Story highlights
- Asa is a Nigerian singer songwriter
- Her soulful melodies have led proved popular with audiences in Africa and beyond
- The 29-year-old artist is the latest in a long line of African musicians to make it on world stage
She may be a fully-fledged pop star with a growing global appeal but Nigerian singer, Asa, is determined to remain true to her African roots.
The 29 year old artist initially found fame on her home continent thanks to her soulful musical melodies, which have since proved popular with audiences in Europe and beyond.
She has since opened live shows for the musical superstars such as Beyonce, Snoop Dogg, Akon and John Legend.
But despite sampling the sweet taste of global recognition, it is Nigeria and Africa that remain the singer's main sources of inspiration.
"I'm proud to be Nigerian and I also hope other Nigerians feel proud that they have a great country, she adds"
"People have preconceptions of Nigeria ... so for other Nigerians we need to know that we cannot hide, we need to defend, and how do we defend, we need to be good at whatever we do," she adds.
Asa is just the latest in a long line of African artists to make it big on the world stage.
Traditional acts such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Salif Keita have blazed a trail in years gone by, while up-and-coming hip hop artists such as K'naan and 2Face Idibia have taken on the mantle in recent times.
In the gallery above, CNN takes a look at some of the continent's most famous and much-loved musical exports.
