By Grant Moyo
Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer Chukwuka Ekweani, affectionately known as CKay, has released two brand-new songs titled By Your Side and Emiliana.
The potential break-out hits which were dropped on Friday (December 3), are a fitting follow up to the high flying Afro beat ace’s bona fide global chart topping banger Love Nwantiti.
While his well-knit EP (extended play) called Boyfriend — a seven-track body of work released in February this year — has been on rotation steadily making planetary waves, CKay’s latest euphony will once again put his hit-making capacity and fast rising high status under prominence.
Since dropping his 2021 EP that features Ghanaian-American singer-song writer Amaarae, Brazilian musical artist Bianca Costa, Nigerian singer Oxlade and Ghanaian High-life and Afro beats singer-songwriter producer KiDi, the multi- talented performer has heightened his potential, becoming one of the biggest musicians in the world.
In mid-November the official release of the music video for the North-African remix of Love Nwantiti featuring Moroccan rapper ElGrande Toto resonated with a larger global fan base.
It came in time with CKay’s nods for Best African Act at the Music Of Black Origin (Mobo) Awards and Most Promising Act at the All Africa Music Awards (Afrima).
Besides surpassing 17 million YouTube views in just 10 days of its premiere, the euphony video of his Afro beat sleeper banger trended at number one worldwide.
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A rare feat achieved by only a handful of musicians and content creators on the video streaming platform.
The milestone came three months after the various remix versions of Love Nwantiti surpassed 20 million Shazams (the number of times a user pushes the button to identify a song that is playing) on Shazam — an application that can identify music, movies, advertising and television shows, based on a short sample played and using the microphone on the device.
The North-African remix of Love Nwantiti went on to amass over three million ‘Shazams’ worldwide, making CKay one of the few artists who can brag about having the most ‘Shazamed’ song in the world.
Recorded in Nigeria and South Africa, the global African musician’s fresh musical compositions — By Your Side and Emiliana — embody African music with a sound that travels across borders.
Bound to take Africa to the world, By Your Side is an authentic piece of music produced by musical artist Tumisho, whose current single Sax Dance has gained popularity on video-focused social networking service Tik Tok.
The latent banger, which features South African rapper Blxckie, who contributes his facile flow on the track, has strong Amapiano (a hybrid of deep house, jazz and lounge music characterised by synths, airy pads and wide percussive basslines) influences that CKay seamlessly bodies and stamps with his emo-Afro beats signature.
Raising bars with his delivery in Zulu and English, Blxckie provides the song with an additional take on the romantic situation.
Noteworthy is the fact that By Your Side was influenced by CKay having to make a decision between two young ladies.
Although the situation was a bit messy, he ended up making the right decision.
Adjudged to be a possible hot follow up to Love Nwantiti, Emiliana will have CKay’s fans completely concentrated and etched in their feelings.
The Nigeria-born singer-songwriter and producer’s breezy style of Afro beats that won him acclaim and made him a household name last time out, is evident this time around.
The fresh-cut auditory communication is sure to have his new and old fans swooning.
“The song Emiliana is about a long distance relationship I was in. It is 2021 and teleportation has not been invented, which is so unfortunate,” CKay said.
A few days back CKay hit over one billion career streams.
Boasting over 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify, only time will tell if his up-to-the-minute singles will receive ample streams and audience retention.
If both By Your Side and Emiliana replicate Love Nwantiti’s certified ‘bona fide global hit’ status, CKay will yet again rewrite the history books by catapulting on the Apple Music World Music Charts and storming his way up on the Billboard Global Excl US, Global 200 as well as the Hot 100 Charts.
Securing pole position on the Shazam Global Chart, Spotify Top 100 and Viral Global Charts, will also reaffirm him as a global hotshot.
* Grant Moyo is a writer, media personality, entrepreneur and a creative artist who is passionate about using his creative mind for the betterment of society. Follow him on Twitter: @TotemGrant.
