Guchi: Africa's breakout star of the post-pandemic era

It would be a hot lie to say that COVID 19 did not drastically revolutionize the pattern of music consumption worldwide. As the planet pumped its brakes, so did the sound, causing an eruption in the substreams of all genres, especially Afropop and its fusion variances.

The shift which saw a temporal halt in the regular practice of music/show business and a full dependency on the internet, inadvertently opened up novel pathways that have now delivered brand new stars like Nigeria's Guchi.

Guchi: Africa's breakout star of the post-pandemic era Pulse Nigeria

Guchi was officially inducted into the industry in February 2019, following her deal with independent label PG Records Entertainment. Her official debut "Addicted" was released in the 3rd quarter, months before the virus became a global threat and as the world hibernated, the singer recorded her introductory 5-track project “I Am Guchi”.

Stuffed with impeccable vocal and songwriting talent, commercial appeal, a charming personality, and a visionary team, "I am Guchi" left a lasting first impression, presenting a world-class Afropop act to ravenous Nigerian listeners adjusting to lockdown life.

The EP was promoted with big-budget visuals for “Closer”, “American love”, “Peri-peri” and a stellar performance of “Closer” on Amazing Klef's music discovery platform Aktivated TV. Following the conversations that started to form about her artistry, Guchi slipped into the global watchlist of next-rated stars.

Guchi: Africa's breakout star of the post-pandemic era Pulse Nigeria

Tiktok, released in 2016, found its proper place in the pandemic, using music-assisted visuals to create a new kind of social media stimulation. Carefully observing the trends and the potential therein, Guchi and her team swooped in early, taking full advantage of the platform with her single in February 2021-“Jennifer”.

“Jennifer” tells the story of every girl who has dealt with insecurity in their relationship, stemming from the presence of a third party. In the visuals of the song, Guchi is portrayed to be a deranged possessive girlfriend who would rather kill her lover than see him be with someone else.

The song went on to become a viral TikTok anthem, expressed in various ways, especially by girls crying fervently while singing the lyrics on a phone call, in theatric slow-motion performances.

This aided a penetration of Guchi's music into African markets, with the spike in demand leading to a remix in June 2021 with Tanzanian A-lister, Rayvanny. The connection also birthed a successful collaboration on Ravanny's single "Sweet."

Guchi: Africa's breakout star of the post-pandemic era Pulse Nigeria

By the time the follow-up of her breakout song - Benzema dropped, Jennifer had become a household name. Sharing her observations, she says some of the experiences that confirm her new status include “Randomly going to the supermarket and have people try to take pictures of me, being at the airport in another country and hear my song playing, seeing kids try to make purple braids just because they love me.”

Benzema followed the viral blueprint of “Jennifer”, debuting at Number 3 on Top Triller Global Chart and earning Guchi her first Billboard entry. With tons of notable nominations like Afrima's African Fan Favourite and AEUSA's best new artiste, Guchi has, without doubt, catapulted from "fast-rising" pop sweetheart to a reckonable music force in rare record time.

Understanding the power of her reach, Guchi asserts: “My music isn’t limited to any particular group, tribe, region or continent. I have seen videos of both kids and adults singing my song across Africa." Her current goal is to have a sustainable career growth, attain global acceptance and inspire generations to come through her artistry.

Guchi: Africa's breakout star of the post-pandemic era Pulse Nigeria

2022 seems cloudy with a chance of her sophomore project and Guchi is relentlessly lining up hits of romance, emotions, and heartbreak. Her next move involves a collaboration with street-hop king Zlatan in a bar-raising song that will prepare her for a projected takeover in the New Year.

With a support system made up of her sister, label boss, and manager. Guchi hopes to continue in her streak of success by unfailingly supplying honeyed, feet-shuffling music for the world to sing and dance to.

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