By Dipo Olowookere
Nigerian music star, Simi, has expressed her desire for up-and-coming female artists to gain fame without going through many hurdles.
The singer said this while reacting to her selection as the Spotify EQUAL Africa music programme ambassador for July, joining the likes of Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, Asa, and FAVE.
The mother of one stated that she has managed to stay on top of her game due to the hard work she has put into her music career but wants things to be easier for those coming after her.
“Striving and thriving as a woman in a male-dominated industry has taken years of practice to master,” the wife of a popular musician, Adekunle Gold, stated.
“You go from being scared of it to being intimidated by it to being brave enough for it and then finally, to conquering it,” she added.
“I have almost always had to do way more than my male peers to prove myself but because of my love for music, I have been relentless and proud to do this work.
“I certainly hope, with all my heart that the women who continue to come after me find it easier to shine in the way they deserve,” Simi, who came onto the public radar in 2014 after the release of the single, TIFF, which was nominated for Best Alternative Song at The Headies in 2015, stated.
The Spotify EQUAL Africa music programme was designed by the renowned streaming outfit to celebrate female artists on the continent, giving them a platform to be heard.
The EQUAL programme spans seven categories, including EQUAL Artists of the Month and the EQUAL local playlists. As the latest artist to join EQUAL Africa and Global Music Programs, Simi will be featured on EQUAL Africa and the EQUAL Global playlists as she is only the second African artist after Tiwa Savage to be named as an EQUAL Global and EQUAL Africa artist.
“We are proud to welcome Simi to the EQUAL programme, and we’re so excited to see where her talent continues to take her from strength to strength,” the Head of Music for sub-Saharan Africa at Spotify, Phiona Okumu, commented.
Simi, who is also an actress, released her latest album, TBH (To Be Honest) in June.
She began her musical journey as a chorister in church, releasing her debut studio album Ogaju in 2008 before switching genres to Afro-pop.
Her 2016 single, Jamb Question, was a massive hit, topping music charts for weeks and four years later, she released her famous song, Duduke, to celebrate the birth of her daughter, Adejare Kosoko.
