Born Chukwuka Ekweani in Kaduna, CKay is the tender auteur who turned vulnerability into global currency. He started behind the boards with producing, writing & crafting moods, but had always carried the reputation of having a voice of his own. Over time that voice which is a blend of Afrobeats, emo-pop, highlife warmth and moody electronic hues became a a lane of its own as it leads to what fans now call Emo-Afrobeats.
His journey turned global with Love Nwantiti, first released in 2019 on his EP CKay the First, a sleeper hit that refused to sleep. It went vìral among TikTok dancers and scaled the charts in six continents, topped Shazam’s global chart, and turned into a viral anthem that redefined what an Afrobeats love song could do.
Today, Love Nwantiti stands as one of the most certified African songs ever having being certified 8× Platinum in the U.S. by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making CKay the first Nigerian artist to hit that level of sales in the States. In 2022 he dropped his debut full-length album Sad Romance, an emotional body of work that threaded heartbreak, longing and hope through smooth melodies and beats.
What sets CKay apart isn’t just the numbers or the awards. It’s that he’s built an intimate, melodic and real world people keep coming back to with songs like Emiliana, Mmadu, Felony & Way proving that he doesn’t need to yell to be heard worldwide, he whispers, and the world listens.