Bayanni (born June 25, 1997) is a Nigerian singer and songwriter who rose to the limelight in 2022 when he was announced as the newest member of Mavin Records, the Don Jazzy-owned music label that brought to light talents like Rema, Ayra Starr, and Johnny Drille among others.
Before he gained fame, Bayanni previously went by the name Zhenoboy and had mostly only covered popular Afrobeat songs like Ckay’s “Felony”, Davido’s “Jowo”, and “Peru” by Fireboy DML. He has since released other songs, including a four-track self-titled project called Bayanni The EP.
Bayanni’s Profile Summary
- Full Name: Abimbola Oladokun
- Nickname(s): Bayanni, Zhenoboy
- Date of Birth: June 25, 1997
- State of Origin: Osun State
- Tribe: Yoruba
- Nationality: Nigerian
- Religion: Christianity
- Occupation: Singer, Songwriter
- Record Label: Mavin Record
- Height: 5 feet 8 inches
- Weight: 70 kg
- Instagram: itsbayanni
Bayanni is Yoruba Boy Born in 1997
Bayanni was born in the southwestern region of Nigeria, an area typically dominated by the Yoruba ethnic group. He was born on June 25, 1997, into a humble Christian family. While much about his parents and siblings is not known, it is public knowledge that he maintains a close relationship with them.
In the skit video produced in honor of the advancement of his career, a motherly figure was shown showering blessings on him as he embarked on a new journey. This person was believed to be his mother. Another fact is that in his profile description, he has the statement, “mama, I’ll make you proud,” written boldly.
Before focusing on circular music, Bayanni was accustomed to listening to music on TV or a mobile device, thus, he was propelled to join the church choir, where he continued to develop his singing ability.
He Attended Obafemi Awolowo University
Bayanni attended renowned private schools for both his primary and secondary education before going further to attend Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile Ife to study Accounting. It was here he started his early music-freestyling career. It is not certain if he has completed his education even though he once stated, “I am done with school” in one of the Q&A sessions he created on Twitter for his fans.
However, while he was in school, Bayanni believed greatly in his passion and was able to make some connections on the school campus, thereby receiving performance opportunities and collaborations with some producers. He continued this until he started posting his videos on social media. Some of his works that went viral were his cover of songs like “Peru,” “Felony,” and “Jowo.”
How Did Bayanni Get Signed to Mavin Records?
From Bayanni’s recent tweet, it was revealed that before he became a celebrated member of Mavin Records, he was only opportune to post and share his freestyles on social media in hopes that he would someday reap the fruit of his labor. With consistent effort, the sun finally smiled on him in 2019 when he received a direct message from the legendary Don Jazzy, the man described as the godfather of the Nigerian music industry.
Bayanni knew fully well that Don Jazzy is in the habit of raising and developing young talent, so he accepted the offer. As luck would have it on his side, he got enlisted into the Mavin Academy and went through the molding process until Aug 23, 2022, when he became introduced to the global music industry as a protege. His success was also accompanied by a skit from popular Nigerian comedians Oga Sabinus and Brain Jotter alongside Don Jazzy.
Bayanni now works with a record label that has a good number of top Nigerian artists like Johnny Drill, Ayra Starr, Crayon, Ladipoe, Rema, and so on. Prior to being unveiled by Mavin Records, he was rumored to be a member of Davido’s music world group, but this was not the case as Davido only expressed his happiness on the announcement.
List of Bayanni’s Best Songs
Bayanni was able to capture the souls of music lovers in Nigeria with his sonorous voice as he covered songs by other artists. He has since released his own songs that have been well received by the general public. They include:
- African Beauty – produced by Blaise Beats and mixed by Michael Sinx
- BMW,
- Ballerina
- Duro.
- Tata
- Family
- Body
- Kala
In the hope that there is more to come from Bayanni, it is believed that he is on a ride to greater success as he says that he wishes to one day feature Davido and Wizkid someday.
Is Bayanni on Social Media?
Bayanni is on social media with more emphasis on Instagram and Twitter. His IG handle is @itsbayanni while his Twitter handle is @itsbayanni. He has over 27 thousand followers since he joined in August 2019. His music Ta Ta and Body was later incorporated into the TikTok reels for grooving and dance challenges.
