Yemi Alade names the song that inspired her to sing in languages

• Yemi Alade explained that the international recognition her hit song ‘Johnny’ gained, including in Paris, made her start singing in different languages.
• The singer made the revelation in an interview with CNN ahead of the 2025 Grammy Awards.
• She stated that her desire to “communicate” to her diverse audience was also a factor in her decision to start singing in different languages.

Nigerian singer Yemi Alade has shared the inspiration behind her decision to start singing in multiple languages.

According to Yemi Alade, her hit song “Johnny” was the reason for this change.

In a recent interview with CNN, Yemi Alade revealed that the song’s international recognition, particularly in Paris, sparked her interest in singing in different languages.

She also cited her desire to communicate with her diverse audience as a key factor in this decision.

Alade explained: “Paris is one of the cities that opened its borders to my music, and I fell in love with French even more,” she said.

“I wanted to communicate, so I decided to make versions of my songs in other languages. That’s how the love story with languages started”.

Regarding her nomination, Alade said, “I almost thought this moment might never come. I felt seen, and it reassured me that anybody out there could become anything. You just have to believe and not stop even if the world wants you to.”

She used the opportunity to motivate others, emphasizing the importance of believing in oneself and persevering no matter what.

Yemi Alade was nominated in the ‘Best African Music Performance’ category for her song ‘Tomorrow,’ marking her first Grammy nomination.

At the 67th Academy Grammy Awards ceremony, 94 awards will be presented, recognising music released between September 16, 2023, and August 30, 2024.

In another news, Yemi Alade opens up on how she lost her voice right before recording for Beyonce.

In an interview with Larry Madowo on CNN African Voices, Yemi Alade said all she heard in her head was effort but she could not voice out words. She had to communicate with paper and pen.