Afrobeats star Simi has opened up about the severe health challenges that nearly derailed her latest musical project. In a series of candid social media posts on Friday, January 23, 2026, the singer-songwriter revealed that her new single, Where You Dey featuring Chike, was delayed by a year due to a difficult pregnancy.
Simi described a period of physical and emotional exhaustion, stating that she was “sick, weak, nauseous, and tired” while trying to push through the creative process. She noted that even during the recording of the song’s popular snippet video, she was barely holding herself together, describing the entire production period as a “blur” where her body simply wouldn’t obey her will.
The revelation coincided with the happy news that Simi and her husband, Adekunle Gold, recently welcomed twins on January 7, 2026. This second pregnancy which the couple first hinted at in the music video for My Love Is The Same in late 2025, presented a different set of challenges than her first experience with daughter Adejare in 2020. Simi shared that her collaborator, Chike, was completely unaware of her condition at the time of their studio sessions.
She expressed shock at watching the footage back, admitting she doesn’t understand where she found the energy to perform while secretly battling intense morning sickness and prenatal fatigue.
Beyond the physical toll, the singer spoke about the technical hurdles she faced. Due to her health, she was unable to promote the song as planned and even took the unusual step of mastering the track herself because she lacked the energy to manage a traditional back-and-forth with engineers.
“I hate mastering, so I don’t know what I was thinking,” she joked, while urging fans to give the song the energy she couldn’t invest at the time. The track has nonetheless been met with widespread acclaim, praised for its “soulful and resilient” vibe that masks the difficult circumstances of its creation.
Simi also used the opportunity to silence critics who have frequently claimed she “slowed down” her career after marriage. She described the release of Where You Dey and her recent chart-topping album Lost and Found as proof of her unwavering dedication to her craft, even in the face of significant personal adversity.
As she settles into her new role as a mother of three, the “Duduke” crooner emphasized that her music will always be a reflection of her reality: unfiltered, honest, and fueled by a deep-seated passion for storytelling.
