Picking ten best songs that rocked any year is like searching for ten slightly longer hays from evenly cut hays in a hay sack; long story short, this is not an easy task. With up and coming acts giving the old hands a run for their money, the Nigerian music scene is flooded with music that would give your heart a good dance exercise but then, somehow, these ten artists were able to distinguish themselves with their songs; making them our top ten best for the year 2013.
10. Eminado – Tiwa Savage ft Don Jazzy: The single came in May; sitting at number nine in the Mavin songstress 19 track album list Once upon a time, but not until the video directed by extra-gifted filmed maker Clarence Peters trumped airwaves in November did it sink down hot and hard in Naija’s musicdom. The song with it’s powerful hook-line remained at the top of many music charts for weeks.
9. Koma Roll – Tillaman ft Burnaboy, Iyanya, Ice Prince, Phyno: The single sizzles with talent especially from featured acts nailed even harder by the tongue twisting verses delivered by Ice Prince and Phyno. Tillaman who is relatively on the up and coming list released the song remix and video in May but it endured till the end of the year, making it a party favourite and relentless club banger.
8. Rihanna – Orezi: The song captures listeners from the very first second. Orezi who is a 2012 Channel O best ragga Dancehall nominee no doubt is a success story with earlier singles “Booty Bounce” and “Emoti” doing well on the airwaves. Orezi who showed a surprising strong voice in Rihanna released the single in February and was made even more magnetic with it’s killer video and a model who looked so much like American singer Rihanna.
7. Emi ni Baller – Chidinma ft Illbliss & Tha Suspect: Emi ni Baller is Chidinma’s second running hit single after Kedike which echoed in 2012. The song rode on the back of a powerful video released in January which saw the petite framed singer flaunt in rich designer costumes featuring her music pals Illbliss and Tha Suspect. The strong chorus is magnetic and it further cements Chidinma as a lady crooner who is far from going away.
6. Durosoke – Olamide: Lyricists and bad boy Olamide (literally) came with this powerful punch in July. The single with it’s seductive upward-downward dance movements leaves little to your imagination. It was an instant hit, further fastening Olamide as one of Nigeria’s most sought after artist. Durosoke turns out to be a Pandora’s box of blessings, securing Olamide and his producers to several award nominations including The Headies.
5. Sho lee – Sean Tizzle: It was released back in February but it could be mistaken as a hit dropped only a few weeks ago. That’s how infectious Tizzle’s ‘Sho Lee’ ravaged fans. The single with strong rhymes and powerful beats completes every Disk Jockeys charts. Clubs raged with it for months and still are. The single catapulted Sean from relative obscurity to international stages.
4. Limpopo – Kcee: This single was Kcee’s magic wand for the year. It made him so magnetic, mobile giant MTN came racing for him. He was irresistible in clubs, gals fell in love over and over again. His wriggling dance movements became a name; he just couldn’t stop. Limpopo came in March but like Tizzle’s Sho Lee, you’d think it just hit the airwave and true to every good song it has laced him to multiple award nominations.
3. Personally – P Square: With this single, P Square thumped a very clear message; that the influx of new talents in the music industry could never upstage them. After the mind numbing success of ‘Alingo’ that took 2012, P Square returned in June with stark images of the late pop god Micheal Jackson. In the gripping dance-drenched video, they stomped straight into the heart of fans; keeping their beats spectacularly alive, P Square forever remains ‘Personally’ with their fans.
2. Caro – Starboy ft Wizkid & LAX: Love is such a beautiful story to tell and it was told exceptionally by Wizkid and fast rising Starboy act LAX in this sizzling number. Caro once again re-echeos Wizkid’s penning skills. It’s a stripping song about the search for a mystery girl; completely gripping listeners when it hit airwaves in August. Its a dance number that could get a DJ shot if missed in raving clubs. A beautiful performance that not only showed brilliance on the part of the acts but the transformation that happens to a song when driven by a gripping story.
1. Ada Ada – Flavour: The high life singer emerged ‘god-overall’ this year in this classic piece that has left him a world stage of swaying worshipers. Flavour knew this song was going to be a hit and aptly prepared for it. The music video shot in high definition by Clarence Peters rolled a true to life wedding of a classic girl with ladies in waiting. Weddings nationwide now match to this song with non-Ibo’s effortlessly singing along. Flavour proves once again that talent runs in his veins and beats in his heart. The song released in June sits pretty at our number one position and will stay with us for a very long time to come.