In early 2022, Naijatastic accurately forecasted the rise of new talents, and they indeed had a successful year. Following this tradition, we have carefully compiled a list of rapidly rising Nigerian artists who create diverse music and represent various subcultures and lifestyles that will undoubtedly shape and affect the Nigerian music scene as the year progresses.
With the new year comes new opportunities and new talents to discover. The Nigerian music industry is becoming increasingly competitive, and it’s important to stay informed about the emerging artists who are making a name for themselves. Last year was a remarkable year for Nigerian music, with new achievements being reached and old records being broken. The Afrobeats genre continued to gain popularity in America, Europe, and around the world.
As we enter the new year, it’s crucial to keep an eye out for the rising stars in the Nigerian music industry. The competition is fierce and the bar for success is continuously being raised. The Nigerian music scene is more dynamic than ever and it’s essential to keep track of the emerging talents who are making waves in the industry. In this article, we present our top Nigerian artists to watch in 2023, in no particular order.
Here are our list of the top Nigerian artists to keep an eye on in 2023:
Ruger
Michael Adebayo Olayinka, known professionally as Ruger, is signed to the Nigerian record label Jonzing World. In 2022, Ruger had an impressive year, releasing a deluxe version of his EP “The Second Wave” which featured hit songs like “Girlfriend,” “Wewe,” and “Warning.” “Girlfriend” became a viral hit, and “Wewe” also performed well. To close out the year, Ruger dropped two tracks “Red Flags” and “Asiwaju” The latter became a popular anthem in December, and remained at the number 1 spot on Apple Music charts for weeks. With promises of a debut album in 2023, we are excited to see what Ruger has in store.
Victony
This Nigerian musician has an incredible story to tell. 2022 was the year that Victony achieved the large numbers he had been aiming for. In the middle of 2022, Victony released his EP “Outlaw” which featured some incredible tracks. For the rest of the year, different songs from the EP became popular. There were tracks like “Apollo,” “Kolomental” and the viral hit “Soweto.” He earned some notable features on projects such as Burna Boy’s album “Love Damini” among others. The slender singer embarked on a tour of Nigerian universities and also performed outside of Nigeria for his growing fanbase. He closed out the year with a concert in Lagos for his fans. We are confident that Victony will become even more successful in 2023 as we anticipate his debut album.
Young Jonn
This young man made a seamless transition from being just a music producer to becoming one of the most popular artists in 2022. Young Jonn achieved this effortlessly, releasing back-to-back hits throughout the year. First, he dropped his EP “Love Is Not Enough” and later a deluxe version. The deluxe version featured hit tracks like the “Dada” remix with Davido, “Normally,” and “Xtra Cool.” Young Jonn’s fame extended beyond Nigeria, with these tracks showcasing his talents as more than just a music producer. “Xtra Cool” topped the Apple Music chart in Nigeria, which was quite impressive. We are certain that Young Jonn as a musician is here to stay and we are rooting for him this year.
Crayon
Charles Chibueze, known professionally as Crayon, saw his fortunes change quickly in 2022. He had a standout verse and hook on Mavin’s track “Overdose.” The track is a strong contender for song of the year for 2022. He struck again with his solo track “Ijo Laba Laba” produced by Sarz, which has generated millions of streams across different streaming platforms. On the Mavins album “Chapter X,” Crayon showed significant growth and has perfected his ability to create hooks on records. Crayon is aware and grateful for the milestones he reached in the past year and has promised fans more hit songs from his bank of songs in 2023.
Mohbad
In the latter half of 2022, Mohbad had a falling out with his former record label Marlian Music, resulting in his departure. He accused his label head Naira Marley of mistreatment and unprofessionalism. Shortly after leaving, he released a diss track “Tiff” directed towards his former label boss Naira Marley. Despite the label issues, Mohbad is a talented singer and we hope that he will be able to shine even brighter in the new year now that the label issues have been resolved.
Guchi
Guchi is the first female artist on our list. The talented and beautiful singer has had a steady and natural growth so far and we are excited about the greater things she can achieve in the new year. In 2022, she released a noteworthy body of work, the “Purple Diary” EP. She has the potential to reach greater heights, and we are supporting her this year.
Fave
Nigerian singer GodsFavour Chidozie, known professionally as Fave, had a larger audience in 2022 and her growth is admirable. She released a solid EP “Riddim 5” last year with hit songs like “Baby Riddim,” “Obsessed,” and “S.M.K.” Fave has accomplished all she has now as an independent artist, which is quite commendable. It would not be surprising to see her career take off similar to that of Tems, and it all starts with one great song. Fave has the talent to reach the top as a female artist and we hope that 2023 is that year for her.
Bella Shmurda
Bella Shmurda, real name Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo, had a breakthrough year in 2020 with his hit song “Dangbana Orisa” and he continued to make waves in 2022 with the release of his debut album “High Tension” which featured hit songs like “Adura,” “World” and “Cash App.” With millions of streams and a solid fanbase, Bella Shmurda is one of the most promising artists in Nigeria’s music industry, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for 2023.
In conclusion
The Nigerian music industry is filled with talented individuals who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. The artists mentioned in this list are just a few of the many emerging talents that are sure to make a significant impact in 2023. From Ruger’s promises of a debut album to Fave’s potential to reach the top as a female artist, these musicians have the potential to become household names and redefine the Nigerian music scene.
Each of them has their unique style, sound and direction that they’re heading to, and we believe that they will make a huge impact in the music industry not just in Nigeria but globally. We are excited to see what these artists have in store for us in the coming year and we will continue to keep an eye out for more emerging talents. Let’s support our own and look forward to a fantastic year in the Nigerian music scene.
