Frank Edwards | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Frank Ugochukwu Edwards |
Also known as | Richboy |
Born | 22 July 1989 |
Origin | Enugu State, Nigeria |
Genres | |
Occupations |
|
Instruments |
|
Years active | 2007–present |
Labels | Rocktown |
Website | frankincense |
Frank Ugochukwu Edwards (born 22 July 1989) is a Nigerian musician, record producer, sound engineer, worship singer and songwriter from Enugu State. [1] He is the founder and owner of the record label Rocktown Records, which is home to recording artists such as Edwards himself, Gil Joe, King BAS, Nkay, Dudu and, among others. He lives in Lagos, Nigeria.
Frank Ugochukwu Edwards was born into a family of seven in Enugu state of Nigeria. He has five siblings. He began singing at the age of ten, and learned to play the piano from his father when he was young. [2] [3] During his teenage years, he became a born again Christian. [4] [5] He has a lot of albums and many hit singles to his name. He has established himself as one of the best leading gospel artiste in Nigeria. [6] [7] [8]
Edwards is a producer and plays several musical instruments. He is a notable keyboardist and a member of the Presidential band of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy Church. His debut album The Definition was released in 2008. It was a 14-track album and was distributed by Honesty Music. [9] His second album Angels on the Runway was released in 2010, and his third album Unlimited was released in 2011. Tagjam was released in November 2011. In 2013 he appeared in the live performance of Sinach's "I know who I am" video. He is known for his high pitched voice. Besides being an artist with many songs that cover a variety of musical genres, he is also a music producer and a master mixer. As a result, Rocktown Records, which he owns, has a generation of upcoming talents including Gil Joe, King BAS, Divine, Nkay, Soltune, David and others. [10] [11] In 2016, he collaborated with famous American gospel artiste, Don Moen on an album Grace. His album Frankincense was produced in 2016. [1] In 2018, he released an album for the Body of Christ titled Spiritual Music Season which includes songs like "Miyeruwe" (I Praise your Name), "You are Good", "Who dey run things" & "Praise Your Name". Still in 2018, he has collaborated with Nathaniel Bassey (Thy Will Be Done) and Jeanine Zoe (I'm in Love with You).
Edwards (nicknamed Frankrichboy) is a member of Christ Embassy Church in Nigeria and LoveWorld Music Ministry alongside other gospel musicians including Moses Bliss, Ada Ehi (gospel musician), Sinach, Eben, Joe Praize. [9]
Year | Title | Director | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Beautiful | ||
2010 | You Too Dey Bless Me feat. TB1 | Gbenga Salu | |
2011 | Oya | Moshman | |
2011 | Oghene Doh | Moshman | |
2011 | This Love | Patrick Elis | |
2014 | Okaka | Lawrence Omo-Iyare | [12] |
2014 | Hallelujah | Frank Edwards | |
2015 | Onye | St. Immaculate | [13] |
2016 | Grace | Don Moen & Frank Edwards | |
2017 | Here to Sing feat. Chee | Frank Edwards | |
2019 | If Not For You [14] | H2O Films | |
2020 | Believers Anthem [15] | H2O Films | |
2020 | Suddenly [16] | H2O Films | |
2020 | No Other Name | Frank Edwards | |
2020 | Logo [17] | Frand Edwards | |
2020 | Opomulero [18] | H2O Films | |
2020 | ME [19] | H2O Films |
In May 2011 he was nominated as the Gospel artiste of the year in the sixth annual Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEA). He won the award of the best Gospel Rock artiste in the first annual awards. [20] [21] He also won west Africa best male vocalist in 2012/ best hit single at the Love World Awards 2012, and 3 awards at the Nigeria Gospel Music Awards (male artiste of the year, song of the year and best male vocal). [22] [23] His album Frankincense, which feat Micah Stampley and Nathaniel Bassey, topped Beyoncé's and Adele's albums within few hours of release on iTunes album chart. [24]
Inetimi Alfred Odom, better known by his stage name Timaya, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He is from Odi, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Timaya is known for combining Nigerian pop with elements of dancehall, hip-hop, and soca, as well as Afro-Caribbean/Dancehall music. He is the founder of DM Records Limited, where he is also signed.
Obiora Nwokolobia-Agu, better known by his artistic name Obiora Obiwon, is a Nigerian singer, musician, songwriter, recording artist, music minister and evangelist.
Jesse Garba Abaga, known professionally as Jesse Jagz, is a Nigerian rapper, record producer, and songwriter. He signed a record deal with Chocolate City in 2010 and released his debut studio album Jag of All Tradez that same year. He voluntarily exited the Chocolate City deal in 2013 and announced the launch of his independent label, Jagz Nation. Jagz released his second studio album Jagz Nation, Vol. 1: Thy Nation Come in 2013; it included singles such as "Redemption", "Bad Girl", "Sex & Scotch" and "God on the Mic". His third studio album, Jagz Nation, Vol. 2: Royal Niger Company, was released in 2014. He returned to Chocolate City in 2015 but left the label again prior to releasing his fourth studio album Odysseus in 2017. In May 2020, he released a 5-track EP titled Garba.
El Mafrex is a Nigerian-born, urban gospel singer-songwriter, based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Born in the Ojuelegba suburb of Surulere, Lagos, Wizkid is a voice in the emerging Afrobeats movement. His music is a blend of Afrobeats, afropop, R&B, afrobeat, reggae, dancehall, and pop. He began recording music at the age of 11 and released a collaborative album with the Glorious Five, a group he and a couple of his church friends formed. In 2009, Wizkid signed a record deal with Banky W's Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E). He rose to the limelight after releasing "Holla at Your Boy", the lead single from his debut studio album, Superstar (2011), which also spawned the singles "Tease Me/Bad Guys" and "Don't Dull".
Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu, known professionally as Sinach, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and senior worship leader, serving in this capacity for over 30 years. She is the first singer-songwriter to top the Billboard Christian Songwriter chart for 12 weeks in a row. Her song "Way Maker" received three nominations and won the Song of the Year at the 51st GMA Dove Awards, making her the first Nigerian to win the Award. She also won the BMI song of the year, and in 2021 was recognized by the US Congress while on tour in the United States of America.
Lara George, known professionally as a US-based Nigerian gospel singer, songwriter and producer. She started her music career at the University of Lagos and was a member of the disbanded musical group Kush. Her debut album Forever In My Heart was released in 2008 and included the hit single "Ijoba Orun," which earned her several awards and nominations. She has performed at notable events and appeared on BET International as one of the first Nigerian artists to be aired on that show. She is married with two children and lives in Alpharetta, Georgia in the United States. Additionally, she is the Vice President of SoForte Entertainment Distribution Ltd., the first home-grown structured entertainment distribution company in Nigeria.
Korede Bello is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He signed a record deal with Mavin Records in 2014. Bello is best known for his hit single "Godwin", a semi-gospel and pop song which became a national anthem and topped many music charts across Nigeria.
Joseph Oscar Nii Armah Mettle, recognised by his stage name Joe Mettle, is a Ghanaian gospel musician and songwriter. On April 8, 2017, he made history by being the first Ghanaian Gospel musician to win the coveted Artist of the year award at the 2017 Ghana Music Awards. He has won many awards in Ghana and beyond, and has performed on international stages with International Gospel Artistes like Donnie McClurkin, Nathaniel Bassey, Ntokozo Mbambo, Michael Stuckey and many more. He is married to Selassie Mettle.
Joseph Omo Ebhodaghe,, popularly known as Joe Praize, is a Nigerian gospel singer, praise and worship leader, songwriter and music director who rose to popularity following the release of his hit song "Mighty God" off his debut album My Praise.
The Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival is a large gathering of carol singers in Nigeria. A concert featuring 25,272 carol singers at the Akwa Ibom Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, with Guinness World Records representatives in attendance, was officially certified as the largest such gathering in the world by Guinness World Records on December 13, 2014, against a former record of 15,674 carol singers which was achieved the previous year by a group called CENTI in Bogotá, Colombia.
Ada Ogochukwu Ehi, also simply known by her stage name Ada Ehi, is a Nigerian gospel singer, songwriter, recording and performing artist. She started her musical career at the age of 10 as a backup singer for child star Tosin Jegede. Since she professionally started her music career under Loveworld Records in 2009, she has increasingly gained local and international popularity through her songs and music videos.
Loveworld Records is an independent record label established by Chris Oyakhilome with the sole aim of discovering and developing gospel artists. Founded in 2009, the record label has gone on to groom and produce notable gospel musicians including Sinach, Frank Edwards, Joe Praize; among others.
Mercy Nnenda Chinwo professionally known as Mercy Chinwo but currently known as Mercy Chinwo-Blessed is a Nigerian Gospel Musician, singer, actress and songwriter. She was signed to EeZee Conceptz in 2017. In 2018, she released the single "Excess Love".
Nathaniel Bassey is a Nigerian singer, pastor, trumpeter and gospel songwriter popularly known for his songs "Imela", "Onise Iyanu", and "Olowogbogboro." Over the years, Bassey has established himself as one of the prominent and most listened-to gospel ministers in Nigeria. His music spans across different genres such as jazz, worship, hymns and medley. He attends The Redeemed Christian Church Of God and pastors The Oasis Lagos, the youth church of the RCCG Kings Court in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Ceccy Abena Ampratwum, better known by her stage name Ceccy Twum, is a Ghanaian contemporary gospel singer and songwriter.
Salau Aliu Olayiwola who is popularly called by his stage name Testimony Jaga was born on 9 March 1987, is a Nigerian Fuji, afro-pop recording and performing gospel artist, who started his gospel musical career from loveworld records under Pastor Chris Oyakhilome. Testimony Jaga gospel career was preceded by the release of the single: "Igara" which won him the "Artist of the Year" awards at The LIMA Awards 2019. His songs are mostly composed in English and Yoruba.
Gift Ugochi Christopher is a Nigerian singer, musician and gospel songwriter popularly known by his stage name MinisterGUC. He gained recognition following the release of his first album in December 2020 with the hit tracks All that matters, Desperate and Yours. He officially began his music career in 2019 after he was signed to EeZee Conceptz, a Nigerian gospel a record label.
Emmanuel Aniefiok Iren well known as Emmanuel Iren is a Nigerian preacher, gospel singer and songwriter. He is the founder of Celebration Church International (CCI), headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.
Ayodele Enitan Vincent professionally known as Ayo Vincent, is a Nigerian gospel artist, singer-songwriter and author. She professionally started her music career in 2012 with the release of her debut album I Am Yours.