ARTISTE PROFILE

2FACE IDIBIA has been singing all his life. Well, almost. but since the singer came across music in his early days on earth, there's been no looking back.

Perhaps greatly influenced by the music genes his mother failed to put to use, Innocent idibia lived all his early life in the tin city of Jos (Plateau State of Nigeria) itching for music and trying to convince his parents to allow him pursue his dream. Born in tin mining city of Jos, Plateau State, in the late seventies to Micael and Rose Idibia, both indegenes of Benue state (a region noted for its passion for farming from where 2face and his ex partner Blackface would later derive thier group name, Plantashun Boiz), 2face and his immediate family could never ahave imagined the enormous fame and fortune music would bring his way few decades later.

Today, barely nine years after he stopped his tertiary education (at the Institute of Management Studies & Technology, Enugu) midway to come to Lagos, Nigeria's commercial port city, to face music, Idibia stands not only as the nation's most iconic act, but her most successful debutant ever and the most revverred and most inspiring contemporary singer across africa especially since his plethora of year 2005 awards which include Channel O African music Video awards, Awards for Musical Excellence In Nigeria, Ghana Music Awards, a MOBO nomination (alongside Baba Maal, Femi Kuti, Youssou Ndoir and Yvonne Chaka Chaka), and the MTV EMA where he was crowned Africa's Best Act in the newly created category.

From a young greenhorn, who arrived Lagos in 1997, barely able to make ends meet and unable to afford studio sessions to complete a debut album (with his ex-group, Plantashun Boiz), Idibia has grown to become one of Nigeria's most successful artistes, selling over 5 million copies of his debut album,  Face 2 face (released on Kennis Music), performing endlessly ascross the lenght and breath of the vast country and across africa (Uganda, Tanzania, Togo, Ghana, South Africa, Senegal, Niger,  Burkina Faso, Ivory coast...) and serving as brand ambassador For Guinness Extra Smooth.

Since the release of his debut solo album on May 15, 2004, 2face Idibia has rekindled fading hopes in the Nigerian music industry, and refreshed the fading patronage of ladies for local Nigerian music. thanks to his monster hit, African Queen which eulogises the strenght and beauty of the african woman. "It's a general song and not directed at any particular person - I can sing it to my mum, sing it to my sister, sing it to anybody. The song is just my own way of paying my tribute and respect to the African woman. But it can also be related to anybody in the world, it's just about respect for the woman. I am from Africa that's why I chose to call it 'African Queen'" he says of the song which was only recently, chosen for the lead soundtrack of PHAT GIRLZ, a new movie from Fox, which premieres this April.

The ecclectic vocalist has recorded an impressive catalogue of international collaborations. In 2004, he recorded 'proud to be african' at a Lagos studio with Wyclef Jean. In 2005, he recorded a remake of his hit, Nfana Ibaga ( No Problem) with Ghanian hiplife star Reggie Rockstone and Dancehall star BeenieMan. Same year, he recorded a jazz version of African Queen  with South-Africa based Nigerian artiste Kunle. There continues to be endless collaboration requests from all over the world by artistes who are fascinated by 2face's vocal versatility, effortless delivery and pseudo-reggae pop style. The reason is obvious, according to 2face: "I don't limit myself to one style in terms of what I listen to and the music I make. I like to be versatile. Growing up, I listened to Jamaican acts like Bob Marley and U-Roy, also Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, plus a lot of Nigerian stuff, especially highlife like Victor Uwaifo. The major influence on my music is reggae. "