2024 has been incredible for the Nigerian music scene, especially with female artists taking centre stage and making waves globally. These women set and pushed boundaries, changed the narrative about female artists not being bankable and set the cadence for generations to come.
Female artists led the charge
2024 saw the biggest female artists grow even bigger, exceed expectations, and we love it for them!
Tems
This year, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, flourished as an artist, and her strides cemented her as a global icon. The singer hit one billion solo streams on Spotify and became the first Nigerian female artist to do so. The talented singer and producer was also honoured with the prestigious Breakthrough Award at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards, a feat no one African artist had achieved.
Tems received three nominations in the 2025 Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Song for “Burning,” Best African Music Performance for “Love Me Jeje,” and Best Global Music Album category for her very first studio album “Born in the Wild’ which was released mid-year. With her three nominations, she joined this year’s highest-nominated artist list.
Ayra Starr
Ayra Starr was indeed the star of the year. Following the release of her second studio album, “The Year I Turned 21” in June 2024, the album peaked on charts in countries across continents and set significant records.
Additionally, she became the first and youngest Nigerian female artist nominated for “Best African Music Performance” at the 66th Grammy Awards. The singer bagged awards such as the 2023 Headies Best Female Artiste award, Amazon’s Breakthrough Artist 2023 and three more at this year’s BET Awards.
After hitting 1 billion streams mark worldwide for her song “Rush,” winning two awards at the African Entertainment Awards, US, for Best Female Artist Central/West Africa and Best Female Artist, going on tour with Coldplay as the opening act for their Music of the Spheres 2024 World Tour, the singer is scheduled to headline her first concert on the 25 December at the Flytime Festival.
Yemi Alade
Still on Grammy nominations, Yemi Alade also landed her first-ever Grammy nomination! The Nigerian singer, known for her vibrant stage presence and powerful vocals, earned the nod for her song “Tomorrow”, a track from her sixth studio album “Rebel Queen,” released in July 2024
Simi
In 2024, Simi exemplified her multifaceted talents, handling songwriting and production, with her sixth studio album “Lost and Found. The album was packed with songs showcasing Simi’s remarkable vocal prowess and impeccable penmanship, demonstrating her ability to collaborate seamlessly with other talented artists across musical genres.
Tiwa Savage
A veteran in the industry, Tiwa continued to break barriers with her first-of-its-kind soundtrack album and short film “Water & Garri” in May 2024. This marked a significant milestone in Tiwa’s career as a singer, as she made her debut role as lead actor in a movie.
Qing Madi
After releasing her self-titled debut EP, Qing Madi was inducted into Apple Music’s Rising Class of 2024 and was named one of Billboard’s 21 Under 21 2024 most innovative and influential artists. She also went on to top charts, and her song “Vision” got a remix featuring award-winning American artist Chloe Bailey.
The Alternative women raised the bar
According to culture journalist Makua Adimora, “Although Alte was birthed mostly by men, the women were instrumental to the expansion of the genre,” and they made it even bigger this year. The third edition of the Alte festival was held in Lagos on 30 March 2024 and saw female artists such as Lady Donli, Somadina, Wavy the Creator, and Falana headlining the show.
Bloody Civilian
It has been an amazing year for singer, songwriter, and record producer, Bloody Civilian, with her featured in Lucid Monday, a producer-centric magazine, as proof of her talent and unique production style. Being recognised alongside renowned producers like The Alchemist and Zaytoven was a significant achievement, especially as the only Nigerian producer on the list.
Additionally, bagging a 2024 Grammy nomination earned her recognition as the first female Nigerian Grammy-nominated producer.
A bright future ahead
As we look back on 2024, it’s clear that Nigerian female artists led the charge in the music industry. Their unique sounds, styles, and perspectives not only brought them their deserved accolades but redefined what it means to be a female artist.
The fact remains that these women have consistently pushed boundaries in the music scene and beyond. Their talent, resilience, and contributions to the industry are collective progress for Nigerian female artists who have gone from obscurity to global prominence.
Their success this year may also spark conversations about a possible female takeover. Here’s to an even brighter future for these talented women!
