He has been thrilling Nigerian audiences with his soulful, engaging, deep-toned voice, with which he renders Afrobeats and Afro-pop style songs. Fast-rising Afro-pop act, Bayanni (formerly called Zhenoboy) is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He is steadily gaining an increasing social media fan base for his very popular and appealing songs. He is credited with popular songs such as ‘BMW’, ‘Duro’, ‘Ballerina’, and ‘African Beauty’.
Bayanni loves music and cannot hide it. So much that he continues honing his musical skills anywhere possible – at school, or even amongst friends and family. That being said, let’s explore the musical journey of Bayanni. And how the talented singer has joined scores of other Nigerian music artists to shape and popularize contemporary music.
About Bayanni: His Background
He was born Abímbólá Oládòkun into a Christian home in Lagos, in June 1997. Abímbólá is Yoruba man and an indigene of Lagos State, where he also grew up with his siblings and parents. We have no specific information about his family members.
However, his parents are said to be people of high moral values, who are also dedicated to charity. Again, Abímbólá fell in love with music at an early age, and became active in his local church choir. Thus, he was able to sharpen his singing and songwriting skills, beginning from that point. He also cultivated the habit of listening to songs by various Nigerian and African artists on radio, television, on his phone, and on cassettes. That experience further influenced his taste for music.
Abímbólá attended a top-notch private nursery and primary school in the Lagos Mainland. From there, he proceeded to another well-established secondary school (names undisclosed). He is currently undergoing studies in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, southwest Nigeria.
How Bayanni Stepped into Nigeria’s Music Industry
Bayanni chose to invest in mainstream music. Taking inspiration from top Nigerian Afrobeat music acts such as Burna Boy, Davido, Olamide and Wizkid, he began to compose Afrobeat and Afro-pop songs. He had the opportunity to do so, both at his room in the university hostel and in his parents’ home. His dedication was rewarded within a few months.
Bayanni had developed his songwriting skills so well, that he began to visit and work with music studios around his university campus. Thus, he started to record his songs. It did not take long for him to network with many sound producers within Lagos and Ile-Ife. Nor did he allow his studies to interfere with his musical work. In a short while, Bayanni became a well-known face in the music community of his university. He began to receive invitations to perform at shows on campus, and to do collaborations.
In 2021, Bayanni recorded and uploaded covers of popular Nigerian songs on his social media pages. It drew the attention of many music fans to his creativity and style of music. In April of that year, he uploaded the cover of ‘Felony’ sung by Ckay. And the following October, he uploaded the covers of ‘Jowo’ ( by Davido) and ‘Peru’ (by Fireboy DML).
Then in April 2022, Bayanni released his hit single, ‘African Beauty’, produced by Blaise Beatz. The mixing was handled by Michael Synx. While Pharouk Damilola Films shot and released the video for the song on his behalf. In fact, the video was released the same day it was shot. ‘African Beauty’ went viral on the internet, attracting thousands of online streams and downloads till date. The sing is also reported to be steadily climbing the music charts across the nation.
Following the debut of ‘African Beauty’, Bayanni released other popular singles such as ‘BMW’, ‘Ballerina’, and ‘Duro’ (featuring Frescool).
Bayanni Signs Up with Mavins Records
There was a brief spell during which Bayanni went off the scenes. Then in August 2023, Bayanni entered into a record deal with music mogul, Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records. He is one the latest musical raves to join signees on the Mavins Records label. The label sponsors other popular Nigerian artists such as Rema, Ayra Starr, Ruger, Ladipoe, Crayon, Magixx, and Boy Spyce.
Not long after sealing the Mavins deal, Bayanni released a 4-track EP titled ‘Bayanni EP’. The EP featured songs such as ‘Ta Ta Ta’, ‘Kala’, ‘Family’, and ‘Body’. He dropped his latest track, ‘Low Waist’, in 2023 under the Mavins Record label (produced by Babybeats).
Bayanni: Net Worth (2024)
Bayanni earns from performances at various concerts, events, and gatherings in Lagos and Osun states. This is in addition to online streams and downloads of his songs. He also has over 503,000 Instagram followers as we speak.
Combined with record sales, his estimated net worth is now over 50,000 US Dollars (as of 2024).
Personal Life of Bayanni
The young singer is still single. Beyond this, there is no information about his personal relationships.
Bayanni is still a university undergraduate as at the time of this writing. He is usually found either at school, or at his parents’ house. He often hangs around his friends when he is not studying or making music.
