BENGALURU: It was late 2020. At the height of the pandemic. Much of the world had started to openly embrace work from home, while social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram recorded unprecedented traffic as social interactions increasingly turned digital. Meanwhile, digital creators exploded in popularity, particularly on TikTok. Small musicians, previously unheard of, suddenly found themselves in the spotlight.
One such musician, from a small town in Nigeria, was Chukwuka Ekweani. Better known as CKay, Ekweani’s 2019 song Love Nwantiti, became an internet sensation after its re-release as single in 2020, topping music charts across the world. All this due to social media. Over the weekend, at the Vh1 Supersonic music festival in Bhartiya City, Ekweani made his India debut, performing alongside the likes of English pop star Anne Marie, rapper HanuMankind among others.
Ekweani credits much of his success to Indian audiences, and shares that the support from fans in the country has been ‘crazy’. “I feel like India has been a huge part of my success story, with a lot of support for my music coming from this country. From Bollywood actors using my song for reels to models on TikTok popularising my music...it’s been crazy. It is so amazing that I’m finally here,” he says, adding that he was astonished at the level of popularity that Love Nwantiti achieved in the country.
“It’s amazing how something I created back in Lagos, Nigeria is connecting with people thousands of kilometres away and across the oceans, here in India. I didn’t even have a studio back then. I made that song [Love Nwantiti] in my living room. Yet somehow, people relate to that song. It’s a testament to how powerful music really is. Every time I think about it, I can only be grateful for the support and love that everyone has shown, especially India,” the 27-year-old shares.
Ekweani grew up watching a lot of Bollywood movies, just like many in Nigeria. While he shares that his childhood experiences don’t necessarily inspire his music, he concedes that Bollywood music certainly had an impact on him. “We have this channel that broadcasts Bollywood movies back home. 3 Idiots, in particular, is really popular. Most Nigerians, especially the women, watch them heavily.
So if you live in a house with women, you have to watch Bollywood. Bollywood is really interesting, because music has a strong influence on cinema, with films brimming with songs. And I grew up listening to all kinds of music in those movies. I guess that kind of played a role in shaping me to become the artiste that I am today,” he shares.
Singer-songwriter CKay, known for his internationally-acclaimed single Love Nwantiti, performed in the city. In conversation with CE, he speaks about his India debut, Bollywood’s influence on his music and the role India plays in his recent success