Highlife Legend Bright Chimezie Signs Global Deal with Sony Music Publishing West Africa

Veteran Nigerian highlife musician Bright Chimezie has signed a music publishing agreement with Sony Music Publishing (SMP) West Africa, a move that highlights the growing international interest in classic African sounds. The announcement was made via SMP’s official Instagram page and marks a major milestone in the artist’s four-decade-long career.

The signing comes just weeks after Chimezie met with Afrobeats star Davido in Lagos on May 19. Davido had previously credited Chimezie’s 2018 album *Because of English* as an inspiration for his track *With You* featuring Omah Lay. Their meeting reignited interest in Chimezie’s work, especially after the 64-year-old artist posted a viral video of his iconic dance moves in response to Davido’s public appreciation. Fans and content creators soon began replicating the moves, drawing fresh attention to Chimezie’s distinctive style.

Sony Music Publishing, whose African roster includes top artists like Wizkid, Tems, Sarkodie, Lojay, and Ladipoe, described Chimezie as a “legendary and extraordinary” figure in African music. The company praised his “vibrant style, infectious rhythms, and creation of the Zigima Sound,” adding that the partnership aims to introduce his music to new generations worldwide while safeguarding his artistic legacy.

Known for addressing themes such as colonialism, cultural identity, and social injustice, Chimezie’s music blends traditional Igbo highlife with spoken-word storytelling and satire. In *Because of English*, one of his most impactful songs, he reflects on being punished as a child for speaking vernacular in school, using the experience to critique lingering colonial attitudes and language bias in Nigeria.

With this deal, Chimezie joins the ranks of African music legends whose work is being rediscovered and celebrated globally. The SMP partnership signals a new era for the “Duke of African Music,” reaffirming his influence on both the past and future of the continent’s sound.