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‘There’s never been a greater time to be a Nigerian artist’: but is there room for the next Burna Boy?

West African musicians have become stars in recent years as the fusions from the Afrobeats movement made for big label signings. But the surge of interest has made it tougher for aspiring artists to break through

Across Europe and the US, Nigeria’s Afrobeats stars have featured prominently on the 2024 summer tour circuit, from Burna Boy celebrating the fifth anniversary of his African Giant album at Koko in Camden, London, to Tems in the lineup at the Montreux jazz festival in Switzerland and BNXN appearing at the Gramercy Theatre in New York. There’s no going down for this Lucas Jay Emodi, promoter With help from TikTok and a rapidly growing global appetite, Nigerian stars including Wizkid, Davido, Rema, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr and CKay, have achieved international acclaim, scoring hits and a slew of cross-cultural collaborations with their western counterparts. Every artist with leverage – which translates these days as a hit record or a big social media following – has signed contracts with the foreign labels, drawn in by the allure of lump-sum cash advances, and a chance to expand their audience base.

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