By Dayo Showemimo
While canvassing for votes for Niyola who is nominated in the ‘Most Gifted R&B’ category of the forthcoming Channel Omusic video awards, Banky said: ‘I was walking to the bathroom of an event center 1 day, and a voice from the female bathroom stopped me dead in my tracks. It was the most beautiful female voice I’d heard in person. I waited outside until the girl came out, and I introduced myself to Niyola. We became friends, and over the years I always felt like she would be an amazing artist if she just had a different musical environment around her. A different support system to help her be better. And now that she’s with EME, that’s slowly but surely coming true. Youtube & see for yourself that “Toh Bad” was The best r&b video of the past year… please help me help her win this. Take 2 mins of your time,’ he said.
Niyola’s sojourn into music began in 2000 when she emerged the runner-up at the Amen Starlet Competition.
In 2005, Niyola began her professional music career and was briefly affiliated with eLDee’s Trybes Records and following that, she put pen to paper on a production deal with Freestyle’s Make Sum Noise Entertainment. Niyola’s first three singles: Me n U (In da club), ‘No more’ and ‘Dem say’ were released under the imprint.
Her first single under Empire Mates Entertainment is the well received ‘Toh Bad’.
And convinced of her talent beyond doubts, Banky W, who is currently studying film making at the New York Film Academy in New York, is all out to make Niyola grab the award.
