I am the Blueprint

Prior to her debut album, Nigerian singer, dancer and songwriter Qing Madi released an accomplished self-titled EP in 2023 that was buoyed by two runaway hits: “American Love” and “Ole”, her collaboration with fellow Nigerian Afropop star, Bnxn. On 2024’s I Am the Blueprint, Madi continues her knack for eschewing dance beats laden with amapiano log drums in favour of slow-to-midtempo production—layered with her soulful soprano and typically focused on romantic deliberations. Born Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma in Benin City, Nigeria, Madi grew up on a diet of American R&B and the dextrous, conscious rap era led by Kendrick Lamar. While Madi’s musical influences now include Haitian konpa music, French pop and Afropop, R&B defined her formative years. “Where we used to live in Benin City, there was a bar that used to play real, real old-school music and contemporary R&B,” she tells Apple Music. “So I would have to fall asleep hearing them. I didn’t know who these people were, but I [heard them] because the bar would run late at night and before school. So it sunk in my head, and that was my early education in music.” Across 13 tracks, Madi’s lyrics routinely revisit the highs and travails of romantic relationships, finding new relevance in the age-old saga of being in and out of love: “I just love how wide and open love is, how different, dimensionally, it could get,” says Madi, who backs her songwriting with a sense of wonder and purpose. “I feel like creating songs like these is very vital, because you’re validating a lot of people’s feelings. And it can low-key be advice, because someone somewhere can be in a one-sided relationship where they’re just uncertain about a lot of things.” Below, Madi talks through key tracks from the album. “Bucket List” “‘Bucket List’ is an anthem of aspiration, an intimate glimpse into my deepest dreams and desires. This song embodies my relentless pursuit of success while also painting a vivid picture of the milestones I am determined to achieve. Getting a Grammy is such a huge award. It’s an honourable thing as a person, but I truly believe true art is based on what you create and how pure and how easy it is for the consumers, the fans. On a personal note, I never qualify an artist’s hard work by awards. I think it’s great that we get rewarded for our efforts and socially accepted for our effort. But I really compare artists based on how true their art is, because not every time, not every award really depicts who an artist is. I’m not saying awards aren’t important. I feel like they encourage an artist to do better. They also make the world know this person is who they are. [But] I believe it can also promote competition, which I’m very against as an artist because I love when people come together and appreciate art.” “Ali Bomaye” “I’m Igbo, from Southeast Nigeria, and ‘ogologomma’ is an Igbo word which means ‘many blessings’. I hear it a lot in Igbo songs, and I’ve been putting a lot of Igbo slang in my songs. I just wanted to have something that reminds me of home when I sing these songs. And because I don’t do a lot of indigenous songs, I like having something that kind of just carries where I’m from as a person.” “Akanchawa” “On ‘Akanchawa’, I tried to tell a vibrant love story about attraction, desire and the willingness to give up everything for the attention of someone that I find so captivating. The word ‘akanchawa’ in one sense translates to ‘hands that bring forth blessings’, and reflects the magnetic appeal of the man at the centre of the song. It is about infatuation and irresistible attraction, as well as the excitement that comes from being seen and wanting to be seen.” “Damn It All” “‘Damn It All’ is a bold and unapologetic anthem that calls for women to reclaim their power and prioritise their wellbeing in relationships. It’s a firm acknowledgment of the vulnerability that comes with giving chances to the wrong people. It’s also a rallying cry for self-respect and boundaries. The track is essentially about walking away from what doesn’t serve you and finding strength in independence. It’s a motivational nudge for women to prioritise their emotional health, sending a clear message: they deserve more than just survival—they deserve love, respect and peace.” “It’s a Game” “When I’m creating Afrobeats, 80 per cent of the time, I’m thinking about the consumers. I’m always thinking about my fans and what they enjoy. When I make R&B, I’m thinking about myself. I’m always very self-centred and I’m trying to pour my heart out and be honest, because I love to create R&B music so much. It’s literally my favourite genre to make. I also love making Afrobeats, but I’m just more comfortable with R&B. ‘It’s a Game’ is one song where I didn’t compromise. I wasn’t trying to make songs that made me think, ‘Oh, will they like it or not?’ This is 100 per cent me. This is the type of music that I love to create as an artist. I was really in my element.” “Pressure” “With ‘Pressure’, I was at a point in my faith where I was very low. I don’t really know why, because normally I’m very, very God-oriented. I love gospel so much. So for me it was a weird period of my life when I saw myself stepping back from my faith, and being less confident about it. Making ‘Pressure’ was my escapism, my way of speaking about how I felt about everything. I was like, ‘I don’t want to go back to sinning. I don’t want to go back to making myself feel like it’s OK to sin or do certain things. The battle is not mine, just take it away.’ So it [was] just so many things in my head.” “Goosebumps” “‘Goosebumps’ is about that stage of love where everything is all butterflies. It’s about having someone that’s your weak point. Even when the relationship is work and causes you stress, once you see that person, you really aren’t motivated to do what you usually do. You’re very distracted. So for me, ‘Goosebumps’ is not just about the reaction of one’s body towards that person or having a literal hair strand standing up. It’s more about the fact that you have no idea what type of power you have in you when it comes to me.” “Right Here” “‘Right Here’ is about me writing the songs that you need. You’re going to hear a couple of things that you want to hear. You’re going to be in certain gatherings and hear certain songs, but the songs you need to hear…I’m the one that’s writing them. Money doesn’t bring peace, but I pray that you get it. I’m just talking to you as a person, as an individual, as a consumer, but I’m like: ‘I have the songs that you need. I’m writing it!’ So it’s just self-affirming, but it’s also about me as an artist, my story and my advice to the listeners.”