Edo State, located in the heart of Nigeria, is home to a rich musical heritage that blends traditional sounds with contemporary beats. The state keeps making the headlines across the country and the world as its young talents continue to astound with their remarkable achievements. From awe-inspiring performances to groundbreaking creations, names such as Rema, who sold out the 02 Arena for his London Concert, Shallipopi, one of the breakout artists of 2023, and many rising stars of Edo origin are capturing the attention of audiences far and wide. These young artists are setting new standards and making a lasting impact on the industry.
While the two significant artistes mentioned above may be the current faces of Edo music, there are a good number of other interesting artistes you should definitely tune in to in 2024. These new set of talents are already making waves as they connect with their audiences and embrace their cultural heritage in their music, bringing vibrancy into the music scene.
Aiseh
Omosefe Joseph Aisosa, also known as Aiseh, is a hip-hop artist whose music revolves around everyday Nigerian life, relationships and his Christian faith. His aim musically is to make relatable music solely influenced by his faith as this blend helps him stand out every time and anywhere.
Aiseh’s debut album in 2018 was titled ‘Growing’. He has made more releases since then, such as ‘Heartbreak’, ‘Can’t be Sad Forever’, ‘Enjoy this Life’, and ‘My Destiny’. His songs always showcase a versatile music maker who can sing and rap equally well, with each song connecting cohesively into the next.
Layzee Ella
Onose Emmanuella Bagudu, aka Layzee Ella, is a singer, rapper and songwriter born in Edo State. Best known for her soul-pop music, she is greatly inspired by her feelings and thoughts, built around her vulnerability and romantic experiences.
Layzee Ella officially launched her music career in 2020 with the music single, ‘Sober’, which was very popular amongst her fans, making them even more eager to hear more of what she has in store. She built her fan base by performing covers of popular songs and posting same on her social media accounts.
Caleb Clay
Caleb Clay, popularly known as Big C, has made his identity as an adept lyricist in the Naija underground rap scene. Aside from being a great storyteller who tells introspective, personal stories and Lagos City tales, Caleb walks with pockets of flow that endear listeners to every bar he spits. His rapper CV includes three EPs and a session at DJ Jimmy Jatt’s ‘Jimmy Jump Off’ show. His new single ‘Pressure’ had a Port Harcourt rapper, Skinny, as a feature.
Aisosa
Michael Timeyin Igbinosa is a growing R&B and Afro-fusion act whose vocals and lyrics make him stand out. His debut songs include ‘At Night’, ‘You Floor My Thoughts’, ‘All Time Low’, ‘Strange Fire’, ‘Fools’, and many others.
Harry Carter
Harrison Ogedegbe, popularly known as Harry Carter, is one of the most exciting artists from Benin currently making waves in Trap, Drill and Hip-Hop. Earlier in 2021, he released his sophomore body of work, ‘Caterstrophy’, which produced ‘Cornerstone’ as its central track. He also produced ‘Carry Me Go’, ‘Myself’, ‘Beyond’, ‘Stayed Up’, and many others. Carter is an all-round artist who dabbles between genres, creating unique sounds that stick and stand out easily.
Billy the Goat
Ihama Peter, popularly known as Billy the Goat (BTG), is a non- stereotypical rap artist who conveniently switches flows to fit into his fusion of pop and Afrobeats. While maintaining his rap aura, he produced ‘Stop Playing’ as his debut, which came out in August 2023.
Prolific in several genres, Billy has managed to catch the attention of several international acts and his song compilation has since gathered thousands of play on Audiomack such as Your P, Toxic, Harmonize, Osato, and many others.
Kasha Flex
Kasha Flex is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and rapper who hails from Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. His love for entertainment can be traced to his early childhood days through songwriting and free-styling. The up and coming artiste, whose interest in a growing venture also influenced his focus on Afrobeats, Afropop, R&B and Hip Hop, is on the verge of releasing his long-awaited first single titled ‘Tell Me’.
thellO
Ethel Blessing Ngohonba Mote, popularly known as thellO, is a Cameroonian-Nigerian singer and rapper based in Benin, Edo State. She was first discovered during the stint of the Hennessy VS Class in 2022. She is not your average femcee as she raps in English, Yoruba, and her native tongue, Bassa. Her lyrics don’t include the use of vulgar language, zero acceptance for generally social vices and it clearly shows profound knowledge of literature.
