I wanted to celebrate my culture – Singer Chike reveals on his new album ‘The Son of Chike’

Nigerian award-winning artist Chike has released his third album, ‘The Son of Chike’.

Chike has been one of the prominent voices in Nigerian R&B since breaking through with his critically acclaimed debut album ‘Boo of the Booless’.

Chike spoke with Apple Music Africa Now Radio about the motivation for his new album, ‘Song of Chike’.

According to the singing sensation, his third album, ‘Son of Chike,’ was an attempt to highlight his heritage through songs that embraces Igbo culture.

“I feel like it’s an album where I was putting out my culture, even down to the way I expressed myself. I know that with this album, you can tell who Chike is and where he is from. I know that my culture is more represented in the music in my third studio album,” he tells the host Nandi Madiba.

Chike is an artist that is particular about his collaborations, having had only a few on past albums. On his new album, he features with Olamide, Ladipoe, and Qing Madi. When asked what inspired the features, Chike stated that he always prioritizes music over numbers.

“With everything I do, I just try to remind myself that the music comes first. It’s not the numbers, because that temptation is there…Numbers look good and everybody wants to have them, but for me, in the end, no matter the decision I made—even if it’s for numbers, perception, or whatever it is for—I still ask myself, ‘Is it about the music? Does the music come first?’ “

Chike’s ‘Son of Chike’ is preceded by the smash single ‘Egwu’, which features the late Mohbad. Chike remarked that Mohbad’s death taught him about the unpredictable nature of life and the importance of making the most of his time.

“When things happen in your life and you realise we are not here forever, it reminds you that this can happen to anybody and you should make the best use of your time. I went ahead and did something I’d wanted to do. I spent all my savings; I did things for some people, where [before] I was thinking it wasn’t the right time to do it. I was just like, “You know what, I’m gonna do this now, right time or not—because the right time might never come.”

Chike’s latest album, ‘Son of Chike,’ released on July 19, 2024, and it’s expected to launch another chapter in his career.