Yemi Alade

Yemi Alade is Yemi Eberechi Alade, a Nigerian singer and songwriter born on 13 March 1989. Her father, a police commissioner, is from Ondo State and her mother is from Abia, and she draws on both Yoruba and Igbo roots. She sings in English, Igbo, Yoruba, Pidgin, French, Swahili and Portuguese, which helps explain her reach across the continent.

She won the Peak Talent Show in 2009 while at the University of Lagos and signed with Effyzzie Music Group. “Johnny” (2014) was a pan-African smash, and her debut album King of Queens followed that October. Mama Africa (2016) brought in Sarkodie, Sauti Sol, P-Square and DJ Arafat. She won Best Female at the MTV Africa Music Awards in 2015 and 2016, and that “Johnny” video made her the first African woman to pass 100 million YouTube views on one video.

Black Magic (2017), Woman of Steel (2019), Empress (2020) and African Baddie (2022) kept up the pace. “Tomorrow”, from Rebel Queen (2024), earned her first Grammy nomination. She has won Best Performer at The Headies twice.