CKay talks about his viral TikTok hit, ‘Love Nwantiti’ and love for Indian movies Premium

The Nigerian artist recently sat down for an interview, shares his thoughts talks about on the global success of his hit song and discusses his cultural heritage and creative inspirations

Nigerian singer Chukwuka Ekweani, a.k.a. CKay, captivated the audience at the Vh1 Supersonic Mainstage with his chart-topping hits in Bengaluru recently. The Emo-Afrobeat artist gained worldwide recognition with his viral TikTok hit single, ‘Love Nwantiti’, which marked a pivotal moment for African pop music, a genre that has influenced many renowned musicians but has not attained global commercial success until now.

The song holds the distinction of being the first from the African continent to secure the top spot on YouTube’s most-watched music videos list, and its success has helped put African music on the international stage.

In a recent interview with The Hindu, CKay spoke about the inspiration behind the song and his Nigerian heritage. “I feel the song’s popularity in India is a huge part of that success,” he said. “The song was number one in India for a few months and that was exciting because I don’t even speak Hindi or any other Indian language. So, I truly appreciate the love from everyone here.”

CKay’s Nigerian heritage has also played a significant role in his music. “The language I make songs in is my native language, Igbo, primarily spoken in southeastern Nigeria,” he explained. “I also use Pidgin English, which is a form of English that is spoken in my country. The things I encounter daily in Nigeria and the challenges I confront serve as the inspiration for my music.”

The 27-year-old musician said different genres and artistes have shaped his music. “Michael Jackson had a significant impact on my music, while Lionel Richie and the Backstreet Boys were among the first artistes who inspired me as a young musician.”

When asked about African music, CKay noted that music from every other continent has had a presence, and Africa should not be an exception. “African music is amazing, I would hate for the world to not be a part of this,” he said. “That’s my desire — for the world to revel in the goodness of African music. This music deserves to be everywhere, and it is happening already. I am excited about what will happen after this.”

As an artiste who has worked with several other musicians, including Joeboy and Davido, CKay aspires for dream collaborations with his favourite artistes. “Billie Eilish is on that list, as are Drake and Kanye West.”