Nigerian singer Yemi Alade says her career success came from choosing a path less traveled, one deeply rooted in African identity and pride rather than conforming to Western expectations.
In her conversation with media personality Chude Jideonwo, the Mama Africa singer reflected on how she refused to follow conventional wisdom about what global success should look like. She explained that industry gatekeepers insisted she needed a Western collaboration, a major record label deal, and to look and sing a certain way to achieve international recognition.
“But I did it the other way around, African proud. No collaboration. Just this girl who decided to take a chance on herself and sing another song,” she said. Yemi emphasized her decision to focus on African sounds wasn’t easy, especially at a time when the industry didn’t fully celebrate African identity.
“It was a road nobody had really traveled, especially as a woman,” she noted. “People wanted to go beyond and above Africa, to put Africa beneath them. But I chose to go up through Africa.” The strategy proved unconventional in an era when many African artists believed international success required distancing themselves from their roots.
The singer also shared a lighthearted moment about her Grammy recognition, recalling how some people doubted the authenticity of her Grammy nominee medal photo. “Someone said, ‘This one go organize photo shoot for Grammy medal.’ And in my head I was like, look at you, Grammy is the one that organized this!” she said with laughter.
Yemi received her first Grammy nomination in November 2024 for Best African Music Performance with her song Tomorrow from the album Rebel Queen. The 67th Grammy Awards took place on February 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. While she didn’t win the category, her nomination marked a significant milestone in a decade long career built on authentic African expression.
At the ceremony, Yemi made a bold fashion statement by wearing traditional Edo attire that celebrated her heritage. Her regal gown featured intricate beadwork and dramatic wave like pleats cascading into a mermaid style train. She paired the look with traditional coral bead accessories and an intricately styled beaded crown in the popular Okuku hairstyle. The outfit sparked conversations about balancing African culture with red carpet elegance, though most agreed it was a bold statement about African fashion’s place on global stages.
Now celebrated across continents, Yemi says her path proves that authenticity can triumph over conformity. “It looked like rebellion at the time,” she reflected. “But I was just being me, African, proud, and unapologetic.” Her latest album Rebel Queen mixes genres like R&B and pop with dancehall, highlife and amapiano, with Yemi singing in English, French, Igbo, Yoruba and Swahili.
Despite growing success, Yemi has chosen to remain independent, working with the same management team for over a decade and recording with Effyzzie Music Group rather than signing to a major label. She explained that other labels have made offers but their goals weren’t in alignment with what she’s set for herself over the past ten years.
The singer was born in Abia State, southeastern Nigeria, to a Yoruba father and an Igbo mother. She first rose to fame in 2013 with her breakthrough hit Johnny, which remains one of the most popular Afrobeat songs globally. Since then, she has released six studio albums including King of Queens, Mama Africa, Woman of Steel, Empress and Rebel Queen, each showcasing her versatility and dedication to promoting African culture through music.
Yemi has collaborated with international artists including appearances on Beyoncé’s 2020 musical film and visual album Black is King and Grammy winning work with Beninese French star Angelique Kidjo. Her album titles, from King of Queens to Rebel Queen, speak of her struggles as a female artist in the industry, women’s empowerment and the unification of Africans across the world.
Her success has opened doors for other African artists to embrace their cultural identity rather than conforming to Western standards. “My love for Africa just genuinely grows,” she told CNN in a recent interview. “I do not do this with an agenda. When I travel, I see the different cultures, I easily accept it, appreciate it, from the food to the language to the way of life.”
