For Oshe Naija, our celebration of the sounds of Nigeria, we asked some of the country’s most pioneering acts to reflect on how their home cities and states helped shape their own music— and the Nigerian soundscape. “I was born and raised in Benin City, Edo State, but my Dad is from Delta State. Benin City is rich in culture, arts, food and local traditional music,” singer-songwriter Qing Madi tells Apple Music. “My sound is Afro-R&B, and I am highly influenced by my traditional roots. In Benin City we love things that shape the Western world, and we love to blend the Western world with our local arts. I got exposed to the music of Brandy, Kendrick Lamar, Burnaboy, Wizkid and Yemi Alade at seven years old. This helped shape my music and my writing style. You can imagine blending the best of both worlds, and how it has crafted and shaped my sound. This is the essence of who I am today.” Here, Qing Madi also highlights tracks from some of her favourite contemporary stars, like taves and Bnxn, and her frequent collaborators like Chike and Joeboy. “My playlist consist of artists who I grew up listening to, [contemporary] music I am feeling, and my own music from my debut EP, Qing Madi,” she explains. Hear something you like? Add it to your library.