Dizzy K Falola (born Kunle Falola) is a

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

-based

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

n singer, currently performing as a

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

artiste, but is perhaps best known as a former 1980s pop star, famed for the hit "Baby Kilode".

Early life and pop career

Falola, whose parents died when he was young, was raised in Nigeria, where he displayed an early talent for music, and studied at the

University of Ife Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is a federal university in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1961 and classes commenced in October 1962 as the University of Ife by the regional government of Western Nigeria, which w ...

. He met Tony Okoroji, who became his mentor, in the early 1980s and soon began working with him. His album ''Baby Kilode'', and its title track, became instant hits. Other albums included ''Sweet Music'' and ''Excuse Me Baby''. Along with

Chris Okotie Christopher Oghenebrorie Okotie (born 16 June 1958) is a Nigerian televangelist and the pastor of the Household of God Church International Ministries, a Pentecostal congregation in Lagos since February 1987. Personal life Okotie was born to Fr ...

Felix Lebarty Felix Lebarty, also known as Lover Boy, is a Nigerian singer/songwriter and record producer, best known for the 1989 single "Ifeoma" from the ''One Life To Live'' album. He has since reinvented himself as a pastor, and currently runs his own Ch ...

and

Jide Obi Early life Jide Obi Ibo (born 1962) is a Nigerian musician from the early 1980s. Jide Obi was born in England to a Nigerian barrister of England's Lincoln Inn, and a teacher. Education In the late 1970s he studied law at Enugu campus of the ...

Falola stimulated Nigeria's emerging music industry with a unique brand of pop music. His last secular hit was ''African Jamboree'', produced by Bisade Ologunde.

Gospel music ministry

As a famous singer, Falola lived life in the fastlaneDizzy K is back
/ref> until he became a

born-again Christian To be born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelical Christianity, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is d ...

in 1989. Encouraged by singer

Ebenezer Obey Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi (born 3 April 1942), known professionally as Ebenezer Obey, is a Nigerian jùjú musician. Early life Obey was born on 3 April 1942 to an Egba– Yoruba ethnic background family. Obey, whose rea ...

who himself had rediscovered Christianity, Falola turned down a recording contract with

EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

to relocate to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and concentrate on gospel music. His first Christian recording was in 1994; since then he has toured with ministries through

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and

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where his albums ''My Joy'', ''Power in the Blood'', ''The Healing Songs'', ''I'm Blessed'', and ''Marvellous'' have sold alongside

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

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, and numerous African counties. In 2001, after many years abroad, he paid a short visit to his homeland, and in 2002 performed at the official African launch of the ''Dizzy K Gospel Music Ministries'' and the ''Centre of my Joy'' album. Now married with four children, Falola continues to reside in London, and runs a studio that publicises youth problems.

References

External links

Musician's homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Falola, Dizzy K Living people Yoruba musicians Nigerian pop musicians Obafemi Awolowo University alumni Nigerian emigrants to the United Kingdom Nigerian gospel singers English-language singers from Nigeria Yoruba-language singers of Nigeria Year of birth missing (living people)