Returning singer needs one hit song to complete comeback

Mo’Cheddah is on a bit of a comeback.

The singer who once came through on TV as a teenage star now returns as a 25 year old woman who is in search of second life. She is on a crusade to get to get back to the top of Nigerian music after taking time out away from the life.

Mo’Cheddah had a dream entrance into fame. With guidance from rap star Sauce Kid (who is called Sinzu these days) and Teeto Ceemos, another respected rap artiste, her boundless energy and endearing charm made her hit the ground running with the music video ‘The Finest’, a production by Knighthouse.

18 and raring to go, the star went on to claim the scene with the finely delivered hook, which led her star to shine brightly in 2009. The next year, her debut album, “Franchise Celebrity”, backed by well-received string of singles was released.

Her career has since taken a downward turn, with the singer parting ways with Knight House in February 2012. She further went on to set up her record label, Cheddah Music.

After two years out, Mo’Cheddah returned in 2014, ready to get her career back. She signed up with music guru, Cobhams Asuquo, and released ‘Destinambari’. Other songs have since been released, with visuals to match.

But the singer is yet to get back her glory days, recently releasing the pop rock tune, ‘Survive’. Her partnership with Cobhams still runs, and it came through on the track.

A number of reasons why the singer is still on the outskirts of the big time persist. Mo’Cheddah took too much time out, and with each passing day, she slowly slid into obscurity. The industry has since moved on. Competition has raised the standard of the game, and the old ways and networks are gone. These days, Davido and Wizkid are killing it, and the streets love a man named Small Doctor. Maheeda has come and gone, and a certain rapper Ycee and a singer named Kiss Daniel are on the rise. Mavin Records have new kids, and Tiwa Savage has a new kid too. The music industry has changed a lot, with no Mo’Cheddah in it. Artistes have now resorted to new tricks to get a hit past radio. (Just take a look at Falz).

Will she, or will she not?

Artistes who are on a comeback campaign have it harder than the upcoming acts, and this is due to a lot of factors.

What does the singer need to do get back? Not much.

First she needs to give us one good club song. She was once a brief pop queen, and although the successful sounds has changed from her earlier time, she needs that one good hit. Every other thing will fall into place. Many will proffer different solutions to her, but what stands above all, is the need for a hit song. Getting a hit song is Nigeria’s current Holy Grail, with competition blurring the playlist of listeners and technology opening up fans to more content from artistes. But like the Holy Grail, a hit song in your bag opens an artiste up for further domination.

Mo’Cheddah needs a hit song. Every other activity is secondary.