Afrobeats star Simi has spoken about the health struggles she endured while recording her latest track, Where You Dey, which features Chike.
Speaking via her X account, Simi disclosed that she had planned on releasing the song last year but could not because of her health.
Simi explained that despite her excitement about the song, the period was physically demanding and emotionally draining.
“I really, really, really wanted to drop this song last year.
“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,” she wrote.
According to Simi, she was battling sickness, fatigue and nausea while trying to push through the creative process, even during the recording of the snippet video.
“I was sick and weak and nauseous and tired, and my body just wouldn’t do what I wanted it to.
“Even in the snippet video, I wasn’t feeling great. I was just trying my best,” she added.
Simi also praised Chike’s professionalism and commitment to the project, noting that his contribution exceeded her expectations.
“I adore Chike’s voice and I knew it was him that had to be on the song with me. When I asked him to give me a verse, he was so ready to go. As soon as he came back into town, he came over to my studio the next day. I’ve got a lot of respect for him,” she said.
She disclosed that Chike was unaware of her condition at the time, adding that watching the studio video later surprised her with how she found the strength to complete the recording.
Beyond recording, Simi said she also struggled with the technical aspects of the song, particularly mixing and mastering, eventually deciding to master the track herself despite disliking the process.
“When the song was done, I struggled to mix it. Even so, I decided to master it myself. I hate mastering, so I don’t know what I was thinking,” she wrote.
The singer admitted she was disappointed about missing her planned release timeline and not being able to promote the song as much as she wanted.
“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. Given how much I love this song, I’m a little bummed I couldn’t give it the energy it deserves,” she said.
However, Simi urged fans to embrace the song with understanding, noting that it was created with “a lot of love and resilience.”
