Ckay is Billboard’s Latest Chartbreaker
Ckay is one of the latest sensations in the global music industry – thanks to “Love Nwantiti,” off his 2019 debut EP – CKay the First, and its consistent chart success.
Apart from being the No. 1 song on YouTube’s Global Chart with 69.6 million views, it is also the most Shazamed song in the world, No. 3 on the UK singles chart and recently recorded a continental success of over 20 million followers on Spotify. Bloomberg also named it as the biggest-ever hit out of Africa. Ckay is not stopping yet.
The music star is the latest artist to be featured on Billboard‘s Chartbreaker series for November 2021.
The impact of “Love Nwantiti” has been huge following a viral TikTok challenge, plus five more versions including an acoustic rendition and sped-up offerings. The slow-tempo song which was overlooked in 2019 according to the singer, became his first Billboard Hot 100 hit, climbing into the top 40 on the chart and also claiming No. 2 on Billboard’s Global Excl. US, and Global 200 tallies.
“Social media definitely played a role – and it wasn’t only TikTok. It was also Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. The world discovered it, one person, at a time,” says Ckay.
Sharing his global success as the latest chartbreaker, The 26-year-old singer told Billboard that he was in love while making the record, and further drew his inspiration while he was making beats and freestyling in his living room. He describes his style of music as a personal spin on Afrobeats and calls it Emo Afrobeats. Ckay says he finds particular joy in creating it.
“Emo Afrobeats is a way to express myself, my emotions and my sound and still have a groove to it,” he explains. “Plus I’m a cancer, so my energy is basically emotions.”
With the help of his manager Ogbolu Favour, who first heard his music in 2016, the artist signed a new label deal with Warner Music South Africa in November 2020, with Chocolate City Music licensing “Love Nwantiti” to Warner. Ckay’s US contract is with Atlantic.
Read Also: Wizkid Receives Five Nods at the 2021 Bet Soul Train Awards Nominations
CKay who says he would love to collaborate with R&B artists like SZA, Summer Walker and Chris Brown, as well as pop stars like Chris Martin and Billie Eilish, hopes to release his debut album in 2022.
“My album is going to be my best work yet… because I’m going to put my whole soul and essence into it.”
Meanwhile, Ckay’s manager Favour, believes the international success of “Love Nwantiti” is just the beginning for the artist.
“I see him as an African global star.”
We also look forward to Ckay breaking new ground in the global music scene.