Nigerian singer Qing Madi joins Spotify’s EQUAL Africa programme

Launched in March 2021, the EQUAL Africa initiative targets rising female musicians in efforts to close the gap and foster gender equality by amplifying their work and exposing their catalogue to global listenership.

As EQUAL Africa ambassador for June, Qing Madi will benefit from a suite of playlists and marketing tools. She joins other Nigerian artists like Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, Asa and FAVE, all of whom have been named in the programme in the past.

“We are proud to welcome Qing Madi to the EQUAL programme, and we’re so excited to see how her talent continues to take her from strength to strength,” Spotify’s head of music for sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, said. “We hope by shining a light on talent like hers, we can inspire a new generation of creators.”

Qing Madi said: “As a female in a male-dominated industry, I have to work a million times harder to be seen and heard. Being part of the EQUAL programme is an opportunity as a female to be visible globally and to grow my fanbase.”

Born Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma, Qing Madi’s music is a fusion of Afrobeats, pop, soul and R&B. She is behind singles like ‘See Finish’ and ‘Why’.

“Music for me wasn’t just a talent or an ability that I had,” she added. “It is my comfortable and confident space as a teenager. I knew it was my destiny from the first time I climbed on stage and held the microphone.”