Hyce is the stage name of Favor Ekah Ernest, a Nigerian singer-songwriter known for the 2022 viral hit “Vanilla” and the multi-week number-one single “Ogechi,” which features Davido on its remix. Favor Ekah Ernest, born 13 March 2001, is known professionally as Hyce, a Nigerian singer-songwriter who also goes by Hyce The Great, working in the Afrobeats genre since 2020 as an independent artist.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Real name | Favor Ekah Ernest |
| Stage name | Hyce (Hyce The Great) |
| Born | 13 March 2001 |
| Genre | Afrobeats |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter |
| Instrument | Keyboard |
| Years active | 2020 to present |
| Label | Independent |
What Is Hyce’s Background?
Hyce was born on Isikalu Street in Ajegunle, Lagos State, Nigeria, and hails from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He attended Heritage Nursery and Primary School in Ajegunle before continuing his education at Cedarville College, Ijanikin.
How Did Hyce Get Into Music?
Hyce started making music in church, where his father served as a pastor. He began playing musical instruments at a young age within that church setting. This early exposure to instruments, particularly the keyboard, shaped his transition into songwriting and performance.
How Did Hyce Start His Music Career?
Hyce began his professional music career in 2020 and released his debut single, “Owo,” in 2021, featuring the artist Soundz. The song marked his formal entry into Nigeria’s Afrobeats scene as an independent act.
What Was Hyce’s First Viral Hit?
In December 2022, Hyce gained wider recognition with the release of “Vanilla,” which became a viral hit on TikTok and generated over one million user-generated content posts. The song’s viral spread on the platform introduced Hyce to a much larger national audience.
Hyce followed this momentum with the single “Necessary,” released in mid-2023, continuing to build his catalog as an independent artist.
What Is Hyce’s Biggest Hit?
In May 2024, Hyce collaborated with Boypee and Brown Joel on the single “Ogechi.” A remix featuring Davido followed and peaked at number one on the official Nigeria TurnTable Top 100 songs chart, the Top Streaming Songs chart, and the official Top Radio Songs chart.
How Did Davido Join the “Ogechi” Remix?
In an interview with This Day journalist Sunday Ehigiator, Hyce recounted that Boypee informed him one evening that Davido was interested in collaborating on “Ogechi.” The meeting took place at Davido’s residence two nights before his wedding to Chioma, and Davido expressed excitement about releasing the project on his wedding day.
What Chart Success Has “Ogechi” Achieved?
On 11 December 2024, “Ogechi” was ranked the most searched song lyrics of 2024 in Nigeria by TurnTable’s NXT Emerging Top Artistes chart, a position it held for nine weeks. On 3 January 2025, Hyce ranked at number nine on TurnTable’s Official Artistes Top 100 chart, spending 32 weeks on that list.
These figures place “Ogechi” among the most commercially successful Nigerian collaborations of its release period, and they mark Hyce’s biggest career milestone to date.
What Other Songs Has Hyce Released?
Hyce’s catalog includes several collaborative singles beyond “Vanilla” and “Ogechi”:
- “Owo” (2021), featuring Soundz, his debut single
- “Vanilla” (2022), a solo viral TikTok hit
- “Necessary” (2023), a solo single
- “Ogechi” (2024), with Boypee and Brown Joel, later remixed with Davido
- “Constantly” (2024), with Boypee and Brown Joel
- “Adanna” (2024), by Taves featuring Hyce, Brown Joel, and Boypee
“Constantly,” released on 2 September 2024, peaked at number 34 on the official Nigeria TurnTable Top 100 songs chart and spent two weeks on the list. The November 2024 single “Adanna” extended Hyce’s ongoing collaboration with Boypee and Brown Joel into a new project led by artist Taves.
What Is Hyce Known For Today?
Hyce is known today as one of Nigeria’s rising Afrobeats voices, built on the strength of two viral moments: the TikTok-driven success of “Vanilla” and the chart-topping run of “Ogechi” alongside Davido. He remains an independent artist, and his frequent collaborations with Boypee and Brown Joel continue to define his sound within the current Afrobeats landscape.