Apple Music: ‘Africa Now Radio’ with Nandi Madida this Friday features Qing Madi

This Week’s Episode Features a Conversation With Qing Madi and the 5 Hottest Tracks of the Week!

Tune in to Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida this Friday, January 24th at 9a London / 10a Lagos/Paris / 11a Johannesburg / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 and broadcast on YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm.

Qing Madi Tells Apple Music About Her Track, “Ali Bomaye”
As the title suggests, “Ali Bomaye” is because of the great Muhammad Ali. I was like, Tthis is such a crazy moment in history—what if I made it a love song?” I felt using that title and referencing love was going to be an important thing to do. I love the title. I love everything [about it]. I feel like the melodies are so enjoyable. I just wrote it about love, really. Because when you live in Lagos, the traffic is insane. A lot of people in Lagos are on the edge. Everybody’s got somewhere to be. You’ve got to wake up early to get where you’re headed. So I wanted to write a song about someone that makes you forget about all the stress of living in Lagos, in such a busy city. Being in love in a place that’s so on-the-go.

Qing Madi Tells Apple Music About Her COLORS Performance
It’s amazing. I’m super grateful to be in this position, where I’m being recognised by COLORS STUDIOS. I shot it in Berlin and the whole process was surreal. I was definitely just living in the moment and enjoying it. I’m super grateful that everyone loves it; I’m getting so many positive remarks. If people love the song that much, the album is definitely going to blow a lot of heads off.

Qing Madi Tells Apple Music About the Meaning of Her Album Title, ‘I am the Blueprint’
Every time I listen to the album I feel very vulnerable. It’s like a letter from me to my fans. A letter from me to the world. I’ve not been in the industry; I’m very new and this is my debut album. I wanted it to leave a mark and I wanted it to show that, “This is who I am—I’m the blueprint”. Every time I listen to my album, I feel like this is how music should sound. Music is supposed to make you feel a type of way. That’s how I feel when I listen, so that’s why I titled it ‘Blueprint’. My favourite colour has always been blue. I’m always adding blue into everything I do; it just reminds me that I’ve got a part of my childhood in my journey. It was very vital for me to have the word blue, or even blue in any way, in my first project. It was just the perfect name.

Qing Madi Tells Apple Music How She Navigates Fame and Being a Role Model
Obviously I’ve always been very human. I’ve never really thought about it on a representation level. I do know, subconsciously, I am representing. If I do something out of my own country, if I go to another country to do stuff, Nigerians are very supportive people; they’re always like, “That’s my girl”. I always get support from home. But I subconsciously try to be myself, and my people love it regardless. I’m very blessed and very privileged to be where I am, and have people look at me, and count me amongst a lot of amazing women. I love this and I love my craft, but it’s more about Madi and what I can be as a person, rather than where I am.

Qing Madi Tells Apple Music How She Hopes To Connect With Fans
I want them to feel the same way I felt whilst I was creating it. I want them to feel heard. I want them to feel understood. There are some songs you can dance to. When I put out my first song I heard things like, “This song saved me,” or, “This song made me feel like I wasn’t losing my mind.” I love stuff like that. It means I’m really fulfilling my purpose as an artist. I just want them to feel like I’m listening, and I’m hearing them. I’m trying to be a voice—so I want them to feel heard.