With powerful vocals, masterful highlife production and deep connection to his roots, Flavour N’abania’s sophomore album, Uplifted, released 15 years ago, has solidified his reputation as a gifted artist.
Uplifted smashed through borders and cultural divides, all thanks to Flavour’s deep commitment to celebrating his Nigerian roots, especially his Igbo heritage. This powerful connection to his culture has made him a major force, not just in Nigeria, particularly in the East, but also among the Igbo community in the Diaspora.
The sheer success of Flavour’s cultural expression is highlighted by Spotify data from Uplifted and his other tracks. The album itself has stayed a big deal on streaming platforms, with its standout tracks racking up some serious numbers.
Among the most-streamed hits from the Uplifted album are Ashawo Remix, Adamma, and Oyi (I dey Catch Cold). These tracks, along with other timeless fan favourites like Time To Party, Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix), and Game Changer (Dike) have all contributed significantly to Flavour’s overall streaming success, proving their lasting appeal.
Reflecting on the album’s 15th anniversary, the talented artist revealed: “Adamma truly captured the essence of Flavour from the Uplifted album era.”
Universal pull
Flavour’s music really does have a universal pull. His songs have popped up in over two million user-made playlists, which shows just how much people are connecting with and sharing his tunes. And in the last three years, from 2022 to 2024, Flavour’s music has seen a growth in streams, a total stream increase of 134% globally, and a 573% increase across Sub-Saharan Africa.
While 51% of his total audience is in Nigeria, Flavour’s influence stretches far and wide, with the USA, UK, Canada, South Africa and France all among his top listening countries. That’s a truly global footprint, reaching across Africa, Europe and America.
Leading Flavour’s listenership in Nigeria is a strong showing from Lagos, accounting for 38% of his Nigerian audience. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Rivers State also follow closely, making up 22% and 16% respectively, together claiming 76% of his Nigerian audience.
Flavour also enjoys love in the Southeast as two cities: Enugu and Onitsha break into his global top 10. Big international cities like Greater London, Johannesburg and New York City feature prominently too. This wide geographical spread shows how his music crosses all sorts of borders.
Flavour’s fanbase
Flavour’s audience is diverse, with Gen Zs (18-24 year olds) representing his biggest fans globally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. This strong youth appeal is vital for his long-term success. While his music celebrates women, men form the majority of his listeners globally (57%) and in Sub-Saharan Africa (63%).
The lasting success of Uplifted highlights how digital streaming has completely changed the music industry. Platforms like Spotify have given artists like Flavour ways to connect with fans everywhere. These days, streaming data presents a clear, number-based look at an artist’s reach, showing that Flavour’s cultural stories, delivered in fluent Igbo, truly resonate far beyond Nigeria’s borders. As Uplifted hits 15 years, it showcases the power of culture on a global scale.