CKay Surpasses 1 Billion Solo Spotify Streams
Rising Afrobeats sensation CKay surpasses 1 billion Spotify streams, achieving global stardom.
Chukwuka Ekweani, widely known as CKay, has emerged as a prominent figure in the flourishing Afrobeats music scene. This multi-talented artist, equally adept behind the production boards as a producer and in the spotlight as a performer of his own compositions, has captivated audiences worldwide with his unwavering artistic vision. CKay's ascent to stardom reached new heights with his breakthrough single, "love nwantiti."
CKay has reached a monumental milestone, amassing 1 billion solo streams on Spotify. Throughout his career, this self-defined Emo-Afrobeat has cemented his unique soundscape with the release of EPs such as CKay The First (2019), Boyfriend (2021), and his debut album Sad Romance (2022), released last year, has accumulated over 380 million streams worldwide. These musical endeavors featured collaborations with some of Africa's finest talents, including Davido, Ayra Starr, Focalistic, and Mayra Andrade.
The year 2023 has been nothing short of spectacular for CKay. His mega-hit "love nwantiti" has continued to shine, achieving 4x Platinum status in the US and a staggering 20x Platinum in India. Earlier this year, CKay received a prestigious BMI Award. CKay's electrifying performances have been a highlight throughout the year, starting with a memorable appearance at the #CHAN2022 (African Nations Championship) final held at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algeria and subsequent shows in Pune, India, and a Nigerian university tour. More recently, the star graced European festival stages, including Lollapalooza in Paris and HipHop Open in Germany. In the latter half of the year, CKay was recognized by the streaming service as the fourth Top Afrobeats Artist on a global scale.
Continuing to build a global presence, CKay's "Emiliana" also made waves, earning global chart positions and amassing over 400 million streams worldwide. "Emiliana" soared to #1 on the U.K. Afrobeats Chart, claimed the #2 spot on the Shazam Top 200 (Afrobeats), and secured the #1 position in six countries on Apple Music.
With a staggering 3.5 billion streams under his belt and new music on the horizon for 2023, CKay stands at the precipice of continued success as a globally recognized Afrobeat star.
- Amarachi Nwosu Is Telling African Stories From An African Lens ›
- CKay Makes History As First African Artist to Hit 20 Million Spotify Listeners ›
- Interview: CKay Wants to Be Africa's 'Boyfriend' ›
- How CKay's 'Love Nwantiti' Became the World's Song ›
- CKay’s ‘Sad Romance’ Tells A Story of Troubled Love ›
- CKay: “The Mission is to Take African Music to the World” ›
- CKay Returns With Two New Singles to Kick Off the Year - Okayplayer ›
- The 15 Best Songs of CKay - Okayplayer ›
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