| Nonso Amadi | |
| Birth Name: | Chinonso Obinna Amadi |
| Birth Date: | 1 September 1995 |
| Birth Place: | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Years Active: | 2012 - present |
Chinonso Obinna Amadi[1] (born September 1, 1995) is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and music producer.[2] He is a self-taught songwriter and music producer who embarked on his music career in 2012, while at Covenant University, where he studied chemical engineering.[3] He is signed to UMG Canada, Def Jam Recordings, UMG Nigeria, Polydor, and MCA Records France.
Nonso Amadi was born on September 1, 1995, to Nigerian parents. He is the third born in a family of seven and grew up in Nigeria before moving to United Kingdom.
He attended St Gregory’s College Ikoyi, Lagos and graduated in 2009. He studied chemical engineering in Covenant University, and in 2014 he continued his studies at Swansea University United Kingdom. He holds a master's degree from McMaster University, Canada.[4]
In 2015, Nonso Amadi released his first EP, Alone, and a few months later he released a follow-up single, "Tonight",[4] which became his major hit and peaked at number 9 on Playdata charts.[5] He has so far garnered international attention and collaboration with artists such as Banky W., Maleek Berry, M.I, and Juls within the first year of his professional career.[2] In December 2017, "Tonight" was ranked by MTV Base as one of the hottest Nigerian songs of the year.[6] In the same month, he held his first 'Homecoming Concert' in Nigeria.[4] In 2017, he released a four-track joint EP with fellow singer Odunsi the Engine titled WAR EP.[7] [8]
In 2019, Amadi released another solo EP titled Free featuring collaborations with Mr. Eazi. and Simi.[9] After a three-year hiatus, he returned to the music scene in 2022 with a new single titled "Foreigner" followed by another single featuring the Canadian Rnb duo Majid Jordan titled "Different".[10] On 1 September 2022, he released "Eye to Eye", with its accompanying music video which debuted on MTV Base Africa.[11] On 20 January 2023, Nonso released "Ease Up", co-produced by him with Gordon Harper, and TJ Whitelaw.[12]
On 20 March 2023, Nonso teamed up with BEAM on "Kilimanjaro", as the fifth lead single off his upcoming debut studio album When It Blooms. The record "Kilimanjaro" also premiered on Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio, with Daddaboy Ehiz.[13] On 24 March 2023, Nonso released "Lock Up" featuring Marlian recording artist Zinoleesky.[14] On 27 April 2023, "Lock Up" music video which released and directed by Joe Penny.[15] Before the release of his debut studio album When It Blooms, Nonso Amadi signed a distribution deal with Def Jam Recordings,[16] and Universal Music Nigeria, to support his record deal with Universal Music Canada,[17] backed-up by Polydor Records and MCA Records France.[18]
On 26 May 2023, Nonso Amadi released When It Blooms through Def Jam Recordings, and Universal Music Group flagship in Canada and Nigeria. The project was exclusively produced by Nonso Amadi, with additional production from London, Harper Gordon, CAPTAIN, FrancisGotHeat, Azul, P.Priime, Goldchain, Dëra, TSB, Mont Jake, Jordan Ullman, and TJ Whitelaw. Featuring guest appearances from Beam, Zinoleesky, Tay Iwar, Tamera, and Majid Jordan., supported by lead singles "Kilimanjaro", and "Lock Up".[19] [20]
On 26 January 2024, Nonso and Emotional Oranges released a joint 4-track extended play titled Blended, and released through Avant Garden Records.[21]
Nonso Amadi is known for fusing Afrobeats elements with R&B.[22] In an interview with Wonderland, he says: “I would say it is Afro-RnB music.”[23]
| Details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| NG | |||
| When It Blooms |
| 27 |
| Details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| NG | |||
| Alone |
| — | |
| War - EP(with. Odunsi the Engine) |
| — | |
| Free |
| — | |
| Blended(with. Emotional Oranges) |
| — |
| Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NG | NG Afropop | SA | UK | UK Afrobeats | US | US Afrobeats | ||||
| "Radio | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | rowspan="5" | |
| "Tonight" | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Kwasia" (feat. Eugy) | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Long Live the Queen" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Aika" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "No Crime" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Free | |
| "Dial Me" (feat. Kida Kudz) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | rowspan="4" | ||
| "Emergency" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Comfortable" (feat. Kwesi Arthur) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Kolo" (with. Paul Play) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Foreigner" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | When It Blooms | |
| "Different" (with. Majid Jordan) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Eye to Eye" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Ease Up" | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Kilimanjaro" | 70 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Lock Up" (with. Zinoleesky) | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NG | NG Afropop | SA | UK | UK Afrobeats | US | US Afrobeats | ||||
| "Falling" (Jay Newton feat. Nonso Amadi) | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "I'm Yours" (Kofi feat. Nonso Amadi) | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Just To Piss You Off | |
| "Closure (Remix)" (Savannah Ré feat. Nonso Amadi) | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | rowspan="2" | |
| "Danger" (Pronto feat. Nonso Amadi) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Spaceman (Remix Nonso Amadi)" (Jujuboy feat. Nonso Amadi) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | rowspan="3" | ||
| "Danger (RMX)" (Pronto feat. Nonso Amadi, & Epoque) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Daily (Remix)" (Ryan Ofei, Limoblaze, & Nonso Amadi feat. Becca Folkes) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NG | NG AfroR&B | SA | UK | UK Afrobeats | US | US Afrobeats | |||||
| "Pieces" (with. Tay Iwar) | 2023 | — | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | When It Blooms | ||