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Yemi Alade: The Rebel Queen of Afro-Pop

Yemi Alade: The Rebel Queen of Afro-Pop

Yemi Alade

“The focus for me on Rebel Queen was to put forward a compilation of sounds I grew up listening to, sounds that really excited me.” – Yemi Alade.

By Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro

In Nigeria, the parlance ‘Johnny Just Come’ or ‘JJC’ is a common term used to describe a novice or newcomer thrust into unfamiliar situations or locations. The exact origin is unclear, but it is believed to have emerged in the United States in the 1800s, with the earliest usage of ‘Johnny-come-lately’ traced to Frederick Briggs’ 1839 novel, The Adventures of Harry Franco

Regardless of its origin, both expressions convey the same sentiment and are often used humorously when referring to someone. Perhaps, its usage in popular culture — particularly in Nigeria — gained traction after various iterations of the term were featured on Nollywood flicks, with characters like Nkem Owoh as ‘Long John’ in the eponymous 2002 movie, or John Okafor as ‘Mr Johnbull’ in Mr Ibu Goes to School (2005). 

However, for the multitalented Afro-Pop and R&B singer, songwriter, and producer, Yemi Alade, ‘Johnny’ was far removed from being a JJC. In fact, the name represented a more sinister, perhaps, even devious personality. Johnny was a master gigolo, who had explored all the tricks in his arsenal to charm unsuspecting women. Alade, perhaps the latest victim to have fallen deeply in love with him, goes in search of him in the 2014 titular breakthrough single that took the West African music scene by storm, chronicling as one of the era-defining songs of the 2010s and an Afrobeats staple. 

Regarded as one of Africa’s foremost superstars over the past decade, Yemi Alade has introduced the world to her unique blend of Afrobeats, building an unmatched discography, and earning a plethora of accolades along the way.

In an exclusive virtual interview for Afrocritik — intermittently challenged by a shaky internet connection on my end — she delves into the origins of “Johnny”; her extensive discography; working with Beyonce; her perspective on the rise of African female artistes; and much more.

Yemi Alade performing at the Zénith Paris - La Villette in France
Yemi Alade performing at the Zénith Paris – La Villette in France

Yemi Alade and her team had been on a nationwide radio tour in 2014, seemingly eager to break into the male-dominated West African music scene. During one of her quick stops in Enugu, she recorded “Johnny”, produced by Selebobo. Upon returning to Lagos — on the very day of her arrival — the unexpected happened: the single leaked from the Enugu studio.  Reflecting on the incident, she shares, “It was a source of confusion, and I was a bit upset. But I was too tired to be bothered by it”.

The single hadn’t been mastered, which could have posed a significant problem for listeners. The silver lining was that Selebobo had perfectly mixed the track just before it leaked. In a surprising turn of events, “Johnny” became an instant sensation, making a bold and unexpected entry into the music scene. The song quickly resonated with listeners in Enugu, where it first leaked, and soon spread across the South-Eastern states.

It wasn’t long before it caught on in the South-South region, and by the time it reached cities like Ibadan and Lagos, it had already made its way into East Africa. Soon after, Yemi Alade began receiving calls from Europe, with inquiries about performing there. Sensing a growing demand, she quickly began strategising to take control of the narrative and capitalise on the song’s success.

Recalling the exact moment the single took off, she says emphatically, “It was a dream come true; it was unbelievable. I had prayed so hard for that moment. I wanted a situation where people would be throwing a party and my song would be on their playlist, and it was finally happening. Seeing it materialise changed my life.”

Following the success of “Johnny”, Yemi Alade went on to release hits like “Kissing” and “Tangerine” and eventually, in the same year, released her debut album, King of Queens, which was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. The album cemented her rise as a force to be reckoned with, and it came as no surprise when, in the following year, she received several nominations at the Headies Awards, including Best R&B/Pop Album, Album of the Year, Artiste of the Year, Best Vocal Performance (Female), and Hip Hop World Revelation of the Year—which she won.

One often wonders, as I did, what her mindset was going into creating such a wonderful body of work as a debut album. Yemi Alade reflects on the question for a moment before saying, “I am just grateful for the excellent team I had working with me. I was a novice in the industry; the only thing I knew how to do was make records. When my team told me it was time to make an album, I already had a few unreleased tracks. But going from one producer to the next was a different ballgame because, although I had hit records, I wasn’t financially buoyant. So, it was a struggle convincing producers to work with me and cover the costs. But when the album dropped, it solidified my journey in the industry.”

Since that time up to the late 2010s, the world gradually witnessed the meteoric rise of a superstar who not only performed on international stages and amassed an expansive discography but also won a slew of international awards that seemed to crown her efforts, including Soundcity MVP Awards, MTV Africa Music Awards, and AFRIMA, along with numerous nominations that are hard to keep track of.

By 2019, she was already at the summit of her career, collaborating with several renowned artistes, including Rick Ross, Angelique Kidjo, Jennifer Hudson, and Monali Thakur, among others. Perhaps none of these collaborations were as significant as her multiple appearances on Beyoncé’s soundtrack album, The Lion King: The Gift, a project that showcased some of the best talents out of Africa. 

The Lion King: The Gift
The Lion King: The Gift

Yemi Alade recalls being in Lagos, planning her itinerary for an upcoming concert in Las Vegas when her management informed her that Beyoncé was working on a compilation project and wanted her to contribute to a few tracks. After her performance, she travelled to Los Angeles and met with Beyoncé’s team at Parkwood Studio – Beyoncé’s personal recording space – where they briefed her on the album’s creative direction. The two songs she appeared on, “MY POWER” and “DON’T JEALOUS ME”—with her fellow countrymen: Mr Eazi and Tekno—are some of the heart-thumping records on the album that still resonate with audiences even now.  

“I was really excited to be part of it, as the project was a tribute to Africa”, she says emphatically. “It was a landmark in my career to work with someone who I grew up listening to and imitated. Watching Beyoncé made me realise that performance could be bigger than just holding a microphone. I moulded the idea of stagecraft after her, and for her to feature me on the album twice was an all-around surreal moment for me. It still is.”

What Is in a Name?

When it comes to music, every detail matters. From album conceptualisation, songwriting, composition, production, mixing, mastering, to cover art and even rollout, these elements are carefully curated to create a sonic and emotional connection with listeners. The same can be said for album titles, which are often one of the first elements a listener encounters. 

For Yemi Alade, one thing is evidently persistent in her discography; the title of her projects always has a nice ring to it. From 2014’s King of Queens, 2016’s Mama Africa, 2017’s Black Magic and Mama Afrique, 2019’s Woman of Steel, 2020’s Empress, 2021’s Queendoncom, and 2022’s African Baddie, there’s an overarching sense of empowerment, pride, and cultural identity. 

Born and raised in a large, multi-cultural household, her father was from Ondo State, while her mother hailed from Abia State. This marital fusion brought with it several influences, including music. As a result, she was fortunate enough to be exposed to music that was well beyond her years.

“My dad always listened to Fuji music; King Sunny Ade and Sir Shina Peters were some of his favourite artistes. On the other end of the spectrum, my mom loved and was into a lot of Highlife records”.

She was also introduced to Pop and R&B millennial music, with her cousins and other relatives exposing her to acts like Mariah Carey, Boys II Men, Brandy, Usher, and Destiny’s Child.  

Yemi Alade
Yemi Alade

This rich exposure to diverse music, combined with the rhymes she picked up during school assemblies, played a significant role in shaping her love for music. It wasn’t long before she began representing her school in music competitions. 

In her teenage years, while navigating the complexities of life and considering her future career, she naturally gravitated toward music but wasn’t fully committed to pursuing it. As is common in many Nigerian households, she understood the importance of studying hard and achieving good grades to earn the freedom to choose her own career path.

It wasn’t until she entered the Peak Talent Show as a contestant in 2009, and went on to win the competition, that it became apparent that music was her calling and began to throw her weight around it. Her parents, too, saw the seriousness she had put into her music and academics and also supported her by paying for her studio sessions and purchasing wears that she needed to appear at certain events.

Yemi Alade understood the importance of having parental support. She held the belief that in the pursuit of a dream, it was an added blessing when one’s parents were in support – even when they do not fully understand the industry. “Music is a big industry, and without support like that, you may get swallowed up”.

All of these many lived experiences formed the base of her music, and in some way, ties into the titles. Titling her projects was generally dependent on her mood, and the central theme of the album. She always liked the idea of championing a cause – whether it is personal or would serve a higher purpose. On her debut album, King of Queens, growing up as a tomboy inspired the title, as she saw herself as a queen who “rolls like a king”. As she matured in the music industry and attained superstardom, she realised the need to become her own superhero, protect herself, stand on business, and assert her independence. That was the inspiration for Woman of Steel. Over time, she had come to embrace and embody the title of Mama Africa, as her music catapulted to the nooks and crannies of the continent and the rest of the world. 

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Her recent project, Rebel Queen, takes a reflective look at her illustrious and successful career, where she recognises how she has consistently excelled by embracing her rebellious spirit. She has always believed her brand extends beyond her voice, manifesting in her Afrocentric fashion, hairstyles, music, and live performances. To her, becoming who was destined to be meant embracing rebellion. However, she clarifies that being a rebel doesn’t imply being catastrophic or problematic; rather, it was about maintaining a mindset of being as original and authentic as possible.

The Rebel Queen

One of the things instantly recognisable in Rebel Queen is the dazzling array of sounds she treats audiences with. From the soul-stirring “Karibu”, the House-leaning “Tomorrow”, the quintessential Makossa-esque “Chairman”, the Highlife-driven “Ije Love” and “Big Connection”, the Dancehall-charged “Bop”, and the Reggae number “Peace & Love”, the album provides sonic earworms that enhance the listening experience across its 45-minute runtime. Yemi Alade describes herself as a ‘glutton for different music’, evident in her live performances, as she effortlessly transitions from one genre to another, whether it’s House, Amapiano, Jazz, Highlife, Afrobeats, Dancehall, Safari, Blues, or Fuji. “It’s a buffet of music, and that’s what I was trying to offer on Rebel Queen. But the focus for me was to put forward a compilation of sounds I grew up listening to, sounds that really excited me”.

Rebel Queen
Rebel Queen

Having this much diverse music on the album often prompts the question of which songs were the easiest to create and which ones posed the most challenge. She contemplates for a while, as though reimagining the countless nights spent in the studio, and mentions “Peace and Love” – featuring Reggae luminary, Ziggy Marley – as the easiest record made on the project. 

This was particularly surprising to me, given that the song is one of the gems on the project, packed with lyrical depth, addressing the political and socio-economic struggles of Nigerians and Africans. She explains, “I would say it was the easiest because I just opened my mouth and words started to fill my lips. The song was literally a freestyle, and it was the last one I recorded with my team in Ghana.” She had been working non-stop for about five days. As the producer was packing up to leave the studio on the fifth day, he began playing the instrumental to “Peace and Love.” The moment Yemi heard the melody, inspiration struck, and she immediately beckoned to the producer to wait. Right there on the spot, she powered through the verse.

“Chairman”, on the other hand, was the most challenging record to make, which again comes as a surprise. The single, from my assertion, had a breezy air about it, and thus, I surmised it would be easy to conjure. She notes that while the producer, Vtec, was creating the record, she experimented with several melodies. However, when it came time to transform those melodies into lyrics, it posed a challenge. But once she settled down to write out the lyrics, it took a while but the song began to take shape and form.

Rebel Queen boasts of several standout collaborations, including Ziggy Marley on “Peace & Love”, Angelique Kidjo on “African Woman”, Innoss’B on “Lipeka”, and KiDi on “Medasse”. These collaborations, in several ways, inject complexity and vibrancy into the overall appeal of the project. But much more than that, it raises the question: what criteria does she look out for when selecting her features?

For the singer, she tries to relate the music to the featured artistes, before she or her team makes any move to contact them. “Most times, my songs have a storyline, and I have to reflect on which artiste will be able to translate the story into more than what it is. All the artistes on the album are storytellers, and their narrative ties the music together. The music simply chooses who gets to be on it”. Across her expansive discography, she has collaborated with several acts known for including Kidjo, Dadju, Estelle, Falz, and Olamide, amongst others.

A lot has changed since 2014 when Yemi Alade burst into the music scene, marking a moment particularly for female acts. African music, in recent times, has witnessed an influx of female artistes who have continued to carve a niche for themselves. 

From Xenia Manasseh, Libianca, Teni, Tyla, Tems, Ayra Starr, Bloody Civilian, Uncle Waffles, Darkoo, Amaarae, Qing Madi, to Kold AF, the industry – perhaps for the first time in years–has not witnessed this level of female superstardom before. However, it is important to note that opportunities and the proper pipeline for female artistes to launch their careers have always been limited, even from Yemi Alade’s breakout in the 2010s.

Yemi Alade performing at the Zénith Paris - La Villette in France
Yemi Alade performing at the Zénith Paris – La Villette in France

“The fact is, there have always been a lot of talented female artistes, but they don’t get enough opportunities. The women that were on the scene when I started never took no for an answer. They continued to push, even when doors were slammed in their faces. Women like me who joined the race held on and now, there’s a sudden force that has broken doors for the female musicians now. There will continue to be more opportunities for female artistes”. 

Yemi Alade is not only making history as one of Africa’s superstars but has also, for several years, been a source of motivation for young and emerging artistes. As a former coach on the music reality show, The Voice Nigeria, she has played a crucial role in cultivating the next generation of stars. 

As our interview slowly winds down, I find myself curious about what advice she would offer to budding female artistes who aspire to follow in her footsteps. After pondering for a moment, she shares, “You need talent, God, and an effective team that will support you every step of the way. It is also important to applaud and believe in yourself as you grow so that as you get better and bigger, your success won’t depend on external validation”.

Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro is a content writer and journalist with an insatiable knack for music and pop culture. When he’s not writing, you will find him arguing why Arsenal FC is the best football club in the multiverse. Connect with him on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BughiLorde

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