ARTIST FEATURE: Gbolahan, former guitar tutor to Asa, unveiled

The Nigerian music industry is experiencing a major renaissance as a whole new generation of Afro hip hop, Soul, R&B and Pop acts rise to establish a new age in our music culture with major international appeal. From among these emerge GBOLAHAN, an inspiring yet versatile singer and songwriter with a flair for Rock and R&B juiced with a strong rhythm from ‘dante’, his acoustic guitar which he plays with thoroughbred skill.

 

ARTIST FEATURE: Samnem - Another Da Grin?

Treading a path already cut by high profile mainstream acts Lord Of Ajasa, and later Da Grin (RIP), Samnem , aka “Ijaya”,  is making bold moves into challenging territory, albeit with a twist...he is infusing exclusively faith-fuelled gospel lyricism meshed with a street thematic  into the Yoruba/Afro commercial/Hip hop melangerie. But does having a voice that closely mirrors that of an already well known act [Isolate=9ice, General Pype=Sean Paul, Tbos=MI] really lead to a guaranteed recipe for mainstream musical success, or does it actually work against the artist? CLUB X eMAG profiles this fast rising hip hop icon and leaves you to answer that question.

ARTIST FEATURE: Viva

Embodying the boundless energy, radiance and electrical sizzle of her genre, and armed with enough vivacity, poise and drive to take her craft to the next level, rock debutante Viva is one of gospel's newest, hottest and boldest arrivals on the scene. Staking her claim to her own share of musical territory in an audiospace already dominated by such pioneers as Jahdiel, Et Cetera, Eben, Iyke Onka and Nikki Laoye, Viva is the second artistic offshoot from indie label Tower Gate Records (of Win X Entertainment), already home to hip hop medical icon Dr Sankty. Barely having scaled the age 20 hurdle, Viva is already generating ripples in various underground circles, as well as her home church, Christ Embassy (curiously responsible for generating a sizeable chunk of the industry's acclaimed rock staples), and with her newfound home in TowerGate, is expected to rev up her game by no mean measure.

ARTIST FEATURE: Psalmos

Be fortunate enough to attend an event where this delectable, energetic young lady happens to be performimg and you will no doubt be forced to ask "who's that girl?!"  Well, 'that girl' happens to be none other than...(drum roll)...Psalmos! Or as you would more accurately hear on any of the tracks that her passion laced voice adorns, "Psalmosi l'omo yen o!". From the right looks to the right voice to the right contemporary gospel swagger to the right man (oh yes, this one's already taken, guys!) in form of her producer, and one of the most innovative and fast rising in the biz at that, Psalmos (driving license reads Bolaji Olayinka, Mrs) could easily be said to 'have it all', though she'd quicker attribute all her attributes to the Most High than snog any of it for herself.

A final year student of  Relations & Personnel Management at  Lagos State University and an Ekiti State (Professor Psalmos?) indigene, she is undoubtely a woman of enormous passion for her art, bent on taking her gift to the highest levels of achievement humanly possible. She set a daring foot into the world of professional singing and songwriting in 2005 when she was welcomed into the helms of Christ Living spring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM), and immediately got into the choir, underwent the required-often gruelling-tutoring it took to transform raw talent to bankable craft, and since then never looked back.