Yard sales in philadelphia No amapiano from me, says Nigeria’s Simi

Nigeria’s queen of sweet vocals and catchy melodies is back with a new song All I Want and, as she says, it is “sticky”.

“It’s the kind of song that plays in your head and doesn’t stop even when you want it to.

All I Want is the first single from a new album promised later this year, encompassing R&B, highlife and hip hop. All woven in with her unique character, she says, of course.

But one sound which will not make an appearance is South Africa’s ubiquitous amapiano.

“I like to listen to amapiano – I think it’s groovy and everything – but I’ve tried it and it’s not a sound I personally have enjoyed making. So there’s no amapiano track on the album… unless something changes!’

Simi may well feel she has all she wants.

She is married to equally talented Nigerian musician Adekunle Gold and they have a four-year-old daughter who – contrary to what many people think – is not called Duduke, the title of the hit song Simi wrote when she was pregnant.

The couple relocated to the US to try something different and build a US fanbase, but Simi travels to Nigeria often despite her dislike of flying.

She has had successful collaborations in recent years with Ladipoe (Know You), and Candy Bleakz (Wale), not to mention Look What You Made Me Do, the latest song with her husband which dropped last year.

“I love making music with him,” Simi says.

“He’s so talented, it was so exciting – especially working on the bridge because it’s such a classic duet.”

Hear the full interview with Simi on BBC World Service radio and partner stations across Africa, and online here.