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«Sad Romance»Songs regarding a crazy love life – singer Ckay releases debut album
With the single «You» and his debut album «Sad Romance», singer Ckay mixes Afrobeats with lots of feelings. At 20 minutes he spoke regarding love and his native Africa.
- von
- Katrin Ofner
- Salvatore Iuliano
His emo afrobeats on his record are said to sound like “something you’ve never heard before”.
WMG
In an interview with 20 minutes, the 27-year-old talks regarding love, music and his visit to Switzerland.
Instagram/ ckay_yo
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Nigerian singer Ckay (27) has released his new single “You”.
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In addition to his single, Ckay is also releasing his debut album «Sad Romance».
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“I’m taking Afrobeats one step further,” reveals the musician in an interview with 20 minutes.
With Tiktok, his song “Love Nwantiti” made it a world hit. Now singer Ckay is back with new music. His current album is called “Sad Romance” and it “sounds like something you’ve never heard before,” explains Chukwuka Ekweani, like the singer’s real name called, versus 20 minutes. The reason for this is his special style of music. «Emo-Afrobeats are very danceable beats, paired with lots of emotions.» In fact, Ckay’s record takes African rhythms to a new level. «I like to be innovative with my music. This album was no exception.”
The twelve songs deal with his crazy love life, among other things. “If I judge my romances by how they ended, the title was crystal clear.” The 27-year-old is currently in love, as he admits. Nevertheless, he is no longer willing to let love do everything to him or even to forgive everything. He had to learn that painfully from his past. “The stupidest thing I did for love was to be loyal to someone when the person I was with wasn’t.”
He then processed his pain in his lyrics, as befits a singer-songwriter. “They are all biographical,” he admits. Despite a new love, the native Nigerian’s heart only ever beats for one thing: his homeland. “Africa loved me first.”
First visit to Switzerland
Ckay was born in the Nigerian city of Kaduna. He learned to play the piano from his father, who worked as a choir conductor in the local parish, and taught himself how to produce using the music software FL Studio (formerly Fruity Loops) – with success. He was the first African artist to have two tracks in the Top 20 of the Spotify Global Weekly Charts at the same time, he was number one on the Global Youtube Music Charts such as the Global Shazam Charts.
Also in this country you mightn’t ignore Ckay’s hits. On the contrary. Not only was he a permanent presence on Tiktok, Afrobeats/Trap artists Pronto and Eunique used “Love Nwantiti” as a template for a new German version.
Has the 27-year-old already heard this version? It is quite possible that he was a guest in Switzerland for the first time this summer. In mid-August he was a show act on the stage of the Heitere Openair and performed, among other things, his hit “Emiliana”. “It was my first time in Switzerland and it was great,” says Ckay, but at the same time reveals: “Unfortunately, I had absolutely no time for sightseeing.”
