Nigerian music’s rave, KCee, is set to engrave his name into Nigeria’s music history books as one of an exclusive group of musicians to rock the stage at the iconic The Apollo in Harlem.
KCee will appear at the famous venue, courtesy of the inaugural ‘Naija To The World’ exhibition concert on September 16.
KCee, according to organisers of the event, will join a contingent of music stars from the oil-rich Niger Delta to thrill concertgoers with the South-South region’s culture and creativity.
The scheduled performance will place him among an elite group of Nigerian musicians to have graced the stage at the historic The Apollo.
Nigerian musicians that have performed at The Apollo included the late Afrobeat maverick, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, his son, Seun Kuti, Grammy-winning singer, Burna Boy, and Adekunle Gold.
Since winning music reality show Star Quest as a group in 2002, KCee has evolved into a widely celebrated solo act in Nigeria’s music scene.
His vast catalogue that has endeared him to fans nationwide includes hits such as ‘Pull Over’, ‘Okpekete’, and ‘Limpopo’ which won the Song of the Year award at the Headies in 2014.
And after a brief time away from the scene, KCee has returned to blaze the trail in Nigeria’s cultural music renaissance with the smash hit, ‘Ojapiano’.
The singer’s eclectic music style and stagecraft are expected to further draw concertgoers into the storytelling prowess of Niger Delta natives.
KCee said: “This is an unexpected turn in my music career. An appearance at The Apollo is, to many of us, an experience that validates the belief in our talent and the hard work we put into our artistry.
“It is what dreams are made of and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the honour.
“The ‘Naija To The World – the Niger Delta Experience’ concert is truly a befitting event for me to celebrate how far I’ve come in the Nigerian music industry.”
KCee will be joined by Timi Dakolo, Omawumi, Timaya, and the pantomimic dance group, Seki Dance Drama, in telling previously untold stories of lived experiences in the oil-producing region.
According to the organisers, attendees can expect performances that will offer a window into the talent and creativity prevalent in a region also responsible for producing globally renowned stars such as Burna Boy and Rema.
BHM founder, Ayeni Adekunle said: “We couldn’t be more excited about the lineup of stars that will grace the concert at The Apollo.
“From the journeys of these creative talents in a peculiar region like the Niger Delta, we believe that the world has a lot more to learn from Nigerian culture beyond just marvelling at the beautiful sound of our music.”
Corroborating Ayeni, CEO of Buckwyld Media Network, Efe Omorogbe, said ‘Naija To The World – the Niger Delta Experience’ “will serve as a testament to the incredible reservoir of artistic brilliance present in the Niger Delta region.”
In 2019, Burna Boy sold out The Apollo’s 1,538-seat capacity for his ‘African Giant’ concert.
Described by organisers as an effort to present a different narrative from ‘the stories out there about Nigeria and Nigerians’, about 1,500 concertgoers are also expected to gather at the historic The Apollo for the first live experience of ‘Naija To The World’.
At least 10 million more viewers across the globe are projected to revel in the experience through partnerships with broadcast networks spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
