How illness, pregnancy pushed back my song with Chike — Simi

Nigerian singer and songwriter Simisola Kosoko, popularly known as Simi, has explained that health challenges and pregnancy were responsible for the delayed release of her song Where You Dey, featuring fellow artiste Chike.

In a statement shared on her X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, Simi said she had intended to release the song last year after teasing fans with a snippet, but her physical condition at the time made it impossible to meet the planned timeline.

According to the singer, she was dealing with illness, extreme weakness, nausea and exhaustion, which affected both the completion of the song and its promotion.

“I really wanted to drop this song last year. When I shared the snippet, I was so excited, but everything became a blur.

“I was sick, weak, nauseous and tired, and my body just wouldn’t cooperate,” she said, adding that even while recording the snippet video, she was unwell and only pushing through.

Simi also spoke highly of Chike, describing him as the ideal collaborator for the track. She revealed that although he was initially out of town, he came to her studio immediately after returning, unaware that she was pregnant and struggling physically at the time.

“I adore Chike’s voice and knew he was perfect for the song. When he returned from his trip, he came straight to the studio. I have a lot of respect for him. He didn’t even know I was pregnant and suffering,” she said.

Reflecting on the studio footage, Simi expressed surprise at the energy she appeared to have, given how unwell she felt during the recording sessions.

She also disclosed that she mixed and mastered the song herself, despite disliking the mastering process.

“Watching the video now, I don’t know where the energy came from. I even struggled to mix the song and still went ahead to master it myself, even though I hate mastering,” she added.

The singer admitted she was disappointed about missing the original release deadline, especially after fans had connected with the song and eagerly awaited its official release.

“Everyone had fallen in love with the song and kept asking for it, but I didn’t have the energy to create content or promote it properly.

“Still, a lot of love and resilience went into this song,” she said.

Simi also noted that the release of Where You Dey addresses long-standing public speculation that she abandoned her music career after getting married, stressing that the song is proof she remains committed to her craft.