Qing Madi Named Apple Music Up Next Artist For Nigeria

Apple Music announces Afrobeats singer-songwriter Qing Madi is the latest featured artist in its Up Next artist development program in Nigeria.

“Being chosen for this month’s Apple Music Up Next programme is a dream come true at 17,” she tells Apple Music. “I hope to give a voice to all teenagers across Nigeria and Africa, to confirm that their dreams are valid.”

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 memorise lyrics and identify her sound.

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.

As the newest Up Next act to be spotlighted in Nigeria, Qing Madi who recently released her debut EP ‘Qing Madi’ will be featured across Apple Music’s Up Next playlist.

The curated Up Next playlist features a dynamic class of new and emerging artists, thoughtfully hand-picked by Apple Music editors from around the world.

The playlist is genre agnostic and represents a line-up of artists our global editors are passionate about and eager to expose to a larger audience.