NIGERIAN GLOBAL STAR: Yinka Davies

She is just the way she is. That is the best way I can describe Yinka Davies. She is not a fake, she is down to earth and yet, she is multi talented and skilled. 

Yinka Davies was born and grew up on Patey Street, Ebute-Metta in Lagos, south-west Nigeria, under the watchful eyes of her paternal grandmother.

Her singing career began by accident, at the urging of Sam Uquah. Her career led from the French Cultural centre in Lagos, Kano, to the Goethe Institute, to American festivals and the British Council. Her early stints with Alex O, Esse Agesse, Blackky, won her FAME music award’s Upcoming Artist for 1992. She worked with Sir Shina Peters, Mike Okri, Telemi, Vitus Eze. Her musical odyssey was also to see a positive turning-point when she pitched her tent with Lagbaja.

Yinka Davies & Kingsley Momoh

Goethe Institute, under the direction of Richard Lang, proposed a tour of Rome, Tunisia and Milan, alongside the African Film Festival in Milan. She released a CD with a group of African women titled “Donna Africa” in 1997. Her first solo album Emi n’lo was recorded in 1999 and released in 2002.

In April 2000, she formed her band “5&6".She then released her Black Chiffon CD with a hit song “Owo” featuring Fuji Music maestro Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. In 2006, she recorded and toured with Fatai Rolling Dollar for Tony Allen, the drummer for Fela Kuti in Allen's new album Lagos No Shaking.

In 2009, Yinka became a Judge on Nigerian Idol.

Discography

Albums

•             Emi n’lo (2002)

•             Black Chiffon (2010)

Awards

•             FAME music—Upcoming artiste of the year, 1992

•             Nigeria Music Award (NMA)—Voice of the Decade, 2007.