News: Qing Madi (@Qingmadi) drops her debut album I Am The Blueprint: A Bold Declaration of Self Discovery and Empowerment
After a highly awaited release, Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Qing Madi finally drops her debut album "I Am The Blueprint", and the waves are already rampant.
Nigerian Afrobeats star Qing Madi has finally dropped her highly awaited debut album "I Am The Blueprint", and it's already making waves. The 13-track project, which was released on 31st January 2025, is an audacious, unvarnished expression of self-definition and artistic maturation. With no guest features, no songwriting partners, Qing Madi lays it on the table and makes it perfectly plain: she needs nobody else to tell her story.
At 18, Qing Madi has managed to carve a space for herself in African music. She started singing at five, influenced by artists like Kendrick Lamar-her mum was the very first fan. It was her family's relocation to Lagos and its dynamic Alté scene that catapulted her into the world. "See Finish" was where the breakthrough was, though-the viral sensation that flung her right into the maps. Since then, nobody has managed to stop this dynamo. Her self-titled 2023 EP accumulated over 400 million streams, and hits like "American Love" and "Goosebumps" cemented her status as one of the most streamed feminine voices in Africa.
"I Am The Blueprint" is way more than an album; it is a statement. The title says it all: Qing Madi is claiming her way. As she put it, she said, "The real blueprint of success does not come from directions; it is within you. For years, I searched not for approval but for the path meant for me. I wasn't handed a blueprint, I had to create it." This album speaks on self-love, empowerment, and owning your journey. It's Afrobeats, R&B, Afropop, and soul, all in one, proving how versatile she has become and grown as an artist.
She gives a hint of what to expect with the album trailer where Qing Madi is seen finding her way through a maze of cardboard boxes with papers scattered inside, signifying her route to creating her own blueprint. "The blueprint is love-love for the music, the journey, and the people believing in me," she says. Still, singles like "Akanchawa" and "Favourite Psycho" gave the world a sniff of what's to come; the latter received critical acclaim for his raw energy and reflective rhymes. With this album released featuring zero features, Qing Madi sends out word: this is my time, and I am owning it.
With "I Am The Blueprint", Qing Madi isn't just making music; she's making history. Being the first Nigerian artiste to drop an album in 2025-a year believed by many to be very transitional for African music-she takes the pace for the next one, having just been celebrated as Spotify's EQUAL Africa Artist for January 2025, adding to her growing influence. This is not her first time on EQUAL Playlist, but this is a reminder that she has staying power and the global appeal of her sound.
It's only the beginning for Qing Madi, but "I Am The Blueprint" hits hard as one hell of a first chapter. It's a celebration of growth, strength, and above all, self-belief. As listeners dive deep into the album, one thing becomes rather clear: Qing Madi isn't on anyone else's blueprint; she's carving out her own.
"I Am The Blueprint" is now available on all streaming platforms.
