Nigerian Idol judge Simi is arguably one of Africa's most talented acts, with a large fan base spanning the lengths of the African continent, Europe, America and beyond.
This chart-topping singer, songwriter and producer has constantly and passionately done the work of music and considers it her calling. “I've done it out of love, I've done it to survive, I've done it because I know it's my purpose.”
After flirting with popular genres for years and releasing a gospel album titled ‘Ogaju’ in 2008, it was her decision to move to the United States for four months that helped her find her sound and carve her niche. Between 2014 and 2016, Simi hit the jackpot and experienced great success with singles including Tiff, Jamb Question, Love Don't Care and Smile For Me, which proved to her that she was on the right path.
Simi also released an EP titled ‘Restless’ in early 2014. This was a five-track cover of popular songs by international acts like Rihanna and Adele, which she completely revamped and gave her a unique spin. One of these covers earned her a record deal with X3M Music.
Simi has since gone on to release two critically-acclaimed albums, one of which made it to number 5 on the Billboard World Chart. After releasing her very successful self-titled album ‘Simisola’ in 2017, Simi put out her third studio album ‘Omo Charlie Champagne’. In 2019, she went independent and launched her record label, Studio Brat.
Simi is not only a talented singer. She also dabbles in sound engineering, which she mostly learned off YouTube. She believes it is her duty to be self-reliant until she doesn’t have to be.
“I love to create. I love the art. This is the force that drives me today and the one that will guide me tomorrow,” she says.