Nigerian-Austrian singer, Rose May Alaba, has been on a consistent journey, and her long-awaited break into the Nigerian music scene seems to be finally unfolding.
With an array of notable collaborations that showcase her sound and artistic versatility, she travels on the path to stamp her presence in this dynamic market.
As one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing music scenes, the Nigerian music market is the ‘hot chick’ everyone is chasing after. For her dynamics, her audience and her fame, who else doesn't want a taste of it?
Who is Rose May Alaba?
30-year-old Rose May Alaba is a Nigerian-Austrian singer and songwriter. She is best known for her 2016 single Love Me Right. The song reportedly peaked at the number-one spot on iTunes chart for four weeks.
Alaba was born to a Filipino mother and a Nigerian father. She is the sister of Austrian international footballer David Alaba. Her father George was a recording artiste popular in the late 1990s as a part of the pop-dance duo Two in One.
Alaba began her musical journey at the age of six, when she was enrolled for piano lessons. She later learnt how to play the guitar herself.
Her music career has seen her enjoy prominence in Austria, topping charts and recording impressive milestones. However, in 2017, she began to connect to her Nigerian roots.
Exploring the prevalent pop and Afrobeats influences, she sang My Love (Sabi O). The Adrian Louis and Sovida Beatz-produced song enjoyed reception on Nigerian radiowaves.
Rose May’s strategic collaborations in Nigerian music industry
Following the path of her predecessors, Rotimi and Wale precisely, who also share Nigerian roots as international singers, Alaba has been making attempts to break into the local Nigerian music space.
Rotimi and Wale’s attempt to break into the Nigerian music market always seemed short-lived with no definite foothold for a sustained period. Rotimi has worked with Nigerian stars such as Mayorkun and Davido.
Wale has also scored hits with Wizkid, Davido, Reekado banks, and Olamide. However, Rose May is on the path to writing her own different story.
Following the success of her song My Love (Sabi O), Rose May’s first Afrobeats collaboration was with Mayorkun in 2018. The duo produced the song 50/50 and it topped the Nigerian iTunes Chart at the time.
As is expected of someone looking to make a foray into the Nigerian market, multiracial descent or not, the 30-year-old singer has used the collaboration strategy as a means to connect to her Nigerian roots and audience.
She has also worked with fast-rising singer and rapper Odumodublvck, riding on the influence of his unique, successful sound. The 2024 track Mr Heartbreaker saw their distinctive energies come to play.
Her latest collaboration is with Afrobeats sensation Young John on One More Night OMN—one that has sparked both controversy and debate on her consistency in the Nigerian music market.
OMN is off her recently released album Rozey!. It featured a collaboration with TAR1Q, a fast-rising singer in the Nigerian music industry. They worked on the track Dance.
Other strategies by Alaba to consider
With titles like Oshey (Loft Arts Frames), Go Down Low, Oshey and Ibadi (Waist), Rose May over the years has also adopted the strategy of infusing Nigerian phrases as titles. This makes her songs relatable to the Nigerian audience starting from the title.
Also, considering that Afrobeats is one of the hottest genres in world music today with numerous accolades and recognitions on the global stages as evidence, doubling down on her Nigerian roots gives her the surest way to true stardom.
Her famous footballer brother, David Alaba, didn’t need his Nigerian roots to make fame. His exploits with Bayern and Real Madrid, and striking Yoruba name, are enough to make him a household name.
It could be argued that the last name Alaba, and striking semblance with David have made Rose May easily recognisable. But she still has a long way to go when it comes to commercial success in Afrobeats.
She has explored romance-posturing, which sells well among the Nigerian audience. Her recent video with Young John on OMN captures them in compromising postures, sparking dating controversies on social media.
She also referred to Young John as her ‘first love’ while delivering storytelling visuals to match.
Can all these come together to make her go farther than Wale and Rotimi, among others? Only time and consistency can tell.
“Two Afrobeats queens,” Tiwa Savage, Tems spotted together in the US
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported when Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, was spotted together with her senior colleague Tiwa Savage in the US.
Tiwa Savage had attended Tems’ last show for her debut album ‘Born in the Wild’ and her support left fans gushing over them.
