Nigerian musician and vocal powerhouse, JEMIRIYE, has been honoured as the 2022 Pittsburgh Artist of the year.
The award was organised by Style Week Pittsburgh (SWP) in Pennsylvania (US) recently, an award recognition launched in 2013 by Wadria Taylor to support and promote fashion designers, makers, and artists.
Jemiriye who is based in Pittsburgh is a fashion icon herself and received the award recognition in absentia. In her words, the musician who released a single ‘Tambele’ in August while touring the cities of France, said, “As the saying goes, ‘a prophet has no honour in his hometown’. This award means so much to me. To be celebrated at home here in Pittsburgh is a big deal for this Black girl that just followed her dream passionately against all odds. A big thank you to the organisers of Style Week Pittsburgh and my entire Pittsburgh family for creating an enabling environment and loving me just the way I am. I dedicate this award to all my wonderful fans for your constant show of support and love.”
Jemiriye who is set to release the visuals of ‘Tambele’ single said, she has cheering news on this and urges her fans to keep being happy as ‘Wahala no dey finish’ as the song lyrics goes.
Jemiriye Adeniji (her real name) who was a
Nigeria Idol 2012 finalist is a charismatic, elegant, stylish woman armed with a powerful voice.
Jemiriye is in every sense a force to reckon with having released singles ‘My Body,’ ‘Lagos’ and ‘Saami Iye’ to name a few.
The vocal powerhouse is one with a vast musical influence, using her songs to campaign for the liberation of the African woman, campaign for child education, discourage child marriage and rally support for peace in Africa.
In a stellar performance in 2006, Jemiriye led the theme song at the Pan African Women Conference in South Africa and in attendance was Ms. Winnie Mandela and other notable African women leaders.
Jemiriye’s music is deeply rooted in the Yoruba folk/traditional rhythms and Afrobeat.
Born in Osun state, Nigeria, as a child, Jemiriye lived with her grandma in the village in Ibadan, Oyo state, where she was exposed to the beauty of African culture.