FEATURE:
Spotlight
Qing Madi
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A tremendous artist…
who was recently named as one of Vevo's 2024 DSCVR Artists to Watch is Qing Madi. I am fairly new to her music but, having seen her highlighted by quite a few sites as someone to look out for, I was compelled to dig deeper. I am going to bring in some interviews and press around this incredible talent. The Nigerian teenager is one to watch out for. In her earliest phase, she will grow and cement her sound. I am going to end with a review of her new E.P. It is worth getting to know her better prior to that. Whether you class her music as Afrobeats or something else, there is no denying there is a universality to it. It translates beyond Nigeria. If Qing Madi’s best days are still ahead, her eponymous E.P. marks her out as someone to watch very closely. I am going to come to an interview with The Things. They charted the beginning and rise or an extraordinary artist who is definitely primed for big success in 2024:
“Qing Began Performing As A Child
Born and raised in Benin City, Nigeria, Qing has long had a penchant for performing.
In fact, she smiles that her career really began when she was just 7-years-old.
"From the time I was in school, I started competing with other kids in arts and culture, and would represent my school," she reminisces.
However, this budding star wasn't content to contend with her age mates, alone.
"Everyone wanted me to be in the children's choir, but I felt the adult choir was where I belonged, so I did that. I was a confident child!" she laughs.
Sure enough, people began taking note - and her career as a professional performer began.
Her Mom Played An Active Role In Her Career, Early On
"I started getting booked for weddings and other events, both in and out of the state. My mom trained me for that," Qing shares.
It's safe to say, Qing's mom saw a spark, there - and she was fully committed to helping her daughter reach her potential.
That was just part of her influence, however,
Beaming at the memory, Qing adds that her mother also enrolled her in a ballet academy, where she trained to dance and studied music more in-depth.
That's still not all, though.
Qing continues that the customers in her mother's shop were always happy to engage with her, musically.
"I was surrounded by her musically-inclined clients, and their influences became mine," she smiles.
That's not to say she didn't pick up influences all on her own, though.
Enter, Kendrick Lamar.
In fact, on top of his musical influence, Qing credits Kendrick, as well as Rihanna, for inspiring her to sing.
"I actually wanted to be a dancer, not a singer, at first," she admits.
Qing Talks Going Viral And Repping Nigeria
With the foundations for Qing's success laid early on, it was only a matter of time before people began taking note, en masse.
At the time of writing, See Finish has close to half a million views on YouTube - and that's just two months after the song's release.
As for her latest release, Why, that isn't too far behind, either, racking in more than 300k YouTube viewers in two weeks.
"I was utterly shocked at how much acceptance I was getting," she gushes, thinking about the moment she realized she was going viral”.
I do think that the mainstream music media does not focus enough attention on nations like Nigeria when it comes to a new wave of artists. Sure, they might be attune to J-Pop of Japan and K-Pop of South Korea. It is a vital and bright Pop that is becoming very popular through western music. I think Afrobeats and various other genes emerging from Africa needs to be heralded and spotlight. Qing Madi is a sensation. As Nigeria’s The Guardian wrote, Qing Madi’s music is universal. Good music, they say, crosses borders and languages:
“Qing Madi, who is a rising star currently out of Nigeria is a major example of this. After releasing her most popular song, “See Finish” which has generated a lot of streams on multiple music platforms, the 16-year-old is slowly making a name for herself in the Afrobeat’s industry as she is set to be the next “big thing” out of Nigeria.
She talks with The Guardian Life about her life, going viral in Nigeria at a young age, music inspirations and her plans for the future.
Tell us about yourself and the creative inspiration behind your name?
My name is Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma popularly known as Qing Madi. I am a 16 year old Nigerian singer, songwriter and dancer born July 1st, 2006. I am a prodigy, born and raised in Benin city and I came from a family of 4.
The inspiration behind my name was coming from a point of feminity and independence; a Qing is a female who does not need anyone to dictate her place. A female with superiority.
Tracing your steps into music, where would you say the passion came from?
My biggest influence growing up was Kendrick Lamar; he is a lyrical prophet and he made me fall in love with poetry.
But my mom gave me the best passion I needed. Her belief in me made me understand who I was at a tender age.
What did your parents feel when you indicated an interest in music and how are they supporting you now?
My mother who groomed and trained me is completely happy that all our prayers and hard work are being rewarded plus she is super proud too.
What was the inspiration behind “See Finish” and how did it feel going viral in Nigeria?
The creative process for “See Finish” was coming from a genuine point where an actual incident led me to express myself through music. It was an honest song that came naturally, I heard the beat and immediately felt like I needed to communicate with it.
It felt surreal hearing people sing my lyrics right back to me knowing that people genuinely related to it. And most times when I got DMs of how my music had helped people be more comfortable on their own and learn the beauty in being alone, it made me feel fulfilled.
How are you balancing music with school as well as being a teenager?
I’m not in university yet but I’m balancing being a teenager and music very well.
I’ve never been the type to hang out with people a lot so it doesn’t feel much different except now everyone wants to be in my circle which frightens me because I can’t tell what energy is genuine.
You performed at arguably the biggest concert in Lagos, Homecoming. What was that experience like for you at such an early stage of your career?
It was amazing to not only get to understand who I was again but also meeting the crowd and singing my heart out, I’m blessed to have performed there.
With all the fame and attention at a young age, what activities do you engage in that makes you feel like a kid again?
Most times talking to my best friend makes me feel regular again so it’s a therapeutic feeling for me.
Are you working on anything now and what should your fans be expecting from you moving forward?
I’m working on a body of work; my first as a signed artist with possible collaborations and newly explored sounds. So, I’m super excited and I hope my fans are too”.
The Teen Magazine spent some time with Qing Madi earlier in the year. A young talent with so much potential, they also looked at her rise to prominence. Here is someone who I feel everyone needs to get behind and support if they can. Such is the potential and quality out there already, there is not going to be any stopping her:
“Listen and Learn
“The songstress also has an important message she wants her listeners to receive when listening to her music. She commented, "As a 16 year old, I want everyone to know this: You're understood, you’re heard, you have every reason to feel the way you do, and you’re not being ungrateful to anyone for feeling this emotion." Songwriting can be a very intimate process for an artist. Qing Madi also went into depth about her experience with songwriting. "I love writing alone. I tend to write about my past or present experiences. It helps make my lyrics more real."
Her song, “Why”, a track detailing her bullying experiences while in school, was a hit. It now has close to 130,000 streams on Spotify as of writing this article. She gave some words of encouragement to people being bullied currently.
She stated, "Be patient. People only fight what they fear. Being bullied in school makes you the main character most times.
Some things you have to endure to become you and have a story to tell. Speaking up as well is important if you’re being bullied, even though when I did I was told “it’s normal”. But you never know what can happen when you speak up."
9 Fun Questions with Qing Madi
Like any 16 year old, Qing Madi also has ambitions and things she wants to accomplish. Read below to see some of her answers.
1) If you could open a show for any artist, who would it be?
“Internationally, I would love to open for Kendrick Lamar and locally in Nigeria, for Davido.”
2) What's your favorite song you've written and why?
My favorite song I’ve written is called “Still on You” and it’s because it is so much like my track “See Finish. It’s an actual emotion I’ve experienced."
3) What is the best advice you’ve been given?
“Do not let people’s indecision disrupt your vision.”
4) What is your dream car?
"A Bugatti."
5) What’s one thing you can’t live without?
"My phone."
6) Dream vacation?
“Spain, because I speak Spanish, and I would love to practice more with actual indigenous people.”
7) If you were stranded on a beach and you could only bring three things, what would you bring and why?
“My phone, food and water, because I’ll need those to survive. Being stranded on a beach to me sounds like a vacation. I love being alone.”
8) What is your favorite food?
”Jollof rice.”
9) Where do you see yourself in the next three years careerwise?
"Successful and happy, with the right energy and the right people."
The Future of Qing Madi
Qing Madi is a promising young talent, bound to take the western world by storm. She is taking the sound and influence of later greats such as Aaliyah and putting a modern but reminiscent twist on them, which will be successful in her career. She has an EP coming out soon, so stay tuned for that”.
I am going to end with a review of the Qing Madi E.P. First, together with her Vevo DSCVR Artists to Watch inclusion, the Nigerian star has also been honoured by Apple Music. This article tells how it is a big step and achievement. Something that will take her music to the next level. Some terrific early exposure:
“Apple Music has just announced that Qing Madi, the rising star of Afrobeat, is the next Up Next artist for Nigeria. This means that Qing Madi will get a global spotlight on Apple Music, including a short documentary and interview.
As a native of Benin City, Qing Madi began her professional journey by participating in school talent shows and singing in the church choir. Her exceptional vocal capabilities earned her a spot in the adult choir, despite her young age.
Recognizing the unique nature of Qing Madi’s talent, her mother enrolled her in a local ballet academy as a means to foster her creativity outside of school. It proved to be an incredibly savvy move as Qing Madi won several dance awards, and the classes helped foster her musical gifts as she learnt how to memorize lyrics and identify her sound.
If you haven't heard of Qing Madi yet, you're missing out. She is a talented singer and songwriter who blends traditional Nigerian rhythms with modern pop and hip-hop influences. Her debut "Journey" was released in September and has been praised by critics and fans alike.
Nigerian singer and songwriter Qing Madi did release a tribute song for Mohbad titled “Journey.”
She said, “The recent passing of a gem has given me a reality check. No one is going to be here forever. Not even those that have done the best. Nobody knows when the ticking bomb will explode. They just know the timer has begun. I wrote this song based on how I was feeling. RIP IMOLE.”
Influenced heavily by her heritage and the lyrical genius of Kendrick Lamar, Qing Madi’s debut single 'See Finish' (2022) saw her blend Afrobeats, pop, soul and R&B, laying the foundation for the fusion type of music she was keen to create as the single went viral on TikTok and peaked at #51 on Apple Music’s Nigeria Top 100 songs chart.
Her latest single 'Journey' (2023), available to stream on Apple Music, in an Afrobeats call to the dancefloor, layered atop R&B-soaked vocal lines, and reinforces her presence as a name to remember.
Qing Madi is not only a musical genius, but also a social activist. She uses her platform to raise awareness and funds for various causes, such as education, health, and environmental issues. she is also a vocal supporter of the #EndSARS movement, which protests against police brutality and corruption in Nigeria.
Qing Madi is definitely an artist to watch beyond. She is breaking boundaries and creating waves with her unique sound and message. I can't wait to see what she does next. Congratulations, Qing Madi, on being the next Up Next artist for Nigeria!
If you want to listen to Qing Madi's music and learn more about her, head over to Apple Music and check out his Up Next playlist. You won't regret it!”.
Go and check out the tremendous Qing Madi. Her self-titled E.P. is exceptional. There was quite a lot of love around it when it arrived last month. Here is one such review. Next year is going to be one where this teenage artist will get her music played around the world, visit new countries and ensure that she is a name that is talked about as one of the best out there. Even if it is early in her career, you can already hear and see the sparks already. A huge and fascinating musical proposition:
“Her debut EP 'Qing Madi' is a bold announcement of her desire to carve a niche for herself. While her most striking feature is her vocals which she effortlessly deploys to mold R&B melodies, it wouldn't take long for listeners to be drawn to her ability to express herself in the chic and vibrant manner expected of a Gen. Z R&B act.
Like a teenage music star, she explores the familiar subject of ambitions and desires from a teenage perspective that creates originality and relatability amongst the young audience who will form her consumer base.
When she talks about her ambitions in 'Madi's Medley' it's with the exciting dreams of a youngster. She shows teenage glee in 'Ole' where she confesses to covetting another person's partner and in 'See Finish', her writing and cadences of a juvenile music star It's these visibly young approach and age-relatable qualities that give her music an admirable identity.
Her vocals and melody-molding ability drive the EP while she shows the multiplicity of her influences. Her style is quintessentially R&B with her vocals comfortable on the beat and the music filled with lyrics as opposed to the scanty wordings of Pop music.
Even when she sings on Afrobeats arrangements in 'Vision' and 'American Love' she molds R&B melody while infusing very little if not negligible pidgin English and Yoruba.
While she finds herself operating in a Nigerian mainstream where significant domestication in the form of language and production is needed, Qing Madi's music is significantly Westernized. On the rare occasion that she speaks Pidgin or Yoruba, she does it in a Westernized way that makes it unnoticeable.
The very nature of her music takes it away from the mass market and places it among niche consumers, especially those in her age grade who are conversant with the Western variant of the teenage R&B and Pop music she makes.
Even the average Nigerian whose daily music consumption mainly comprises lamba (Nigerian street slang) driven Afropop cuts and Street Hop party starters will struggle to hear some of her lyrics.
Some listeners will find the highly Westernized style of music reminiscent of Nigerian international superstar Tems whom she strikingly sounds like in 'Chargie'.
Qing Madi packs impressive talent for a teenager and this is on full display on her EP. With vocal ability and penmanship in place, it's time for her to learn domestication if she desires to service beyond a niche teenage audience. There's no doubt she has what it takes to achieve this”.
Go and follow the brilliant Qing Madi. Such a strong and promising artist who is being spotlighted as a name to watch next year. You can see why that is. Qing Madi is a brilliant E.P. from this rising talent. I am excited to see where she heads next. If you are unfamiliar with Qing Madi, go and familiarise yourself now. I feel she will be making big and stunning steps for…
MANY years more.
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Follow Qing Madi
