Toronto-Based R&B/Afrobeat Artist ZOCHI Releases Bold, Faith-Rooted Queer Anthem “Beside Me”
ZOCHI, Canada’s self-proclaimed Queen of Afropop—and a real-life Nigerian princess—releases her fearless and tender new single “Beside Me” today. Blending R&B soulfulness with Hip-Hop grit and Afrobeat rhythm, “Beside Me” is an anthem for belonging, vulnerability, and queer faith. The song follows her internationally celebrated single “Alone (Whole Again)” and continues her journey as one of Canada’s most exciting rising artists.
“I wanted to write a song that can still be universal even if faith-based,” ZOCHI shares. “We all want to be loved and accepted. It shouldn’t matter if the declaration of love is coming from the queer community. I just want people to feel and be compelled to love when they listen to this song.”
“Beside Me” was recorded and engineered at Monumental Bluedoor Studio in Regina, Saskatchewan, with longtime collaborator Walter Jeworski, and produced by Hip-Hop DJ and friend Dexty (Daniel Rolàk). Though ZOCHI and Dexty speak different mother tongues, she says they speak the same musical language—one rooted in love, liberation, and joy.
Lyrically, “Beside Me” is both intimate and anthemic. “Somebody knows / God was the one who did write it / I can’t even tell you how I feel / My feelings are tied in the rainbow,” ZOCHI sings in the chorus. It’s a poetic celebration of queer identity and divine authorship, filled with urgency and affirmation. “I needed a new love / Somebody a new love / I gave it a new look / I need help I’m sick of / Somebody knows.”
As a queer Christian and lesbian woman, ZOCHI makes no apology for the intersection of her sexuality and her spirituality.
“My faith and my connection to God has always been based on authenticity,” she explains. “He has encouraged me to live my truth, even if some Christian teachings might oppose me. We—queer people—are ambassadors of His love. We represent the incredible depth of God’s love.”
Born Uzochi Lolia Ifeanyiukachu in Nigeria and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, ZOCHI is blazing her own path as a genre-defying artist whose debut EP Afrikaanman Fairytale earned national and international recognition. The EP hit #1 on the campus radio charts and landed in the Top 10 on !earshot’s National International Chart. Her single “Alone (Whole Again)” was featured on CBC’s Marvin’s Room, Billboard Magazine, Tinnitist, Cashbox, and more.
She’s been seen on stages across Canada, including opening for Jully Black on the Saskatchewan leg of her 2025 tour, and will perform July 30 at Sean Jeans “Revival” Residency at The Palais Royale in Toronto. ZOCHI is currently nominated for Best Pop Music Video at the Canadian Independent Music Video Awards and Afrobeats Artist of the Year at both the Western Canadian Music Awards and Saskatchewan Music Awards.
“Hip-Hop reminds me of my childhood, even though I was raised in an Afrobeat household,” ZOCHI says. “It helped me survive and escape the trauma of growing up gay in a Christian home. But music—and God—chose me. And now, I choose love.”
“Beside Me” marks a continued evolution in ZOCHI’s sound and story, signaling her strength as a lyricist, her vulnerability as a storyteller, and her power as a vessel for healing. “I know that you love me,” she repeats in a melodic refrain near the end of the track, inviting listeners into an embrace that is both romantic and divine.
With “Beside Me,” ZOCHI continues to create music that transcends boundaries—of genre, of faith, of identity—and celebrates the radical, revolutionary force of love.