American RnB star Donell Jones to perform in Lagos

The ‘This Luv’ singer will be joined by his compatriots, the group Next and the singer Mya. Nigerian acts Styl Plus and 9ice will also perform at The Classic Concert, an event presented by Classic FM radio in Lagos.

One of the most celebrated R&B artists of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Jones released his first album My Heart in 1996. It reached No 30 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, its success propelled by the single ‘Knocks Me Off My Feet’, a cover of the Stevie Wonder 1976 classic.

Jones’ second album is also his most popular album. That album, Where I Wanna Be, was released three years after his first and is frequently mentioned as one of the best R&B albums of that era. Two of its singles, its title track and ‘U Know What’s Up’, topped the Billboard charts. Where I Wanna Be went platinum.

A third album, Life Goes On, was released in 2002. Three studio albums have followed since, including 2013’s Forever. In his heyday, Jones had a large number of young fans in Nigeria and across the continent. His popularity among that demographic has remained: his performance at the 2018 Soul Train Awards trended on social media.

His forthcoming appearance will not be the first time Jones has performed in Lagos. He was a headliner at the Black Tie Concert, which took place in December 2015. At the time, Nigerian pop act Seyi Shay expressed her excitement online. “Can’t wait to watch Donell Jones,” she tweeted before the event.

Branded as a radio station that plays music from the past, Classic FM is also bringing R&B act Mya, who found fame on the continent with singles released around the same period as Jones’ commercial peak. Her popular singles include two songs from 2000: ‘Case of the Ex’ and ‘Best of Me’.

While Donell Jones is not a regular social media user, Mya shared news of her arrival in Nigeria with her followers. “Hey Lagos, Nigeria,” she posted on Instagram and Twitter. “Can’t wait to see you next weekend Saturday 4 May for a night of R&B‼ Performing live at @federalpalace for the 97.3 Annual #ClassicConcert…”

The group Styl Plus is one of the most respected R&B acts in Nigeria. Its single ‘Olufunmi’ was a nationwide hit in the mid-2000s. 9ice, a Yoruba act, scored a hit with the song ‘Gongo Aso’ in 2008.

By bringing all of these acts together, Classic FM is giving Lagos music lovers a glimpse of the music space in Nigeria as the 1990s closed and the first decade of the ongoing millennium opened.

For tickets to the Classic Concert, see here.