He might get a bad rap for not being sure what his real age was or be accused of being a little cocky, but there’s no denying that Kiss Daniel does know how to make good music.
And he was the biggest winner of the night at the 2016 Headies, carting away three plaques in the Best R&B/Pop album, Hip Hop World Revelation and Album of the Year categories.
The G-Worldwide signee was initially absent when the first category was announced and his label mate Sugarboy had to pick it up on his behalf.
It seemed as though it would be same thing when his Hip Hop World Revelation award was called but he walked in on stage at the last minute. He would go on to win a third, a feat that was unrepeated on the night.
In the short while that Kiss Daniel has been an artiste, his career has enjoyed unprecedented growth.
His official debut was in 2014 and the follow up track, ‘Woju’ catapulted him into the mainstream spotlight.
He released his album, New Era in 2016 and with songs like ‘Mama’, ‘Jombo’ and ‘Sin City’ featured on the 20-track album, it was enough to allow him go on a world tour and, as the Headies triumph will prove, place him heads and shoulders above his peers this year.
Only a year ago at the 2015 edition of The Headies, Kiss Daniel was nominated in the Next Rated category and lost out to Reekado Banks. What a difference those 12 months make: this year he’s the winner with the most awards.
His big win on the biggest awards stage is more impressive when one considers the acts he had to fight off for each of the Headies plaques he went home with: Wande Coal, Darey Art Alade, Brymo, Seyi Shay, Lil Kesh, Runtown and Falz.
None of the acts threw up a tantrum like Olamide did last year when his act Lil Kesh didn’t win – perhaps proof of Kiss Daniels’ ascendancy to the pinnacle of pop success.
Long may it continue.
Credit: Jide Taiwo
