Nicky Genius Profile: Zimbabwean Singer, Songwriter, and Producer
Nicky Genius, real name Norman Chipfumbi, is a Zimbabwean singer, songwriter, and producer based in Harare, Zimbabwe. He is one of the young acts changing the face of the Zimbabwean music industry and is known popularly for his hit songs which include “Loss.” The song featured Holy Ten.
Nicky Genius Music Style
Nicky Genius’s music style is a blend of hip-hop and R&B with some elements of afrobeat and dancehall. He has produced music for and collaborated with other renowned Zimbabwean artists such as Winky D, Tocky Vibes, Holy Ten, Ishan, Poptain, and Baba Harare. He mainly sings about his personal experiences, emotions, and social issues.
Nicky Genius Age and Date Of Birth
At the time of publishing, the Kuwadzana-bred musician’s exact date of birth could not be established. However, in a December 2022 interview, it was revealed that Nicky Genius was 25 years old.
How He Came Up With The Name Nicky Genius
Nicky Genius has given two accounts of how he chose his moniker. In one account, in an interview with NewsDay, he said:
“I named myself Nicky from the word nickname and just added the letter Y. Later in my music producing career, a friend from Jamaica named me Genius after he said I did something incredible on one of the beats.”
In another account, he said,
“Funny story … the name Nicky Genius, started way back in school. When I was a kid, me and friend used to write Nicky Genius on the wall in every class. I always liked the dictionary and I grew up believing I could achieve anything I put my mind to, so the name stuck. I might not be dropping complex bars but the name Genius to me is all about adopting the right mindset for success and originality. That to me is what puts the Genius in my name.”
Early Music Career
Nicky Genius formally entered the music and entertainment industry in 2013 as a music producer, which means that as of 2023, he has been in the industry for 10 years.
However, the year before, in 2012, when he was still in school, he did his first song, “Vakandimaka”.
Nicky Genius was forced to enter the music industry as a producer because of financial constraints. His initial plan was to be a singer and an artist. However, he had to stop recording because he could not afford the studio fees.
During his early days in the music industry, Nicky Genius used his brother’s laptop to learn how to produce music beats. He was a quick study and was soon producing beats with Zimdancehall singer Maffcat.
[Image: Instagram/Nick Genius]
Establishing His Own Studio and Making Beats For Jamaican Stars
While working with Maffcat, Nicky produced the Zimdancehall riddim “Hurura MaMburugwa”, which was very popular at the time. The riddim featured artists, including Ninja Lipsy.
He later ventured into making Afrobeats which he would sell. From the proceeds of the sale of his Afrobeats tracks, he was able to purchase studio equipment.
After establishing his own studio in Kuwadzana, Nicky refined his skills and produced even better quality beats. As a result, he was able to acquire more customers from across the world. His customers soon included Jamaican stars such as Dovey Magnum, Alkaline, and Studio Vibes artists.
With this success, Nicky Genius upgraded his studio into a state-of-the-art facility.
Emergence Into The Mainstream Media as a Singer
In 2020, Nicky produced Winky D’s hit song Chandelier, and this changed the trajectory of his career.
US-based record label Golden Generation were impressed with the production and immediately signed the producer to their label. Since then, Nicky has become a fully-fledged artist releasing his first EP, “Feelings”, in early 2021.
Feelings featured the Smash hit song – “Sonono.”
[Image: Instagram/Nick Genius]
Nicky Genius albums and songs
Nicky Genius has released one album and several singles so far. His album is called “Ndokutendai Nei” (Shona for How Can I Thank You?), and it was released in 20211. It contains 10 songs:
- Kumusoro (feat. Winky D)
- Loss (feat. Holy Ten)
- Ndabaiwa (feat. Poptain)
- Ndokutendai Nei
- Ndinewe
- Ndinewe Remix (feat. Ishan & Baba Harare)
- Ndinewe Remix 2 (feat. Tocky Vibes & Baba Harare)
- Ndinewe Remix 3 (feat. Tocky Vibes, Ishan & Baba Harare)
- Ndinewe Remix 4 (feat. Tocky Vibes, Ishan, Baba Harare & Poptain)
- Zvandiri
Some of his singles include:
- Feelings
- Moyo Wangu
- My Love
