Introduction
Daniel Etiese Benson (born 14 May 1997), known professionally as Bnxn (pronounced as Benson) and formerly known as Buju, is a Nigerian Afro-fusion singer, songwriter and record producer.
Early life
Daniel Etiese Benson was born in Lagos. He hails from Akwa Ibom state. He grew up in Gbagada with his family, relocating to Ogun State. Benson was introduced to Afropop through artists such as 2Baba as a child, and credits Burna Boy as his inspiration for becoming a musical artist.
Career
Bnxn released the extended play project Sorry I'm Late on 27 October 2021, under the management of T.Y.E/EMPIRE. It featured guest appearances from Nigerian Highlife music duo, The Cavemen, and production from Steph, Perlz, Denzl, Timi Jay and Rexxie. It was mixed and mastered by Vtek and Poppil. Motolani Alake of Pulse Nigeria said that it "projects confidence, wins and 'comfort". Buju performed his first show in London on 30 November, marking the beginning of his Sorry I'm Late tour.
On 22 December 2021, Buju headlined his first sold-out concert, which was also his debut concert in Lagos. held at Balmoral Convection centre, Lagos.
In 2022, Buju officially changed his name to BNXN to avoid confusion for being mistaken with Buju Banton and having more unique branding. In March 2022, he collaborated with Pheelz on the single "Finesse"; the song peaked at number 52 on the UK's Official Singles Chart. In July 2022, he featured on the Jae5 song "Propeller" alongside British rapper Dave. The song became Bnxn's first Top 40 single in the United Kingdom, entering the chart at number 38.
On 4 September 2022, Bnxn won The Headies 2022 Next Rated award which was held on Sunday at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
In October 2023, Bnxn released his debut album, Sincerely Benson. The album featured appearances by a variety of artists including Headie One and Popcaan.
Discography
Studio albums
- Sincerely, Benson (2023)
Extended plays
- Sorry I'm Late (2021)
- Bad Since ’97 (2022)
- Kenkele
- Fought with Police
Singles
| Year | Title | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "Catch a Vibe" | |
| "Wahala" | ||
| 2019 | "Energy" | |
| "Commander" | ||
| "Spiritual" (featuring Zlatan) | ||
| "L'enu" | ||
| "Ohema & TMXO" | ||
| 2020 | "So Lovely" | |
| "Lenu Remix" (featuring Burna Boy) | ||
| 2021 | "Outside" | |
| "Testimony" | ||
| "Italy" (featuring Blaq Diamond) | ||
| 2022 | Kenkele (featuring Wande Coal) |
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NG |
USGlobal |
UK |
UKR&B |
UKAfrobeats |
ZA | ||||
| "Feeling" |
2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Providence | |
| "Bling" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | Sex Over Love | ||
| "Alubarika" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | ||
| "Confident" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Mood" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | Made in Lagos | ||
| "Your Body" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | ||
| "Times Two" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Cold Outside" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Sweet Daddy" (Remix) |
2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Saloo" (Remix) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Hustle" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Finesse" |
1 | 131 | 52 | 28 | 1 | 31 |
| ||
| "Propeller" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Ocean" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Pray 2 The East" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Event | Prize | Recipient | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Headies 2020 | Rookie | Himself | Nominated | |
| 2020 | City People Entertainment Awards | Revelation of the Year | Himself | Won | |
| 2021 | AFRIMMA | African Fan Favourite | "Outside" | Nominated | |
| AFRIMMA | Best Artist or Duo Group | Ladipoe featuring Buju – "Feeling" | Nominated | ||
| AFRIMMA | Best African Rapper or Lyricist | Ladipoe featuring Buju – "Feeling" | Nominated | ||
| AFRIMMA | Best Promising Artiste | "Outside" | Nominated | ||
| AFRIMMA | Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Hip Hop | Blaqbonez – "Bling" featuring Amaarae and Buju) | Nominated | ||
| 2022 | Grammy Awards | Best Global Music Album | Made in Lagos Deluxe Edition by Wizkid | Nominated | |
| The Headies 2022 | Next Rated | Himself | Won | ||
| Best Rap Single | "Feelings" – Ladipoe feat. Bnxn | Won | |||
| 2023 | Soundcity MVP Awards | Best Collaboration | Finesse | Won |