The top 10 most popular female African artists at the present
To compile the current 10 female African artists list, Mp3bullet looked at who is pushing the envelope in terms of style and sound, as well as who is branching out into other genres.
Life was never the same after that, and stars were born. Women have succeeded in an era and society rife with severe misogyny.
Commercial success, impact, discography, critical praise, honors, and worldwide renown are all factors to consider.
Top 10 biggest female African artists at the moment
Tiwa Savage
Born in Nigeria, she grew up in the UK. She then spent part of her life in the US. While in America, she wrote songs for Fantasia Barrino, Mya and others.
But then came back to Nigeria and grabbed the bull by the horns.
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She then rode and has continued riding. Her first two singles, ‘Kele Kele’ and ‘Love Me 3X’ dropped in 2010 and she never looked back.
A while later she signed to MAVIN Records and released her debut album, Once Upon A Time. She followed it with R.E.D in 2015 – both albums were critically acclaimed.
The awards started raining and recognition started.
The sold-out shows in western and European locations also followed. Then, the YouTube views spiked just as major international award recognition came in.
Around that time, she was affiliated with Roc Nation, In 2018, she was named the Best African Act at the MTV European Music Awards.
In 2019, she then signed a major record deal with Universal Music Group.
Just before that happened, she dropped the beautiful Sugarcane EP.
Tiwa Savage has released her highly anticipated EP ‘Water & Garri’. The five-track project, The 5-track EP is a follow-up to the award-winning singer’s hit 2020 album “Celia“
She might not have the African audience of Yemi Alade, but she is bigger in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
Yemi Alade
She is nicknamed ‘Mama Africa’ for afro-centrism and pan-African musical appeal. Her smash hit single, ‘Johnny’ has amassed more than 110 million views on YouTube.
She is also the first African female act to amass one million subscribers on YouTube. However, on home soil, she is not appreciated and she doesn’t make music for us.
On the bright side, she was named Best African Female Artist in consecutive years at MTV Africa Music Awards.
She also has four albums that have endeared her to the francophone and lusophone parts of Africa.
Nigerians don’t appreciate her, but her numbers are ridiculously impressive, she is ‘Mama Africa’ and since that Peak Talent Show in 2009, she has not slowed down.
It took her a while, but she cracked it. She has her faults, but she is super.
Tems
Tems is a dynamic songwriter and producer who is bringing new energy to the Nigerian music scene.
The Isale Eko native boasts a blend of R&B and Soul paired with African nuances to create her unique sound.
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Tems also appears on Drake’s newest album, Certified Lover Boy, as well as Wizkid’s standout single, ‘Essence,’ which has held the #1 position on Shazam’s Top 200 Charts.
Dubbed the “song of the summer” by critics/fans, the track went #1 at Urban Radio and #1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, with a new version recently released with Justin Bieber.
Sho Madjozi
South African rap sensation Sho Madjozi, the critically lauded artist first came on the scene in 2017 garnering instant attention for her unique delivery of Xitsonga lyrics and colorful fashion that mixes traditional African dress with modern flourishes.
Nominated for best new international artist on BET Awards for the second time in as many years (she won in 2019).
Her songs “John Cena” and “Huku” have each logged over a million streams on Spotify, bringing her to the attention of Beyonce and Ed Sheeran, with whom she shared a stage at the 2019 Global Citizen Festival.
Simi
Nigerian songbird Simisola Kosoko, better known by her stage name Simi, has come a long way in the Nigerian music industry has successfully worked her way to the top.
Like the rest of Nigeria, the mother of one has had an eventful 2020 thus far. In May 2020, she welcomed her daughter alongside her husband Adekunle Gold.
Shortly after, she released her hit song “Duduke” to announce her pregnancy. The song was met with positive reviews as fans rejoiced with the songstress.
Efya
Ghanaian singer and songwriter, Jane Awindor, better known as EFYA transcends the scope of Afrobeats in a romantic applaud.
Elaborating to a genre so rigid in its rhythm and drum melodies that she dictates a whole new sound veritable on everybody of work she puts out, be it features, refixes, or her own music.
Ghanaian singer/songwriter and four-time Ghana Music Awards Best Female Vocalist, (she won the award twice in 2013 when the Maiden edition of the Europe Ghana Music Awards took place.
Teni
Since breaking out in 2017 with her single “Fargin,” Teni has become a musical darling, not only in Africa, where she’s earned several regional awards but across the diaspora.
There’s a clip of Teni commanding a sea of onlookers at the inaugural Afro Nation festival in Portimao, Portugal with her 2018 hit “Case”.
She only had to offer a few sparse words of the song a cappella before the massive audience took off with the rest.
In the song, she vows to slap police and punch judges if it’ll prove her romantic devotion. Her music is not all love songs, though.
“Fargin,” born from a viral freestyle over a highlife classic, tackles rape culture and sexual predation.
Niniola
By melding sinuous Afro-house rhythms with frank talk about sex and romance, Niniola has established herself as one of Nigeria’s most celebrated acts.
Since emerging as a runner-up on reality TV show Project Fame West Africa, the Yoruba singer has become living proof that hard work, determination, and creativity pay off.
Her 2014 debut single “Ibadi” encapsulates her distinctive blend of Afrobeats, house music, and a feisty, vivacious persona.
On her 2017 hit “Maradona”, Niniola pushes boundaries as she sings unabashedly about a cheating boyfriend, and addresses the joys of love and heartbreak in thrilling fashion.
See Also; ‘Maradona’ by Niniola certified gold in South Africa
She works with top Afro-fusion producers like Legendury Beatz and SARZ, resulting in intoxicating club sounds that move the body and mind.
Busiswa
Busiswa is constantly adapting her style to suit whatever sound is incumbent in South Africa’s ever-changing dance music scene.
Born in Mthatha in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province in 1988, the artist was introduced to the scene through “My Name,” a 2012 Afro house tune by DJ Zinhle.
As gqom gained popularity in the mid-2010s, she reinvented herself accordingly as heard on 2017’s Highly Flavoured and 2018’s Summer Life.
She went for an amapiano soundscape on 2020’s My Side of the Story as the genre took over the country’s dance floors.
Though she may switch sounds, Busiswa’s lyrics constantly portray subtle messages of feminism.
This approach, owing to her background as a poet, is a common thread in Her Majesty’s albums and scene-stealing guest appearances.
This quality was recognized by Beyoncé, who in 2019 enlisted her for the percussion-heavy Black girl resilience anthem “MY POWER” featuring Nija, Yemi Alade, Tierra Whack, Moonchild Sanelly, and Queen Bey herself.
Zuchu
Zuhura Othman Soud better known by her stage name Zuchu, is a Tanzanian singer and songwriter signed to the WCB Wasafi record label.
She was awarded the Silver Plaque Button by YouTube for hitting 100,000 subscribers within a week.
She became the first East African female artist to reach that milestone within a week. She also became the first East African female artist to reach 1 million subscribers on YouTube 11 months later
Honorable Mention
Angélique Kidjo
Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, is a Beninese singer-songwriter, actress, and activist who is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos.
In 2007, Time magazine called her “Africa’s premier diva”
Top 10 biggest female African artists at the moment
- Tiwa Savage
- Yemi Alade
- Tems
- Sho Madjozi
- Simi
- Efya
- Teni
- Niniola
- Busiswa
- Zuchu