10 Nigerian music performers of the year

Just like everything else that involves a transaction, as soon as our money goes towards a product, we feel like we own a part of it.

In the case of concerts, after the money has been deposited, the dates have been fixed, the calendars have been cleared, and everyone is set for a good time, the connection between Wizkid and his fans become commercial. Once you pay for the product, the artiste is under obligation to deliver for you.

But another view which considers the power of music exists. The musical experience cannot be simplified to just another commercial transaction. It is emotional. Whether it is the pop razzmatazz of Wizkid or the ethereal sensory intercourse of Asa, the performance is something experiential and essentially intangible.

The problem happens when the artiste fails to deliver or when it is below par, or the artiste doesn’t play to the script and leaves fans dissatisfied. It does feel more like a betrayal, a sacred promise broken, and a cosmic law which has been flouted. It feels painful.

Pulse Music presents the Best 10 Nigerian live music performers of 2016.

Yemi Alade

One of Mama Africa’s greatest strengths is her ability to whip up any crowd using any equipment. Yemi Alade’s songs, filled with traditional sounds and cultural elements are perfect for live music. With exquisite precison she always keeps a wildly controlled performance, incorporating dancing and sexiness into her sets.

D’banj

D’banj gets wild on stage. A pure entertainer, the singer relies on invention and inviting women on to the stage to create an enthralling set. He dances, simulates sex acts, flirts with the women, asks questions of the crowd and cracks jokes. It also helps that he has one of the classic Nigerian albums which evokes nostalgia, a very powerful emotional stimulant necessary for enjoyment of show.

Psquare

The brothers have the experience of longevity and different eras of music on their side. Psquare tailor their performances according to the type of crowd. But what they never sacrifice is the division of labour and dovetailing. Paul supplies the vocal presence and performance to power through the ears, while Peter teams up with his dancers to electrify the stage and get the ladies swooning from every move.

Asa

Asa is an angel of music and on stage she is both ethereal and uplifting. She pays impeccable attention to detail. From dynamic and ambient lighting, to sound clarity and tuning, she gives the best of them all. The singer relies on the emotional strength of her songs to draw the crowd in, before leading them through sadness, happiness, anger and every other feeling.

And then she dances, plays the guitar and mimes in a childish beautiful way. Watching Asa is a treat.

Flavour

The Eastern stallion began his performance career from budget live shows in the East. He picked up lessons from burial ceremonies and weddings and has never looked back. Possessing a fit body, Flavour’s sexual appeal comes to the fore during performances. The quality of the music is also on point, as he depends on a masterful band to supply the backup.

Wizkid

Starboy has hits forever. And then charm. And then swag. And then everything else except dancing. But he owns the stage with the strength of his celebrity, before whipping out song after song to popular delight. For extra entertainment, he either features a backup artiste, or in some case, dancers to provide visual interpretation.

Davido

The power of Davido lies in his celebrity and energy. Davido possesses an uncanny amount of strength. His exuberance is uplifting and with that, backed by a hypeman and/or dancers, he puts on a show. His set is mostly made up of his plethora of singles, released after his debut LP “O.B.O”. There’s also his insistence on bringing on supporting acts from his record label, in a bid to throw on dynamism and diversity. And then there’s that catalogue of hits.

Waje

Waje is a vocal powerhouse, and that’s what she does on stage the most. Where recording music for further mastering does not capture her superhuman powers, she lets them loose on stage and delighst you from the sheer strength of her voice and the vocal ranges.

She lacks a lot in terms of pop hits, but that fails to matter when she lets that voice fly and occupies the entire arena, filling it up and immersing everyone in it.

Omawunmi

Where Omawumi previously stole hearts with intricate dancing and showmanship, she is more focused on the strength of her voice now and refining her performance to perform more with less energy expended. She is transcending into that persona, and is currently planning on releasing an album that captures that change and provides her with a body of work to fully validate the new performance skill.

Small Doctor

If you haven’t experienced the madness that is a Small Doctor set, you haven’t truly lived. Or rather, you are missing out on some key moments in life. Small Doctor performs like an army of ants was let loose in his pants, and they have hit him with a thousand bites. He jumps, prances, falls and climbs columns, pillars, speakers and everything else.

Simply put, he is restless.