Award-winning Nigerian singer Simisola Kosoko, professionally known as Simi, has broken her silence on the months-long delay of her collaborative single “Where You Dey” featuring vocalist Chike, revealing that a difficult pregnancy and severe health challenges were behind the postponed release.
In a candid statement posted to her social media platform X on Friday, the “Duduke” hitmaker detailed a period of intense physical struggle that made completing the track—and meeting fan expectations—nearly impossible.
“I really, really, really wanted to drop this song last year,” Simi wrote, describing how initial excitement quickly gave way to a grueling battle with her own body. “When I first put out the snippet, I was so excited—but it was hard to finish it on time because everything was a blur. I was sick and weak and nauseous and tired, and my body just wouldn’t do what I wanted it to.”
The revelation sheds new light on what fans had perceived as an unexplained delay. After Simi shared a snippet of the track that generated immediate buzz and anticipation across Nigerian social media, the song’s official release date came and went without explanation—until now.
What fans didn’t know while celebrating the preview was that Simi was privately suffering. “Even in the snippet video, I wasn’t feeling great. I was just trying my best,” she disclosed, adding that rewatching the footage now leaves her puzzled about where she found the strength to perform.
The singer, who handled both mixing and mastering duties herself despite admitting she “hates mastering,” said the entire production process became a test of endurance rather than the creative joy she typically experiences in the studio.
“Watching this video back now, I can’t even understand where the energy came from,” she reflected. “When the song was done, I struggled to mix it. Even so, I decided to master it myself. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Despite her personal struggles, Simi had nothing but praise for her collaborator. She revealed that Chike, whose distinctive voice she described as perfect for the track, responded to her request for a verse with immediate enthusiasm and professionalism.
“I adore Chike’s voice, and I knew it was him who had to be on the song with me,” Simi explained. “When I asked him to give me a verse, he was so ready to go, but he was out of town. As soon as he came back, he came over to my studio the next day.”
Notably, Chike was unaware of Simi’s condition during the recording session. “I got a lot of respect for him. He didn’t know I was pregnant and suffering,” she added, revealing for the first time that pregnancy was the root cause of her health difficulties.
The delay weighed heavily on the artist, who acknowledged feeling “so disappointed” about missing her target release date, particularly as fans continued requesting the song after connecting with the preview.
“Everyone had fallen in love with the song and was asking me to put it out. I didn’t have the energy to make content. I don’t even remember them recording this video,” she admitted.
In a heartfelt appeal to her audience, Simi asked for understanding regarding the scaled-back promotional campaign surrounding the release. “Given how much I love this song, I’m a little bummed I couldn’t give it the energy it deserves. But please, know that a lot of love and resilience went into this song. I hope that you can let less be more for this one. I hope you can give it the energy that I couldn’t. That I can’t.”
Characteristically, Simi also used the moment to address persistent rumors about her career trajectory. The singer, who married fellow artist Adekunle Gold in 2019, has faced ongoing speculation from some quarters that marriage and motherhood have diminished her musical output.
With pointed humor, she concluded her statement: “PS: This is a chance for those of you who say I gave up my career for marriage to fight (?) for my, uhm…rights? That or stfu.”
The disclosure highlights ongoing conversations within the Nigerian entertainment industry about the pressures female artists face balancing personal life, health, and demanding career expectations—pressures that often remain invisible to the public until artists choose to speak out.
As “Where You Dey” finally reaches audiences, it arrives not just as a musical collaboration but as a testament to creative persistence in the face of physical adversity.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Nigerian singer Simi has revealed that an undisclosed pregnancy and severe health complications—including persistent nausea, weakness, and exhaustion—forced her to delay the release of her collaborative track “Where You Dey” featuring Chike. Despite fan anticipation following an enthusiastic response to the song’s snippet, Simi was physically unable to complete production and promotion on schedule.
She handled mixing and mastering herself while battling illness and has asked fans to understand the limited promotional campaign, emphasizing that “a lot of love and resilience went into this song,” even as she couldn’t give it the energy she wanted. The revelation also serves as her response to critics who claim she abandoned her music career for marriage and motherhood.
