Nigerian singer, songwriter, and music producer Simisola Kosoko, professionally known as Simi, has opened up about the personal challenges that delayed the release of her song titled ‘Where You Dey,’ which features fellow singer Chike.
The much-anticipated track, which fans first got a glimpse of through a teaser shared last year, could not be released as planned due to a combination of health struggles and pregnancy-related complications faced by the singer at the time.
Health struggles impacted music production
Taking to her X (formerly Twitter) page on Friday, Simi revealed that she went through a difficult period marked by illness, extreme fatigue, nausea, and physical weakness, all of which took a toll on her ability to complete and promote the song.
According to her, the situation was so overwhelming that even carrying out basic production tasks became a challenge, as her body often failed to cooperate despite her strong desire to push through.
“I really, really, really wanted to drop this song last year. When I first put out the snippet, I was so excited, but everything became a blur. I was sick and weak and nauseous and tired, and my body just wouldn’t do what I wanted it to,” she explained, while reflecting on how difficult it was to meet the planned release timeline.
She further recalled that filming the snippet video alone required a huge amount of effort and determination, describing the process as physically draining and emotionally demanding.
Collaboration and self-production challenges
Simi went on to commend Chike for his dedication and professionalism, revealing that he showed up to the studio immediately after returning from a trip, unaware that she was dealing with serious health challenges at the time.
Despite her condition, Simi disclosed that she took on the responsibility of personally mixing and mastering the song, even though she openly admitted that mastering is her least favorite part of music production.
“Watching this video back now, I honestly don’t even understand where the energy came from. Even with everything, I still decided to master it myself. I hate mastering, so I don’t even know what I was thinking,” she said, expressing surprise at her own resilience.
The singer also noted that the eventual release of ‘Where You Dey’ serves as a subtle response to long-standing claims and online speculations that she had abandoned her music career after getting married.
She encouraged fans to listen to the song with an understanding of the effort, perseverance, and strength it took to bring the project to life despite her personal struggles.
Watch the video below…
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. I was sick and weak and nauseous and tired and my body just wouldn't do what I wanted it to. Even… pic.twitter.com/948M9XChpX
— Simi (@SympLySimi) January 23, 2026