Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)
by CKay (featuring Joeboy)

Album: single release only (2019)
Charted: 3 26
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Eugene Chukwuka Ekweani is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer who records under the name CKay. His music is a mixture of Afrobeats, R&B, and dancehall, which he labels "Afro-Futuristic." CKay released "Love Nwantiti" as a single on August 29, 2019.
  • "Love Nwantinti" is a love song with lyrics that are a mix of English and Igbo, a language spoken in Nigeria. The song title means "small love," a puzzling translation for English speakers as CKay's love for his girl is clearly not "small."
  • Many Nigerians know the phrase "Love Nwantinti" for being the title of their native singer Nelly Uchendu's 1976 hit tune. An Igbo folk song in praise of a local beauty, Uchendu rose to prominence upon its release. "Love Nwantinti" earned her the sobriquet, "Lady with the Golden Voice."
  • On February 14, 2020, CKay dropped the song's official remix as a Valentine's gift to his fans. It features two new verses by Nigerian singer-songwriter JoeBoy and Ghanaian afrobeat artist Kuami Eugene. The new version became a huge success in Nigeria, then in other African countries, eventually becoming a worldwide hit.
  • CKay recorded a series of collaborations with local artists for localized variations. The French version features French rapper Franglish; the Spanish, Puerto Rican reggaeton artist De La Ghetto; and the North African, Moroccan rapper ElGrandeToto.
  • "Love Nwantiti" originated as a freestyle laid down by CKay. The Nigerian singer told Rolling Stone he didn't write down a single word. "I was in my living room, making beats like I usually do, and I played the chords, built on them, and did my freestyle," CKay explained. "I recorded around midnight and I was really sleepy, so I decided I was gonna put words to the 'ah ah ah' part in the morning. Long story short, woke up in the morning and realized it was fire exactly how it was."
  • The song proved popular on TikTok, with users using its fluid sound for a variety of videos, including some that replicate TikToker Tracy Joseph's dynamic choreography on her viral clip.
  • The song topped the singles charts in several countries, including France, India, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Switzerland.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."