It is very important to keep a close watch on the new artists and follow the run that each one of them is having to be able to have an accurate and objective opinion on who is the best new artist of the year.
The first half of the year has seen Blaqbonez, Ruger, Laycon, Buju, and Ayra Starr do really well for themselves.
Blaqbonez first stepped into the limelight as a rapper when he won the Hennessy Artistry competition in 2016. Blaqbonez has since become very popular for his personality on social media and the creative ways in which he promotes his songs.
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This year he released his debut album “S3x Over Love“ which was critically acclaimed and popularly accepted by majority of music lovers.
Looks like Blaqbonez na him win this year. Album of the year. (So far)
— James (@JamesNdu_) July 3, 2021
The album was also listed as one of Rolling Stones best albums of 2021 so far.
The track “Bling” a single off the album has gone on to be the biggest song in his career, while simultaneously being one of the biggest songs of the year.
Ruger, who was discovered by D’Prince and now under Jonzing World Music. He has also carved a signature look for himself with the pirate one-eyed look.
His debut project titled “Pandemic EP” has enjoyed very good success and acceptance. The lead single “Ruger” introduced him but it is the track “Bounce” that has gone on to be his first hit.
“Bounce” is one of the hottest songs the year has produced and it has firmly put him on the map.
Big Brother Naija’s most recent winner, Laycon. Who won the show with the biggest margin ever recorded in the show’s history has stepped away from the tag of the “Ex Big Brother contestant” to kick off a solid music career.
His EP “Who Is Laycon?” took off and gathered massive streams while he was in the house. The track “Awa fierce” enjoyed a decent level of success and airplay and he has built on this momentum to release his debut album “Shall We Begin”
The 11 track album received mixed reactions but I was personally impressed. By the way, I have to mention that “Wagwan” is my jam. Also the track “Verified” which featured Mayorkun is picking up pace and is set to become a proper hit song.
He recently performed for The Grammy’s Recording Academy.
Buju started his career as a ‘soundcloud artist’ but got popular recognition when his request for Nigerian rapper, Zlatan to feature on his track “Spiritual” went viral.
Zlatan agreed to jump on the track which became widely received and it earned Buju a nomination for Headies Rookie in 2019.
He followed Spiritual up with L’enu, the remix version which featured Burna Boy also enjoyed a good amount of success.
But since then the momentum gathered from 2019 slowed down with the quiet 2020 that he had and it didn’t even help that his major highlights from last year were the controversial moment he had with an upcoming artist and he left Burna Boy‘s On A Spaceship label which went under the radar from the media.
This year, Buju has had two hit singles as a featured artist “Bling” with Blaqbonez & Amaarae and “Feeling” with Ladipoe. Alongside having his own track “Outside” which is doing really well.
Buju ended the first half of the year charting four songs in the top 10 of Apple Music including two number ones. That is a huge accomplishment.
Considering how rough he had it last year it’s so good to see him back on track this year.
19-year old Ayra Starr became the latest artist signed to Mavins Record and she came through with her debut single “Away” and a self-titled EP.
“Away” the lead single from the 5-track EP skyrocketed to the top of Nigeria’s Apple Music chart while the self-titled EP became the number one project on the albums chart simultaneously, displacing Wizkid‘s Made In Lagos in the process.
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She shows versatility on the 5-track EP with different ranges of sound. From the uptempo “Away” which is themed on moving on from heartbreak to DITR which has a heavy influence of trap to the mid-tempo outro on the project, Memories.
I have to mention that though “Away” is the smash “Sare” is the jam that should not be overlooked on the project.
There are definitely bigger things to come from this young superstar and I am so excited for her music journey.
Due to The Headies eligibility criteria that an artist that has released an album will be ineligible to be nominated under the Next Rated category. Blaqbonez and Laycon are out of the race.
Cheque and Badboy Timz are the other two names that I predict will replace them in The Headies Next Rated category.
