Apple Music today announced the latest featured artist in its Up Next emerging artist program in Nigeria as Afrofusion singer and songwriter, Khaid (real name Sulaimon Shekoni Solomon).
“I am so grateful and amazed with how far I have come and I am very excited to be an Apple Music Up Next artist and to see that my sound is being accepted globally. This encourages me more to make music for everyone, everywhere around the globe. As I said, I am diverse and I still maintain my ground. Diversity is the vision,” he explains to Apple Music.
Raised in the vibrant city of Lagos in Nigeria, Khaid grew up as one of eight siblings, with a passion for music and performing that began at a very early age. However it was his fluid freestyles which caught the eye of influencer and comedian Sydney Talker, who immediately signed him to his Lagos-based label, Neville Records. Now, at just 17 years old, Khaid is making pioneering Afrofusion sounds that blend an Afrobeats groove with a trap sensibility.
His debut album, DIVERSITY, released through Neville Records and available to stream on Apple Music in Spatial Audio, merges emo-trap and Afropop and was born out of an 18-month-long artist development scheme that saw Khaid grow as a songwriter and live performer. Over six tracks, spearheaded by his debut smash single “With You”, Khaid positions himself as an upcoming authority on blending established genres with street influences.
As the newest Up Next artist to be spotlighted in Nigeria, Khaid will be featured across Apple Music’s Nigeria Up Next playlist.
Khaid joins Ninety, Young Jonn, T.I Blaze, Browny Pondis, Ajebo Hustlers, Jaido P, Wavy The Creator and SGaWD as Apple Music’s growing stable of Up Next Artists from Nigeria.
About Apple Music’s Up Next Program
Up Next is Apple Music’s monthly artist program geared towards identifying, showcasing and elevating rising star talent. Each month, Apple Music’s editorial team selects an artist to promote, utilizing the full force of the platform to raise awareness of the artist to its growing global audience of music fans. The vast Up Next roster of past talent includes Grammy-nominated and critically lauded talent like 6lack, Daniel Caesar, H.E.R., Greta Van Fleet, Khalid, Amy Shark, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Claudio, Sigrid, Mr Eazi, Stefflon Don, Bad Bunny, Juice WLRD, Bazzi, Jax Jones, NCT 127, Summer Walker, Tierra Whack, Dean Lewis, Pink Sweat$, Koffee, Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, Clairo, Lunay, Jessie Reyez, Orville Peck, Victoria Monét, Ingrid Andress, Conan Gray, Don Toliver, Rema, BENEE, Holly Humberstone, Natanael Cano, Giv?on, beabadoobee, Arlo Parks, Tate McRae, Zoe Wees, Morray, Fousheé, Amorphous, Tems, Parker McCollum, Jay Wheeler, Shenseea, Omar Apollo, Jvck James and aespa.
In 2022, Apple Music’s Up Next artist program has expanded into its sixth year and includes a curated companion Up Next playlist featuring a dynamic class of new and emerging artists, thoughtfully hand-picked by Apple Music editors from around the world. The playlist is genre and country agnostic and represents a line-up of artists our global editors are passionate about and eager to expose to a larger audience. In March 2021, Apple Music expanded the Up Next program to feature localized campaigns that highlight artists across the U.S., U.K., Australia/New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greater China, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latin America, Netherlands, Nigeria, Nordics, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, and Turkey.
About Apple Music
Apple loves music. Apple revolutionized the music experience with iPod and iTunes. Today, the award-winning Apple Music celebrates musicians, songwriters, producers, and fans with a catalog of over 90 million songs, expertly curated playlists, and the best artist interviews, conversations, and global premieres with Apple Music Radio. With original content from the most respected and beloved people in music, autoplay, time-sync lyrics, Lossless Audio, and immersive sound powered by Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, Apple Music offers the world’s best listening experience, helping listeners discover new music and enjoy their favorites while empowering the global artist community. Apple Music is available in over 165 countries and regions on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod mini, CarPlay, and online at music.apple.com, plus popular smart speakers, smart TVs, and Android and Windows devices. Apple Music is ad-free and never shares consumer data with third parties. More information is available at apple.com/apple-music.
