Izzy Odigie | |
|---|---|
 in 2018 on NdaniTV | |
| Born | Iziegbe Odigie 1996 (age 26–27) |
| Nationality | Nigerian, American |
| Education | Nigeria |
| Occupation(s) | Dancer and choreographer |
| Known for | viral videos |
Iziegbe (Izzy) Odigie (born 1996) is a New York born Nigerian afrobeats choreographer. In 2019, she was one of OkayAfrica's "100 women".
Odigie was born in 1996; her mother, Osarenoma Odigie, was a nurse and her father was a businessman. [1] She was born in Brooklyn but brought up in Nigeria in Edo State. where she went to boarding school [2] She moved to the US in 2007 and studied dance and attended St. John’s University in Queens, New York. She was one of the founders of the Trybe dancers who appeared accompanying afrobeats artists. [2]
She is known for Afro dance; she came to notice when she danced with Eddy Kenzo in 2015 reaching 20 million via a video. [3]
She was chosen to be on the OkayAfrica 100 women list [4] in 2019. [5] The 2019 emphasis was to find women who were disrupting their own local culture whilst at the same time demanding equal access to the global stage. [6]
Odigie teaches dance and tours. She has worked with the artists like Tiwa Savage, Mr Eazi, [2] Moonchild Sanelly and Yemi Alade. [1]
In 2020 she choreographed and appeared in one episode of the fifth series of the Fox US drama, Empire . [1]
Tiwatope Savage, known professionally as Tiwa Savage(listen), is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress who has been called the Queen of Afrobeats. Savage sings in English and Yoruba; her music is a blend of Afrobeats, R&B, pop and hip-hop. Savage's contributions to the Nigerian music industry have earned her several achievements.
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu , known professionally as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. He rose to stardom in 2012 after releasing "Like to Party", the lead single from his debut studio album L.I.F.E (2013). In 2017, Burna Boy signed with Bad Habit/Atlantic Records in the United States and Warner Music Group internationally. His third studio album Outside (2018) marked his major-label debut.
Simphiwe Majobe Nhlangulela, better known by her stage name Simmy, is a South African singer-songwriter.
Bassey Ikpilisten is a Nigerian-born American spoken-word artist, writer, and mental health advocate. She has appeared on HBO's Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry five times and her poetry has opened shows for Grammy Award-winning artists. She's also the New York Times bestselling author of I'm Telling The Truth But I'm Lying. In 2020 she judged the Indiana Review Creative Nonfiction Prize. She also features on the OkayAfrica's 100 Women campaign 2020 honoree list, which celebrates women building infrastructure for future African generations.
OkayAfrica is a digital media platform dedicated to African culture, music and politics. Founded in 2011 by Vanessa Wruble and Ginny Suss as a sister site to The Roots frontman Questlove's Okayplayer, the site has become a popular destination for Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. Today, OkayAfrica is the largest US-based website focusing on new and progressive music, art, politics, and culture from the African continent.
Sanelisiwe Twisha, known professionally as Moonchild Sanelly is a South African musician and dancer. She is known for her signature blue-coloured hair and her self-created music genre called "Future ghetto punk". Originally from Port Elizabeth, the singer first came into limelight in the Durban poetry and music scene before relocating to Johannesburg, where she has continued her musical career.
Amofa Michael known professionally as Incredible Zigi, is a Ghanaian dance artist and choreographer.
Amarachi Nwosu is a Nigerian-American photographer, visual artist, filmmaker, writer and speaker currently based in New York City. She is also the founder of Melanin Unscripted, a creative platform and agency aimed to dismantle stereotypes and blur cultural lines by exposing complex identities and cultures around the world. Her debut documentary "Black in Tokyo" premiered at the International Center of Photography at the ICP Museum, New York City in 2017 and she has also screened the film in Tokyo, Japan at Ultra Super New Gallery in Harajuku.
Afrobeats, or Afro-pop or Afro-fusion, is an umbrella term to describe popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that initially developed in Nigeria, Ghana, and the UK in the 2000s and 2010s. Afrobeats is less of a style per se, and more of a descriptor for the fusion of sounds flowing out of Ghana and Nigeria. Genres such as hiplife, jùjú music, highlife and naija beats, among others, were amalgamated under the 'Afrobeats' umbrella.
Oronike Odeleye is an American arts consultant and activist based in Atlanta, Georgia. She is best known as the co-creator of the #MuteRKelly movement.
"Shekere" is a song recorded by the Nigerian Afro pop artist Yemi Alade and produced by DJ Coublon, taken from her studio album Woman of Steel (2019). Alade collaborated with the Beninese artiste Angélique Kidjo on the track.
Woman of Steel is the fourth studio album by Nigerian singer Yemi Alade. It was released on August 30, 2019, through Effyzzie Music Group and Universal Music Africa. Described by Alade as a "buffet with different kinds of meals and drinks", the album represents a thematic and personal shift in her sound. Musically, it is an Afrobeats record that incorporates elements of R&B and highlife. Woman of Steel features collaborations with Rick Ross, Duncan Mighty, Angélique Kidjo and Funke Akindele. It was supported by the previously released singles "Home" and "Give Dem". Although critical reception to Woman of Steel was mixed, the album was considered to be Alade's best album yet.
Dami "Oloni" Olonisakin is a British Nigerian sex educator and relationship advisor. She runs the blog Simply Oloni and a podcast. Olonisakin was included on OkayAfrica's 100 Women list.
Abiola Ahmed Akinbiyi, professionally known as Bella Shmurda, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter from Ikorodu, Lagos. He rose to prominence in 2019 with the release of the song "Vision 2020", and a follow-up remix which featured Nigeria rapper Olamide. He is also the leader of Dangbana Republik; a collective of creatives in Lagos providing community and humanitarian contributions.
Teboho Mochaoa, known commonly by his stage name Morena Leraba is a Lesotho-born singer and rapper. He mainly uses traditional sesotho lyrics and combines them with electro, afro house and Hip hop. His lyrics are deeply rooted in Lesotho's traditional music, poetry, and its sub-genre, famo.
"Skeletun" is a song recorded by Nigerian singer-songwriter Tekno, it was released on October 8, 2019, by the Cartel Entertainment. It was written by Tekno and produced by Phantom. The song was featured on the soundtrack to Coming 2 America. It debuted at number 19 on the first ever official UK Afrobeats Singles Chart and was nominated for Best Pop Single at The Headies 2020.
Angela Kariuki well known as Camille Storm, is a Kenyan music executive, journalist, talent developer, publicist, entrepreneur, and curator, pioneering the East African pop culture. She is the founder of Camille & Co., and a music journalist, and pop culture contributor for OkayAfrica, and The Fader. In 2022, Camille joined All Africa Music Awards, as one of its juries for East Africa.
Adesegun Adeosun Jnr, popularly known as Smade, is a Nigerian-born British event promoter, creative industry expert and entrepreneur.He is co-founder and CEO of Afro Nation, an annual music festival established to bring together the best African artists in Afrobeats, Hip hop, RnB, Dancehall, Amapiano, Afro House and more. He is also the founder of Smade Entertainment, a UK-based entertainment company.
Balogun Afolabi Oluwaloseyi, known professionally as Seyi Vibez, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He is known for his breakthrough single "Chance " from his second studio album Billion Dollar Baby which debuted at No. 19 on the UK Afrobeats singles chart and peaked number 7 on the TurnTable Top 100 chart.
Sulaimon Shekoni Solomon professionally known as Khaid, is a Nigerian singer, rapper, and songwriter signed to Neville Records. He rose to stardom with the release of the song "With You", after signing a record deal with Sydney Talker's Neville Records in 2022, which earned him his first chart entry on Nigeria TurnTable Top 50 single chart at number forty-eight on 14 February 2022.