Waje The Princess Of Soul
There are few artists with Waje’s vocal range!
Real name:Aituaje Aina Vivian Ebele Stage name:Waje Date of birth:September 1, 1980 State of Origin:Edo Nationality:Nigerian Genre:Soul,Pop,R & B,Blues
Only a handful of singers can boast of the singing talent that Nigerian artistWaje has. As a vocalist, her range covers three octaves and she gained recognition after the now-defunct group of brothersP-Square featured her on their 2008 hit trackDo Me.
Waje was born in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria, and she is the first daughter in her family. Following her parents’ relocation, she grew up in Benin City. She had to deal with the aftermath of her parents’ subsequent separation when she was young.
She attended the Word of Faith Group of Schools, where she ended up joining the choir. She delighted the late ArchbishopBenson Idahosa with the gospel tunes she sang then.
Idahosa was so impressed with Waje that he made the decision to help her throughout her entire secondary days.
Waje moved to Nsukka where she had her higher education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, earning a degree in Social Work.
While she was in university, she performed at school concerts and fellowships. She says she grew up listening to the likes ofWhitney HoustonandAretha Franklin.
Waje was discovered singing in church. She worked part-time in tourism during her stay in the higher institution.
She officially launched her career in 2007 and was still a student at the time, paying her dues by doing lots of free shows and gigs.
In 2008, she was featured in P-Square’s hit songDo Me.It was widely known across the continent and some parts of Europe. This brought her the needed attention and she participated inAdvanced Warning (a reality TV show in which artists that are on the verge of breakthroughs are the main focus).
Advanced Warningwas organized byMTV Base South Africa andZain Nigeria, where Waje was the runner up.
After her stint withAdvanced Warning,360nobs.com did a spotlight on her in 2010 with the caption, “Words Aren’t Enough … I’m Speechless.”
She performed withWyclef Jean in South Africa and also opening forKeri Hilson during a show in Calabar.M.I.worked with her on his trackOne Naira.
Waje also collaborated withDenciaonTrue Love, releasing her debut album in 2013.
Not limiting herself to the music industry, she expanded her horizon to Nollywood with a role inTunnel (2004) oppositeFemi Jacobs,Patrick Doyle,Nse Ikpe-Etim, andLepacious Bose.
In August 2015, Waje released the singleLeft for Good featuringPatoranking andGodwin Strings. She was announced as one of the judges onThe Voice Nigeria alongside2Baba,Timi Dakolo, and Patoranking.
The songstress released her second solo album in 2018 titledRed Velvet.
She and fellow singer (who also happens to be her close friend)Omawumi launchedHermanes Media in January 2019. It is a media company that specializes in film and TV production, adverts, content curation, brand event activation, and creative digital marketing.
In March 2019, Waje caused quite a stir when she revealed that she intended to quit music professionally because of a lack of support.
With accolades which include nominations and awards, Waje is one of Nigeria’s most respected artists and the industry will be left with a void if she quits music.