Yemi toured several African countries including South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana, then released a deluxe version of her album with French renditions of some of the hit songs on the album.

Two years later, Yemi Alade released her second album called Mama Africa. She featured artists from all over Africa and tackled heavy issues, especially focusing on African women.

She has released three more albums titled Black Magic, Woman of Steel, and Empress. You can probably tell, from the titles, what her recurring theme is. Yemi Alade is one of the most influential female Nigerian artists, and an extraordinary performer.

Simi

In July 2022, Simi was selected to join Tiwa Savage to represent Nigeria in the Spotify Equal Africa program. It was both a testament to her effort to help Nigerian women and a recognition of her extraordinary talent.

The Woman crooner started her music career in 2008 but waited until 2014 to make her mark with the release of Tiff. The song was nominated for Best Alternative Song at the Headies, but that was only the beginning for her.

She went on to release more hit singles. JAMB Question and Love Don't Care were particularly special. She built on her success by collaborating with rapper Falz to make the Chemistry EP, my favorite work of hers. Simi didn't stop there but promoted a new album with the release of hit singles.

Two of them, Smile for Me and Joromi, sparked a fever for the new album. By the time she released her album, the fans were eager for a taste and her album debuted at number five on the Billboard World Albums Chart.

Simi has proven how versatile she can be. She owns a record label and has added producing to her long list of skills. She's also married to fellow Afropop star, Adekunle Gold, and together they're giving off heavy power couple energy.

Teni

New to the music industry relative to our first four entries, Teni made her breakthrough in 2018 with the release of hit singles Askamaya, Case, and Uyo Meyo. She followed up her success with the release of her Billionaire EP which featured six songs including the main song, Billionaire, which spread like a wildfire.

She's released three more albums since then and has gone from strength to strength. She's won nine awards and has been given a national honor, becoming a Member of the Order of the Niger in 2022. With many years ahead of her, I can't wait to see what she has in store.

Tems

You've probably heard her record-breaking feature, Essence, and admired her talent. Tems caught the attention of the music industry when she released her second single, Try Me, in 2019. One year later, she continued her strong start by releasing an EP titled For Broken Ears. One song, Damages, topped the Apple Music streaming charts for Nigeria. Barely a month after that success, she was featured by Wizkid in Essence, and the song just blew up.

Tems has continued to gain more traction since then, collaborating with megastar Rihanna on the album for the new Black Panther movie in July 2022. She has five entries on the Billboard Hot 100 already, and I can't wait to see what she has in store.

Final Thoughts

There are more men than women in Nigerian music, but the numbers are starting to even out. The success of accomplished stars like Tiwa Savage has laid the foundation for new acts like Teni and Tems, and has inspired the rise of many more female artists. With their powerful voices and the beautiful stories behind their music, I have no doubt they will only grow bigger and better. Cheers to the queens of Nigerian music.