Nikki Laoye

Oyenike Laoye, known professionally as Nikki Laoye, is a Nigerian recording artist, singer, humanitarian, songwriter, dancer and occasional actress, renowned for her musical expressions and stage performances.

In 1998, Laoye joined the youth band of Ikoyi Baptist Church and was introduced formally to contemporary gospel by friend and music director, Reginald Bassey and served as a soloist/lead vocalist for a couple of years.

(Laoye later joined House on the Rock Church and was a lead vocalist for the choirs in Ibadan and Lagos for over 10 years. )

Laoye's musical talent was further enhanced during her high school years at Federal Government Girl's College, Sagamu (from where she graduated in 1998) and at the University of Ibadan respectively as she performed with the school choirs and joined up with music and dance groups including Exousia, Soul Alliance and the girl group trio, Soul Sistas.

In 2000, a chance meeting along the hallways of St. Anne's hall, a private female hostel, at the University of Ibadan brought about the creation of the female girl group, Soul Sistas, composed of Laoye, Debola Kester and Aboyowa Tene.

The girls met during an evening of music, fun and games in their dorm room and struck a chord literally.

They started performing together, simply for the love of it and finally took up the name "Soul Sistas" after singing at a campus fellowship and the Pastor, Dele Osunmakinde (now Pastor of The Baptizing Church, Lagos) remarked cheerfully "these ladies sing to your soul".

In 2003, The girls were joined briefly by another female singer, Funmi Ojo, but returned to a trio within the same year.

Together for five years, Soul Sistas were the only female a cappella group at the University and were renowned for their soulful harmonies including their rendition of the classic a cappella song "Your Love is Better than Life".

In 2005,The girls went their separate ways after graduating from the University with Laoye pursuing a solo career and Debola and Aboyowa took up regular jobs.

She is also well known for the 2006 hit song Never felt this Way before, the 2013 dance single "1-2-3", the soulful ballad "Only You", which she remixed in 2016 featuring Seyi Shay and the love song Onyeuwaoma featuring Banky W..

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Laoye hails from the musical lineage of the talking drum legend – Late Oba Adetoyese Laoye (from Ede, Osun State-Nigeria), The singer, fondly called, the small one with the big voice, rose to fame in 2006 with the hit single, "Never Felt This Way Before" from her debut studio album, Angel 4 Life (2008), which also featured other notable singles, including the Hip-Hop collaboration with Rooftop Mcs and her brother, Rap2Sai – "Taka Sufe"; the love ballad "Someone to Love" with R&B crooner Jeremiah Gyang amongst others.

Laoye was born in Lagos, Nigeria; the only daughter to Prince Olushola Isaac Laoye & Olori Christiana Yetunde Laoye.

Laoye bears traces of a mixed heritage as her father, Olushola is of European (Dutch), Ghanaian and Nigerian ancestry.

She is sister to three brothers: Femi, Bola and Ade, who is also known as Xblaze, a budding young music producer/Hip Hop artist in Lagos, Nigeria.

She enrolled in choirs and dance classes at the age of five.

Laoye began her career as a solo artist in 2006, with the release of her first single, "Never Felt this way Before", produced by Nigerian music producer Cobhams.

The single enjoyed airplay on mainstream radio stations in Nigeria and gained wide acceptance across the country, thus making Laoye one of the few contemporary Christian artists in the Nigerian music industry with mainstream appeal.

The release of her HipHop collaboration single, "Taka Sufe" featuring Rooftop Mcs and Rap2Sai further endeared her to Nigerian youths and

provided a platform of expression for her brother, Xblaze who produced the track.

In 2007, the trio returned to record a remix for their hit, "Baba L'oke" for Laoye's debut album, Angel 4 Life.

In 2008, Laoye followed up with the release of her debut album Angel 4 Life— a collection of contemporary sounds and a lineup of top Nigerian artists including Rooftop Mcs, Blaise, Jeremiah Gyang and many more.

The singer soon gained notoriety as her singles gradually rose to the number one spot on the Nigerian Chart Show for weeks; and she was a main feature on the MTV Base Rockumentary show- Advance Warning.

In 2009, Laoye performed alongside American international gospel artists Kirk Franklin, Cece Winans and Donnie McClurkin to an audience of 500,000 at The 2009 Experience Concert in Lagos, Nigeria.

Laoye also played a theatrical role in the Nigerian-Broadway stage play musical, OLURONBI in October 2009 and was one of the five female artists on the 2009 Tetmosol Girl Power Tour, which was a nationwide tour across various states of Nigeria.

The release of the single "Never Felt This Way Before" brought a fresh urban Christian contemporary sound to the Nigerian music industry.

This seven-time award nominated song, (2009 Hip Hop World Awards- Best Vocal Performance (Female) and HipHop World Revelation (Best New Artist); Kora Awards-Best Spiritual Artist and Best Arrangement; 2009 City People Entertainment Awards-Musician of the Year (Female); the 2009 Nigerian Entertainment Awards in the US -Gospel Artist of the Year & 2009 SoundCity Music Video Awards-Best Female Video), received major accolades and gave Laoye the rating as the 3rd Best Performance at the 2009 HipHop World Awards in Nigeria (Darey Art Alade and Tuface coming 1st and 2nd respectively, out of the 10 performances at the awards).

Laoye was the only female contender alongside top male Nigerian Artists – MI, Banky W.. and Naeto C for the HipHop World Revelation (Best New Artist) category of the 2009 HipHop World Awards.

In 2009, Laoye performed alongside Kirk Franklin, CeCe Winans, Donnie McClurkin to an audience of 500,000 at The Experience Concert in Lagos.

Laoye's music has gained critical acclaim beyond Africa, as she was one of the first three Nigerian artists ever to be interviewed and recognized on American entertainment channel, BET in 2009 and she was one of the preliminary judges for BET's Sunday Best Auditions which held in Lagos, Nigeria in December 2009.

In 2010, Debola contested in the Nigerian music reality show, Project Fame Season 3 and was one of the final 10 contestants alongside Ochuko, Yetunde Omo'badan, Chidinma Ekile (winner).

Laoye started off her education at Grace Children School, Gbagada, Lagos.

Soon enough, she was singled out by her music teacher, who noticed her music abilities at such a tender age and personally offered her free piano lessons at the end of each school day.

In 2011, Laoye's life and career were showcased in a special feature segment on BET, tagged "BET Spotlight – Nikki Laoye".

As a recording artist, Laoye's music has earned her several awards including The Headies Award in 2013 for Best Female Vocal Performance and the All African Music Awards (AFRIMA) in 2014 for Best Female Artiste in African Inspirational Music.

Her passion for humanitarian activities attracted the attention of the Nigerian National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), who unveiled her as the celebrity 'Voice of Refugees' in Southwest Nigeria in 2013.

Her musical style is an urban contemporary sound with the fusion of alternative rock, R&B, hip hop, pop, soul, funk, jazz and Gospel.

(Xblaze Ade Laoye produced most of the songs on Laoye's debut album as well as her 2013 dance single, "1-2-3". He was a principal producer for the West African Edition of X-Factor, held in Lagos, Nigeria).

In 2013, the singer made a comeback into the music scene after being on a hiatus following the loss of her father in 2011.

Laoye was commissioned to record her own version of the Nigerian National Anthem for Nigerian TV Producer, Mo Abudu's Ebony Life Television in June 2013.