Tiwa Savage Music Foundation Awards  2.1 Million Dollars 

Posted on by Michelle Ejiro

Launched in February, the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, in collaboration with Berklee College of Music, has completed the inaugural edition, awarding 2.1 million dollars in scholarships to 18 students. The program opened its application portal on the 10th of March, 2026, and during the course of five days from April 22nd-26th, 120 chosen participants accessed world-class training. 

This selection of burgeoning artists, songwriters, producers, and music executives experienced interactive sessions melded in Berklee’s faculty curriculum through workshops, collaborative sessions, and mentorship. Other experiential forms spanned live performance, songwriting, music production, and the thriving music business. 

 

In keeping with Tiwa’s vision for the music foundation to bridge the gap between talents and accessible learning opportunities, she was exhilarated to have achieved a mind-blowing maiden edition. “Seeing these young musicians take the stage at the National Theatre was a deeply emotional and proud moment for me,” she expressed.  “When we started the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, the goal was to bring the world’s highest standards of music education home to Nigeria, and seeing 18 of our students receive life-changing scholarships to Berklee in Boston is proof that our talent is truly global.” 

The 18 students who were awarded during the ceremonial Finale received fully funded undergraduate placements at Berklee College of Music in London with additional access to the institution’s global programs. Other participants got graduation certificates, officially recognising them as the first graduating set of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation. 

However, the goal remains bigger, according to Damien Bracken, the Dean of Admissions. “We are hopeful that this is just the first of many engagements and collaborations with Tiwa as we work together to bring Africa to Berklee and continue to positively impact the global music industry,” he says. 

Tiwa Savage is building a remarkable platform that can revolutionise how the young generation of African artists and music professionals view the art of music and the business side of it. For the 18 awardees, she became their beacon of hope, and that number is poised to grow larger over time and widen her impact. 

Kotrell Wants To Document Love

Posted on by Honour Aghedo

Rivers State has long been a forge for some of Nigeria’s most resilient musical exports, the home of high-octane Afro-fusion and artists who carry the grit of Rivers State in their cadence. It is no surprise, then, that Kotrell began his journey with this kinetic energy, rapping and dancing by the age of ten.

However, it was Ed Sheeran’s emergence that made him pivot to R&B and Soul. Watching Ed Sheeran perform with an acoustic guitar and woo the crowd, Kotrell wanted that. So, he started writing his own soulful songs in his room, taught himself to play the guitar, and, one day, decided to perform one of them. “The audience took turns telling him how the song made them feel,” he recalls. “When I used to rap and dance, the feedback would be, ‘Wow, I was so entertained.’ But with the soulful performance, it wasn’t about me. It was the fulfilment of making people feel something.”

 

Since then, Kotrell has dipped his toes into the R&B world with two EPs titled ‘Love is…’ and ‘Forever,’ released in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Still, he’s just starting, building on the acclaim that followed those projects with his debut album ‘And Everything In Between.’ While his popular song,“Now And Always,” established him as a premier balladeer of romance, ‘And Everything In Between’ sees Kotrell trading rose-tinted glasses for a mirror. He is not just singing about the “sweet madness” of falling; he is documenting love, heartbreak, healing and self-love.

“This project is the closing chapter of a story I first whispered into the world in 2023,” he explains  “Now, I return to it with a fuller heart and braver honesty. This time, I am not only singing about the sparks and the sweet madness of falling in love. I am telling the truth about what happens after the fireworks fade.”

One of the most striking moments in the project arrives on  “Deserve It,” a deconstruction of the manifestation of love in a decidedly Nigerian context. In Nigeria, there is a pervasive trope that love is only valid if it is endured through pain, and that “fighting” is the ultimate virtue. On “Deserve It,” Kotrell wants to dismantle that myth. “We have to acknowledge, accept, and constantly remind ourselves that we cannot truly say we know love if we do not first love ourselves,” he says. “Sometimes we become so focused on fighting for love from others and holding on to relationships that we fail to realise that letting go can be the very first act of self-love, and sometimes, that is the more important fight.”

 

By mapping the boundary between devotion and dependency, Kotrell also challenges the instant gratification that’s seeminly an intrinsic feature of modern dating. On “Love Me Slow,” he frames patience not as a delay, but as a litmus test for genuine interest, arguing for a return to empathy and patience.“If someone is genuinely interested in you, they will be patient because they believe you are worth waiting for,” he says. “I think we have to be intentional about showing empathy to the people we love. When we do that, we are better able to respect and honour each other’s timelines.”

Love does not exist without its heartaches, though, and on “Easy,” Kotrell and Amaeya detail the agony of a breakup, watching someone exhale while you are still suffocating. “After all of the things that we’ve been through, I carry you for head, and all of my shoulder/ My everything I been give you, You say you go ride for me now I’m a loner,” he sings. There’s pain and disbelief evident in his voice, and Amaeya’s response is sombre, her vocals sounding as if they were recorded through a veil of tears: “So hard to get back the day, If I could I’d be walking away, From the time and place we began, And make it easy for me too, But I’m holding on to lost patterns.”

When I ask Kotrell what he’d say to listeners who feel crazy for still caring when the other person seems unaffected. “It is completely valid to feel frustrated in a situation like that,” Kotrell says. “Love does not disappear the moment someone leaves. Healing takes time, and that is okay. The fact that it hurts is proof that your heart is capable of real love, and after healing, it will be able to love again.”

 

What makes ‘And Everything In Between’ especially resonant is the emotional safety it provides. It acknowledges that love brings out a childlike vulnerability and that everyone carries wounds that need dressing. “There’s no judgment for my scars,” Kotrell shares. “Safety in love is when two people intentionally create a space where each person feels seen, loved, and accepted exactly as they are, even while they are still growing,” he says. “It is found in the little things: the small compliments, thoughtful gestures, and quiet reassurances that remind you, ‘You can be vulnerable here’ and ‘You are safe here.’” 

There’s a grounded realism that refuses to be cynical. Even his definition of radical love is surprisingly simple. On “I Love You,” he insists on loving a person’s entirety, their mess, their history, their uncurated selves. While this may feel like an anomaly in an era of social media personas, for Kotrell, it is the baseline. “To be honest, I cannot fully speak on that because, from my own experience, it has never felt like a radical act,” he says. “The love I have grown up witnessing and the kind of love that inspires my music accepts a person fully, in all of their complexity. To me, that is what love is meant to be. I understand that not everyone has had the privilege of experiencing that, but I believe that is the way love ought to be.”

 

Kotrell’s music serves as a guide to slow down, feel the weight of your heart, and recognise that you are worthy of a love that doesn’t require you to disappear. For those still praying for that kind of connection, his advice is a reflection of the music itself: “Never settle because you feel pressured or afraid. The kind of love that is right for you exists, and you deserve nothing less.”

Listen to ‘Everything In Between’ here

How DJ Sholz Soundtracked Nigerian Modernism at Tate Modern 

Posted on by Melony Akpoghene

To close out the UK’s Black History Month in October, NATIVE Sound System brought its monthly party Till Day Break into the Tate Modern, programming a night that centred Nigerian and diaspora sounds within one of Britain’s most recognisable art institutions. In collaboration with Play Piem, and featuring live performances from British-Nigerian artists, Ife Ogunjobi and Strandz,  the intention for the night was to bring a distinctly Nigerian atmosphere into the museum space, to accompany the newly opened exhibition, Nigerian Modernism. 

That same spirit shaped the DJ mix filmed in front of Our Journey, where digital DJing, live percussion and saxophone merged into a performance that mirrored the exhibition’s own themes of synthesis and exchange. 

Rather than presenting a straightforward Afrobeats set, the mix was conceived as a live reinterpretation, layering multiple musical influences to reflect Nigeria’s long history of absorbing and reshaping global sounds. “The idea was to place Nigerian art inside a British museum and create an exchange of cultures,” Sholz notes in our conversation with him, where we dug deep about the way the sonic programming functions as an extension of the exhibition itself. 

 

This conversation has been edited slightly for clarity

How did your initial connection with Tate come about?

I’ve been going to the Tate for a long time. It is one of the largest art institutions in the UK. I had always known about the Tate, and I attended a Tate Late event featuring Little Simz, which was one of the best parties I have ever been to. One thing led to another, and a close friend sent me a message stating, “I know someone who works at the Tate and I will connect you.” She introduced me to Jesse, who runs the Tate Lates programme.

We spoke for some time, and she mentioned they were planning a Nigerian Modernism exhibition. I felt it would be valuable for The NATIVE to be involved because we’re closely connected to how the Nigerian story is being told globally. The exhibition felt like the right opportunity for us to contribute, whether through events, the content we have produced, or the Nigerian Modernism cover. We became involved across the entire exhibition. It came down to a degree of serendipity and chance. I appreciate when things happen that way, and I am excited and grateful for the opportunity.

 

Thinking back to your experience at the previous Tate Late, what kind of vibe were you aiming to create this time around?

For the parties, we wanted to bring our monthly event, Till Daybreak, to a wider audience. We programmed it with our friends Play Piem, a sound system based in the UK. The idea was to curate the best DJs playing the best club music and bring that energy. We featured live performances from Ife Ogunjobi and Sola Akingbola, both British-Nigerians. The aim was to bring a Nigerian atmosphere to the Tate and transform the space, and I think we succeeded. The mix came from a different place. My girl had been sending me videos of DJ mixes on YouTube, and it was inspiring to see people creating mixes in different settings. She showed me a video by Sundial Tapes, who recorded a mix outdoors in a crowd in an unconventional space, which was striking. I wanted to highlight the beauty of the Tate’s modern space while complementing it with African music.

Rather than doing a standard Afrobeats set, I wanted a live performance that juxtaposed digital DJing with live percussion and saxophone. The idea was to place Nigerian art within a British museum and create an exchange of cultures. We featured Sola Akingbola on percussion and Ife Ogunjobi on saxophone. I played tracks while we created live reinterpretations, so it felt like a performance that was constantly changing and evolving. It was an engaging experience. The goal was to blend as many influences as possible, reflecting how Nigeria itself has been shaped by global cultures while making them its own. With the mix, I wanted to create something distinctly Nigerian, slightly chaotic, ambitious, and still exciting.

How would you say the audience responded? Did you notice anything new in how people engaged with the music in that space?

Yes, absolutely. We had a live band with talking drums, and people really connected with it. It felt elemental and is not something you encounter everyday. Seeing people from different cultures respond to the talking drums and saxophone felt reminiscent of the New Afrika Shrine. I am glad we were able to give people that experience.

How important is it for you, as a producer and DJ, to ensure African music is represented on global platforms like Tate?

I think it is important to have a voice and to be part of a wider conversation. By presenting Nigerian Modernism at the Tate, there are many people who may have visited Nigeria or have Nigerian friends. Creating spaces where they can engage with our culture, and where Nigerians in the diaspora can connect with something they may have heard about growing up, can spark a deeper sense of connection. The more we inspire people to connect with one another and with our history, the stronger we become as a community. All of this contributes to building community, sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas and ensuring that our history is not forgotten.

Do you feel the work you brought to the exhibition spoke directly to its core themes?

The exhibition sought to showcase Nigerian creators who had rebelled against the structures of their time. As Nigerians, we are often in a state of rebellion, so by creating this mix, organising the party in this way, and pushing our art forms to new levels, I see that as a form of rebellion. It was also about coming together and allowing others to experience Nigerian culture in an authentic way. The more we present ourselves and invite others in, the more accessible and respected our culture becomes. If the aim is to preserve Nigerian culture and present it to as many people as possible, then we certainly made progress towards that.

How do you, as an artist, actively challenge the usual expectations or conventional frameworks around your work?

By not listening and just listening to the little voice inside you. When I say not listening, I mean not listening to the outside world. To be an artist, you need to have your own voice and your own internal validation system. It’s more about adding your own piece of thought or your own competence to what has already come before you. There’s been so much that’s been done and I’ve experienced so much. I was born in the ’90s. I’m a child of Hip-Hop. I went through gangster Rap, Trap, House, EDM. Everything I create draws on those experiences, translating what I absorbed when I was younger into something new and unique but it feels like it came from me, because it has a mix of all my influences.

 

What genres are you currently fascinated with?

Right now I’m really into the UK underground Rap scene, Nigerian Rap, Afro-House and Psychedelic music. I’m just listening to everything and staying inspired.

Looking at contemporary African creativity more broadly, what conversations do you think are still missing?

New conversations can be challenging, but it is important to encourage them, especially from underrepresented voices. Much of the arts has been dominated by the three major tribes, yet there is still so much more to learn. There are far more perspectives than we typically hear, and it is important to create space for voices that may not be widely recognised, so that new and less familiar ideas can emerge. A great deal has been shared with the world in recent years, but it does not represent the full breadth of Nigerian culture. Encouraging a wider range of voices can only strengthen and enrich that cultural narrative.

Native Sound System works very deliberately as a collective. Why was it important to foreground that sense of community within this exhibition?

You need a community to achieve anything. We have been organising parties with Native Sound System in cities such as London, Lagos, Los Angeles and Paris. Over time, we have built a following of people who want to experience and understand the world with us, and to grow through these changes together. Having a sound system means it is not centred on one individual. We can continue to invite more people into the fold and expand what we are building. That is the essence of a collective: to keep evolving and sharing our culture with the world.

Reflecting on the exhibition as a whole, what role do you think music plays in connecting audiences and ideas across continents?

Music brings people together. As a DJ, playing a song can give someone the confidence to speak to another person or create a meaningful moment in their life. In that sense, you can shape a small chapter of someone’s story through music. There is a real power in storytelling and in how people experience moments. At its core, the intention is to bring people together and create space for individuals to discover and express their true selves.

Sute Iwar and Raytheboffin Are Looking Towards The Future On ‘Modern Fantasy’

Posted on by Boluwatife Adeyemi

Sute Iwar and Raytheboffin have released a collaborative EP titled ‘Modern Fantasy.’ Following their collaboration on 2023’s  “THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE,” one of the standout cuts on Sute’s most recent album, ‘ULTRALIGHT,’ the Abuja-based musicians have reunited for six new songs, showcasing their seamless creative synergy. 

The duo initially teased the project earlier in the year with the lead single “Love & Rebellion.” Teasing the second single “Prime,” Sute revealed the project began coming together shortly after the release of his last album. ​​”He [Raytheboffin] sent me beats. I reflected. I wrote and performed the words. Sometimes they’re focused, and other times they meander,” he said. 

Built around a gameplay theme and Raytheboffin’s lush, intricate beats, other tracks like “Modern man” and “Mmmhmm” further showcase the duo’s established connection and even demonstrates a new depth to their combined artistry. 

Sute Iwar has described ‘Modern Fantasy’ as a pivotal project that signals the end of a phase for him. ‘After this EP, I don’t know when next I’ll be releasing new music,’ he said. ‘But you can trust that whatever comes after will be Jelí Music because that’s what I am.

Listen to ‘Modern Fantasy’ here.

Tekno’s New Album, ‘Where Did Love Go,’ Is On The Way

Posted on by Michelle Ejiro

Three years since Tekno’s sophomore album, ‘The More The Better,’ the singer is gearing up for the release of his next studio album. The album, his third. is due to arrive in June with his latest singles, “Bamboo” and “Press Button,”  providing an extensive glimpse of what to expect from the singer. 

Across his 13-year-career, Tekno has maintained a presence and grit that places him among one of Afropop’s earliest savants, supplying generational hits like “Duro,” “Pana,” and “Skeletun,” all electrifying records that catalogued an era of Afropop. “Bamboo” leans into that as a Dancehall track with hard-hitting percussions accentuated by his sonorous vocals. 

Written and self-produced by Tekno, he flexes his production skills that have soundtracked several Afropop hits over the years, including “If,” by Davido, and Kizz Daniel’s “Buga,” where he doubles as an artist. With “Bamboo,” his adeptness on both fronts syncs so well and accentuates his skill at going back and forth between genres. 

As a third album comes inches nearer, “Bamboo” and “Press Button,” are positioned to be the project’s intro, and it’s not far-fetched to expect more of his hypnotic dance bangers upon release.  

Listen to “Bamboo” and “Press Button” here.  

Interview: Angélique Kidjo Wants You To Find Hope

Posted on by The Native

Angélique Kidjo doesn’t really have anything to prove anymore, but she still keeps showing up. Four decades into a career that has seen her ascend all the heights possible with her music, the Beninese singer continues to urge her listeners towards a more humane, optimistic view of self and the world around them. Her latest album, ‘HOPE!!,’ is an extension of that goal: Five years in the making, the 16-tracker is an effusively optimistic body of work that started to take form in the wake of the passing of her mother, Yvonne, in 2021. 

Out of that difficult moment rose a resolve to keep hard at her work as a link between the recent past of African music and it’s wild, unpredictable future as she says in “Joy,” her collab with Davido. “I started thinking about this album, not knowing exactly where to go with it, because I was asking myself, ‘Is it worth doing any album anymore because of the technology?’ Kidjo tells Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio. “Things are going so fast, and I like to take my time. A friend of mine said to me, ‘You have always given us so much, but we want more of you. We want more of you.’” 

From the socio-political opener, “Bando,” to the reflective “Sunlight to My Soul,” the message is that hope can be a salve for the difficult times no matter how dire the situation gets. Calling on a strong cast of talents from across Africa and the Black diaspora to collaborate with her, ‘HOPE!!’ is Ms. Kidjo‘s startling homage to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder of why she’s one of Africa’s most celebrated voice. 

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. 

What do you think of hope?

I think hope has always been something that accompanied me since I was a child because I heard my mom say it, talk about hope all the time.  She always used to say to us, the first thing you do when you wake up is greet your body, because sleeping is like a little death, but you come out of it. Be grateful, be thankful, but also be thankful for the hope that has been given to you at birth. Without hope, there is no love. There’s no hope, there’s no perseverance. There’s no plan for the future, and we need hope at every moment of the day and the life you’re living. Life is just one thing. I mean, you have a time you spend on this earth. You need to hang on to your hope to be able to achieve yourself first. Before you can achieve anything else, you need to be hopeful.

How did you approach writing this album?

It took me five years. I started thinking about this album, not knowing exactly where to go with it, because I was asking myself, “Is it worth doing any album anymore because of the technology?” Things are going so fast, and I like to take my time. A friend of mine said to me, ” You have always given us so much, but we want more of you. We want more of you.” How do you define yourself and your parents, who have played such a huge role in your life? How will you define in ten words yourself, the relationship, and the value that has been passed on to you? That’s the hardest thing to do. So, days in and days out, I’m like, “Where do I start? So, I start with hope because I’m counting on my spirit to guide me through the words that are going to come that make sense. I have kindness, defiance, determination, joy, and a couple of words, and I put them down, and I say, “Okay, stop,” because I can’t think of anything else. 

I reached out to Shungudzo Kuyimba, who is from Zimbabwe. We wrote ‘Mother Nature’ together. I said, “This is what I’m thinking. I’ve been pushed to my boundaries to think beyond music, but [I have] to dig deep into myself. Then she said, “Those words are powerful, and they kind of look like it’s you.” I said, “I don’t know me.” So I flew her to Paris, and we spent a week working on those words. While I was working on the words also, I’ve been through my archive of rhythm of my continent and started putting them down, putting some chords on it. I just gave myself the freedom to put anything that crossed my mind. With the drum machine, I’d be typing on it with my finger. My husband would be like, “It’s going to take forever.” I’d say, “Hey, I don’t know the machine, but this one I want to, I’m just going to do it. I’m going to tap, I’m going to tap on and do whatever I want.” He’s looking at me like, “I have to wait for you to finish this?” I’d say, “Yes, I don’t care. That’s what I want to do. I mean, it’s just like crazy.” I said, “Hey, those are my rhythm, and this is what I’m feeling that the drum should do, and this and that. So I can’t explain it to you, and I cannot play it like that, but I have the machine that can help me do it.” So, when Shungudzo arrived, we sat down, and we listened to the thing. Then she said, “Which word do we want to work on today?” I said, “I don’t care. Whatever comes to your mind. Let’s start writing, and we see where it takes us.” That’s how we wrote more than 20 songs. We still have songs left from this album. We couldn’t put all of it there. So we’re thinking about doing perhaps a deluxe in September. 

What do you think is your mum’s legacy?

One thing my mom used to say is that we only have one life. None of us knows if there is any life after death. So while we’re here, we’ve got to do the best of it and celebrate it. When I was younger, when I got mad with somebody, I wouldn’t talk to the person anymore. My mom said, “No. That’s not the way it works. You can’t do that.” I mean, you don’t know where you’re gonna be tomorrow. If something happens to you and that person you don’t speak to, how are you going to ask for help? So, “Aye Kan” means one life. When that song comes in, I say, “Here’s mom again. She wants me not to forget, she wants me not to forget what she said. It’s that there’s only one life, you gotta celebrate it.” And you have to come back. You can make a mistake, but recognizing that mistake and coming back and apologizing, there’s nothing wrong about it. It makes you bigger.

What’s the message in “Bando” with Pharrell?

I think some people still believe that they have a say, but a system that is put in place is crushing us. [It’s] taking our freedom to speak, freedom to think, freedom to be. We can’t just sit there and not acknowledge that if we let that happen, what makes us and sets us apart as human beings will be lost forever. I have nothing against technology. Technology for me has to be a partner for human life to improve, not to crush the human spirit, and that’s what we are seeing. We made “Bando” because in the abundant, the ghetto, that’s where the trend starts. The people who have nothing, at the bottom of the ladder, are the ones that have more hope and who show us the way. Let’s go back to the essentials and see how we can use hope because we have it. We don’t have to go buy it. If we step away a little from the phone and use the phone differently to serve hope, we can get there.

Why did you collaborate with the Soweto Gospel Choir?

The first time we sang together was for the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the first show in Cape Town. When I heard them singing with me, it was like they lifted me from the ground and put me up.  I wanted them to be on that song, on the album. There are a couple of songs that I didn’t put on the album yet that they are on it. I want people to feel that lift. I want people to feel that the power of the human voice is something that makes us move against our will sometimes, because “Sunlight To My Soul” is my message to everybody. When you let love come in, and you let somebody love you with all your flaws, and you love the person back the same way, nothing can stop you.”

What were you feeling while making “Superwoman?”

I dedicated “Superwoman” to Dadju’s mother, my mother, and all our mothers because they are superwomen. What they do for us, we can’t thank them enough, and it’s not just a matter of African mothers; it’s mothers around the world.  I’ve seen this with my own eyes, they will do everything for their children. They are the glue that keeps our society together, and I pay tribute to them all the time. To have a young man who’s a descendant of Africa showing his love to his mother and helping me celebrate his mother and my mother and all mothers is a powerful thing. When we have men on the side of women’s issues, we move farther. We cannot succeed in doing anything without having our partner next to us. That’s what nature makes us be. That’s what God intended us. We gotta be partners with each other. That’s the way it is. So, “Superwoman” is a message from a man to a mother, from a woman to a father. 

The Best Albums Of The 2020s

Posted on by The Native

If African music commanded the world’s attention at the tail end of the 2010s thanks to its melodic and inescapable singles, the 2020s have proven to be a whole different ballgame. Thanks to the work of musicians from across the continent, the album as a creative medium has roared into prominence throughout this decade, with stars like Burna Boy, Kabza De Small, and Sauti Sol releasing bodies of work that are as definitive as they are invigorating.  

While debates over what may constitute a classic may continue to rage in different places, what is without doubt is that these albums have showcased the breadth and depth of African imagination in a decade that has seen music from the continent become an integral part of global Pop.

‘Made In Lagos’ – Wizkid 

In the years following the release of his sophomore album, ‘Ayo,’ Wizkid always talked about ‘Made In Lagos’ in mythical terms. Per the Surulere-raised star, it was meant to be THE album, and so listeners bought into its hype over and over with several release dates coming and going. 

When ‘Made In Lagos’ finally arrived in the wake of October 2020’s momentous #EndSARS protests, it worked its way into the soul of a broken nation begging for escapism and reprieve after a generational reckoning with state-sanctioned violence. Sonically, ‘Made In Lagos’ was the culmination of a tonal and melodic shift that Wizkid had been working his way towards since 2017’s ‘Sounds From The Other Side.’ 10 years after his breakthrough with “Holla At Your Boy,” Wizkid made another creative leap with ‘Made In Lagos,’ calmly sliding over luxuriant instrumentals crafted by P2J as he explored his fascination with love and romance run through a distinct Lagos filter across standouts like “Blessed,” “Piece of Me,” and the propulsive “Essence.” – Wale Oloworekende. 

 

‘Boy Alone’ – Omah Lay 

It’s not contentious to claim there are only a handful of Afropop albums that are as cohesive and conceptually well-executed as Omah Lay’s brilliant debut album. The melancholia, vulnerability, and expressive melodies that helped him construct his myth in the restrictive pandemic year are the same foundational pillars that hold this masterpiece together. It functions as both an autobiography and a confessional, where Omah Lay mines his complex emotional landscape to create dark, moody gems like “i’m a mess,” “temptations,” and standout hits like “soso” and “understand.” – Boluwatife Adeyemi.

 

‘Mr Money With The Vibe’ – Asake 

A breakout year that saw Asake almost single-handedly redefine the sound of Nigerian Pop music culminated in one of the best debut albums in history. Full of hits like the infectious “Terminator,” “Peace Be Unto You (PBUY),” “Joha,” and the spiritually resonant “Nzaza,” ‘Mr Money With The Vibe’ put on display Asake’s unparalleled ability to craft sing-along anthems that are rooted in the often frenetic, ethos of Lagos Street-Pop culture, yet possessing an undeniable, polished quality that gives them a global appeal. – B.A.

 

‘Carpe Diem’ – Olamide

When Olamide released ‘Carpe Diem’ in October 2020, it had been three years since his exhaustive last full-length effort, 2017’s ‘Lagos Nawa,’ which brought an end to a legendary run of album releases that started with 2011’s ‘Rapsodi.’ Coming off the back of that brief pause from releasing albums, there was anticipation for what would be the Afropop titan’s seventh album. There was little need to worry about Olamide being jaded on ‘Carpe Diem’ though; across the 12 tracks of the album, Olamide made a rapprochement with the then-future of Afropop, effortlessly embodying the essence of living in the moment without worry while charting a new course for his career. From the potent triad of “Infinity,” “Triumphant,” and “Loading” to the warm grooves of “Shilalo” and “Unconditionally,” ‘Carpe Diem’ was a reboot for the ages from one of Africa’s most celebrated music acts.  – W.O.

 

‘I Am The King Of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust’ – Kabza De Small

If there was ever any doubt about who Amapiano’s central brain trust was, Kabza De Small’s 2020 titanic double-disc classic, ‘I Am The King Of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust,’ was a definitive claim to leadership of the African Dance Music variant that he helped popularise. Arriving just a year after Amapiano emerged as a global force, ‘Sweet & Dust’ gave a glimpse into the full potential of the sound as both a hypnotic dancefloor summoner and an elegiac form of African sonic expression.

From “MaPiano Blues” to “Sam Sokolo,” Kabza’s instrumental-driven vision for the sound and his collaborative instincts emerge unencumbered, providing structure for all that the genre would aspire to in the years to come. There’s even space for a couple of Nigerian collabs, the pick of the bunch being “Sponono” which effectively set the stage for the Afropop-Dance hybrids that have taken over the continent throughout the 20202s. Across the three hours of ‘Sweet & Dust,’ Kabza was an inspired genius laying down the edicts for the genre he’s given his life to. – W.O.

 

‘HEIS’ – Rema

On HEIS, Rema burns down the prescribed Afropop playbook to build something far more exciting. The renegade superstar warps his strongest qualities into arguably his best project to date, which says a great deal given the supersonic pace at which he has been dropping bangers since his 2019 breakout. Richly textured and wildly imaginative, ‘HEIS’ is an interdimensional journey through a nebula of influences, from Amapiano and Indie-Alt to Mara, Northern Nigerian urban court music, Galala-esque drum patterns, and melodies from Kenyan Red Fourth Chorus. The Rave Lorde created an otherworldly layering of sound that pushes the familiar to the uncanny.

The project is loud, moves at full speed, and opts for disorientation at every turn. It administers an overdose of dopamine through punchy cuts like “March Am,” “Ozeba,” and “Azaman.” Here, Rema is at his most everything, particularly at his wittiest, firing off lines like “Oppenheimer, always dropping another banger” on the fiery opener, “March Am.” – Melony Akpoghene.

 

‘Twice As Tall’ – Burna Boy 

Burna Boy operates in a league of his own, and it vividly explains why he could platform his musical prowess while tincturing some of Africa’s best voices into an album that proudly portrays the everyday struggles and triumphs of a continent. From the very moment Pat Boon’s voice reverberated on the statement intro, “Level Up,”  and Yossou N’Dour’s golden vocals accentuated it, to the final moments of the self-adulatory “Bank On It,” the message was clear: Burna Boy had orchestrated an unbeatable classic with ‘Twice As Tall.’ – Michelle Ejiro. 

 

‘Roots’ – The Cavemen.  

In 2019, The Cavemen. assisted Lady Donli in putting together her colourful debut album ‘Enjoy Your Life,’ a critically-acclaimed body of work that quietly established the brother duo as extremely talented instrumentalists and producers. Their renown would, however, skyrocket the following year thanks to their refreshing debut album that would immediately position them as the torchbearers of the Highlife revival. They breathed new life into the classic West African genre, producing delightful music that retained much of Highlife’s traditional structures and rhythms while also imbuing it with modern sensibilities. – B.A.

 

‘Some Nights I Dream Of Doors’ – Obongjayar 

When Obongjayar makes music, he opens up new worlds of expression and being, and on ‘Some Night I Dream of Doors,’  he becomes the conduit between the supernatural and the physical. At least that is the sort of experience he intended for the 35-minute runtime of the project, played out over twelve mind-blowing tracks.

Swinging between elements of Neo-Soul, R&B, and Afropop, his remarkably sonorous voice melds seamlessly into the core of the deeply introspective “Wind Sailor” and  “I Wish It Was Me,” where he humanises the bitter-sweet contrast of envy and admiration like no other. While his vocals metamorphose on the assertive “Tinko Tinko,” and Punk-inspired “Message in a Hammer,” ‘Some Night I Dream of Doors’ broadens his range with an album that validates the transcendental emotions of ambition, anxiety, and desire that we confront in our daily lives. – M.E. 

 

‘For Broken Ears’- Tems

Throughout the seven tracks of this prophetic work, Tems is dogged and spiritually intuitive. She appears ready to move forward on her journey with or without us. It’s a brave work that finds her belting out her fears about the inescapable unbearableness of an unfulfilled self. She opens with “Interference,” a battle cry in which her voice pierces the air with meaning that leaves no room for negotiation. On “Higher,” she draws a circle in the dirt, daring the world to step across it, while dismantling the myth of the agreeable muse. 

Being Tems’ debut project, the extended play arrived like a deep breath of fresh air. It is a torrential work marked by emotional maturity and an unflinching inventory of struggle and self-discovery. So far, ‘For Broken Ears’ stands as the clearest manifestation of Tems’ gifts. – M.A.

 

‘VTTKC’ + TKC’ – Seyi Vibez WO

It’s not every day that you wake up with the world waiting on your next move. Still, in the wake of his successful November 2022 debut album, ‘Billion Dollar Baby,’ Seyi Vibez was instantly catapulted to the summit of Afropop, beginning a prolific streak that imprinted his Apala-influenced musical style on wider culture. Unfortunately for the rising singer, the crushing death of his mother and a sister followed early in 2023, necessitating a public retreat for months. 

When he returned with ‘Vibe Till Thy Kingdom Come’ in June 2023, few could have guessed that it was the opening salvo in a double album rollout that would be completed just 15 days later with the release of  ‘Thy Kingdom Come.’ Across the length of  ‘VTTKC’ and TKC,’ Vibez is supplicant and broggadicious in equal measure, examining the ephemerality of life, the perks of success, and the redemptive power of love in a creative landmark that saw him experiment with genres like Fuji, Highlife, Pop, and Soul without losing the characteristic edge that stood him while songs like “Dejavu” and “Karma” established his reputation as an urban philosopher.  – W.O.

 

‘Trouble In Paradise’ – Shekhinah

‘Trouble In Paradise’ evokes exactly the apprehension that its title suggests. The album is Shekhinah’s therapy couch, a space where she unspools her thoughts with disarming clarity. While her debut basked in the “rose gold” glow of new romance, this project confronts the reality of things falling apart. Its central metaphor rests on the slow accumulation of emotional sediment.

The atmospheric R&B that runs through the record creates room for lyrics that linger on loss, self-doubt, and the gradual rebuilding of self-worth. Shekhinah traces the emotional terrain of a relationship as it shifts from promise to disillusionment, observing how idealism cracks under pressure and questioning her own complicity in the fantasy. On songs such as “Tides” and “Fall Apart,” love is no longer buoyant but heavy, tugging at the ankles. There is no melodrama, only the dawning awareness that what once felt like destiny may have been just a projection. – M.A.

 

‘The Villain I Never Was’ – Black Sherif

In its best moments, ‘The Villain I Never Was’ is a dispatch from the edge of transformation. Blending Highlife with Drill, Black Sherif fine-tunes his ability to write full stories into single bars. He tells intense tales of street life, the dread of making nothing out of yourself, the paranoia that shadows upward mobility, and most strikingly, grief. 

There is a palpable sense of a young artist negotiating the psychic toll of fame in real time. Black Sherif doesn’t posture as a hero or martyr; in fact, he sounds wary of both roles. The album’s thematic pulse is an exploration of misunderstanding and self-perception; although he has often been cast as an antagonist in his own story, he pushes back against that framing. This friction—between how one is seen and how one feels—is the emotional backbone of the record. This work is a solid debut that amplified Black Sherif’s voice as a beacon of restless interiority within contemporary African Pop. – M.A.

 

‘Midnight Train’ – Sauti Sol

Sauti Sol’s ‘Midnight Train’ is far more than a showcase of stylistic range. It is a joyful celebration of life’s ups and downs, recorded with the kind of musical detail only a seasoned band can master. It moves from soulful acoustic tracks to big, danceable hits like “Suzanna,” all held together by the signature harmonies of the Kenyan kings of Afropop. They tackle topics like sobriety and marriage with a mature perspective that feels earned.

Warm and inviting, ‘Midnight Train’ plays like a homecoming shared among close friends. It is a feel-good record that honours their East African roots while extending its reach outward, reaffirming Sauti Sol’s place as a benchmark for contemporary African bands. – M.A.

 

‘Celia’ – Tiwa Savage 

Tiwa Savage’s third studio album, ‘Celia,’ was released in August 2020. While the album might have arrived in the thick of the pandemic, it didn’t harbour any of the restrictive mood or energy of that era. Instead, on ‘Celia,’ Tiwa luxuriates in her sexual impulses, driven in her pursuit of life, and unapologetic about her womanhood, producing what is arguably her strongest album to date. The album neatly fuses Afropop and R&B with subtle touches of Dancehall and Funk, while also showcasing a refined maturity in both her songwriting and vocal delivery. – B.A.

 

‘Afro Pop Vol 1.’- Adekunle Gold 

In the history of evolutions by Afropop artists, Adekunle Gold holds a compelling record for reinvention.  ‘Afro Pop, Vol. 1’ arrived on the back of a daring move to desert the familiar folk motifs that characterised his artistry on his previous albums, ’Gold’ and ‘About 30,’  and follow those enjoyable projects with an entirely Pop-focused outlook. Naming it after said genre was a bolder step, and true to its title, it housed one of Afropop’s most notable album intros on Nailah Blackman’s chanty feature, “AG Baby.”   Alongside multiple solo and collaborative Dance- inducing records, including the Patoranking-assisted dancehall banger, “Pretty Girl,” “Okay,” and “Something Different,” Afro Pop, Vol. 1’  remains a high watermark in Adekunle Gold’s oeuvre. – M.E.

 

‘The Angel You Don’t Know’ – Amaarae 

Not many debut albums can replicate the polychromatic brilliance of ‘THE ANGEL YOU DON’T KNOW.’  Amaarae’s eccentricity created a whole alternate universe with only one rule: Fuck it, this is me, and the world must comply. Through an immersive kaleidoscopic collision of Afropop and Dance, she blithely addresses identity on “FANCY,” introversion on “LEAVE ME ALONE,”  braggadocio on the cunty “TRUST FUND BABY,” and desire on “CELINE” and “FEEL A WAY.”  A quintessential gift, “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY,” scored renown a year after its release, giving rise to one of Afropop’s biggest cross-cultural hits, underscoring the fact that ‘THE ANGEL YOU DON’T KNOW’ is a worthy addition to the canon of great African albums. – M.E. 

 

‘Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN’ – Cruel Santino 

In March 2022, Santi officially opened the gates to his fantastical, hyper-vivid Subaru World with the release of his official sophomore album, ‘Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN.’ A sprawling, cinematic 21-track rollercoaster, the album is built on distinctive, hazy soundscapes courtesy of the Monster Boys, intriguing narrative arcs and Nigerian street culture. The result is an immersive, detailed experience that Santi has continued to build on even after the album’s release, with accompanying visuals, a manga and more content that solidifies his vision as an auteur. – B.A.

 

‘Palmwine Music 3’ – Show Dem Camp WO

Show Dem Camp really know how to rap, but just as importantly, they know how to curate moods and vibes without sacrificing their technical rigour, as shown across their ‘Palmwine Music’ albums. ‘Palmwine Music 3,’ the thrilling finale for the series, is a legitimate would-be classic that bears the mark of excellence and unrestrained imagination we’ve come to expect from a typical SDC album.

Billed as a thematic focus on love in Lagos, the album meanders between styles and radio skits with a sense of ease that’s only matched by the album’s grooviness. Whether it’s Oxlade laying claim to a lover on “Mine Alone,” or Mannywellz dropping an unforgettable hook on the steamy “Freaky,”‘Palmwine Music 3’ effectively functions as a map of romance in the 21st century and is an unmatchable high for Alternative Pop in the 2020s. – W.O.

 

‘19 & Dangerous’ – Ayra Starr 

While it was crystal clear that she would be unrivalled from the moment her first body of work graced Afropop’s scene, Ayra Starr’s debut album ‘19 & Dangerous,’  through a meticulous approach to identity, stamped the notion of her being a generational force. Mirroring the salient themes of youthful exuberance, she explored a novel approach to defiance on “Cast,” explored her long-intended relationship with fashion on “Fashion Killa,” and reclaimed herself on “Bloody Samaritan.”  No project by a burgeoning Afropop star has duly represented the angst of teenagehood, especially as a young girl learning the ropes of finding self as comprehensively as ‘19 & Dangerous.’  – M.E 

 

Interview: FOLA Is Fully Loaded

Posted on by Boluwatife Adeyemi

In late 2025, just ahead of his debut album, we published a piece examining FOLA’s blistering rise to Afropop’s summit, what lay ahead, before concluding he was on the brink of greatness. In a little over a year since his delightful earworm “alone” charmed its way into the hearts of the masses in 2024, the self-proclaimed “striker”–a nod to his deep love for football–had begun putting up amazing metrics across the board. The groundwork laid by “alone,” a track that introduced his dulcet brand of Afropop, which heavily leans into R&B, was quickly built upon with a successful debut EP and a string of high-profile collaborations that set the stage perfectly for his official studio debut, ‘catharsis.’ 

Six months after the release of ‘catharsis,’ FOLA is talking me through the making of the album as he prepares to take it on the road for his first-ever tour. ‘It feels good, I won’t lie,’ he tells me–his voice calm yet carrying the slight tremor of pre-tour excitement–over a call one Monday afternoon in late March, when I ask how he’s feeling ahead of his tour.

Released in September 2025, his debut was met with instant critical and commercial acclaim, clocking over a hundred million streams on Spotify in just a few weeks of its release. While pre-released singles like “you” and the Lagos-inspired “eko” had already primed listeners for what was to come, the full-length delivery of the 11-track album stamped his arrival as a major league player, fully aware of his own capabilities. 

New tracks like “caricature,” the cinematic opener “gokada,”“golibe’ and the soul-soothing ballad “healer” became instant fan favourites, solidifying his reputation as a truly compelling Afropop star. After two home headline shows, FOLA is ready to sing to hundreds of his fans at the 02 Indigo, the first stop of his Live In Concert tour across the United Kingdom. 

 

We sat down with the star ahead of his tour, discussing his come-up, the making of his debut album, his recent short film with Funke Akindele and his stage craft. 

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity. 

If you were asked to briefly explain your come-up story, how would you describe it? 

It was easy at times, and it was so hard at other times. I just kept working, perfecting my sound: Afrobeats with a touch of soul and a little bit of R&B. Now, I’m here. 

Speaking of R&B, who were some of the people you listened to growing up, and do you think they have helped shape the kind of music you make right now?

To be honest, I grew up listening to a lot of Gospel music. But I also listened to some artists who have influenced the kind of music I make now. I liked artists like Wande Coal, Tuface Idibia and 9ice. When I was younger, I would tell some of my big bros that I was interested in making music, and they told me that if I was really serious about it, I should listen to artists like Wande Coal and 9ice. That’s why I started listening to those acts a lot. I also liked international acts like Chris Brown and Beyoncé. 

Do you think the gospel music you listened to also influenced your own music?

Oh, for sure, it really did. I listened to a lot of Tope Alabi and Yinka Ayefele. So naturally, I picked up influences from those people as well. 

Your first project, ‘What A Feeling,’ was released in late 2024. Can you tell me a bit about how that came together?

I didn’t even know I was going to put out a project that year, frankly. I was just doing my thing, going to the studio as usual, but I didn’t have much buzz at the time. I kept putting out singles, and God did, “alone” below up. Most of the songs that ended up on ‘What A Feeling’ were recorded before I had my big break. I just needed someone to tell me, ‘shoot.’ 

Less than a year later, you released your debut album ‘catharsis.’ The reception has been great since its release. What was the experience like putting together your very first album? 

My favourite memory from making this album was the session where I made “golibe” with Victony. We spent about 12 hours in the studio making the song. It was just true passion for music. We made a couple more songs together, but we decided on “golibe” for the album. 

My personal favourite is “caricature.” I had recorded the song even before I dropped my first EP, but I always had so much faith in the song. A week before the album dropped, I had to take out one song off the tracklist, and I almost took out “caricature,” but I’m glad I eventually left it on the album. I recorded “you” with Kel-P, and it took four sessions to complete, but it was worth it. It’s such a smash record right now. Young Jonn sent the verse for “Disco” in under 24 hours. That was super jiggy. 

 

You’ve been doing more live shows recently, and you’re about to kick off your first-ever tour. What has been your experience doing these recent shows, and how do you think you’ve been able to hone your stage craft over the years? 

It’s not about the music alone. It’s wider than that. I really love performing, so I’m always working on it. If you don’t see me posting, I’m working on my performance. I know I have to get better at it. It’s a wider stage now, a wider audience. I’m also particular about singing live. I don’t believe in playing backing tracks while performing. I want a band onstage to play some instruments, and I just want to sing. 

You released a short film for “eko,” which starred and was directed by Funke Akindele. What was it like working on that project? 

It was really good. Funke Akindele is someone I grew up watching. She’s such a big figure. She’s a big fan of my music, and she’s shown me so much love. She calls me regularly to check in and give me advice. She’s been in the entertainment industry for over 25 years, so she has all the experience I need. To be honest, I loved acting in the short film. I used to act back in the day, mostly in church plays. But I knew I could sing more than I could act. When the opportunity came to do the short film with Aunty Funke, I couldn’t resist. 

Your acting skills in the Eko short weren’t too bad at all. Is acting something you think you’ll love to do more of in the future? 

I don’t think so. I love fashion too, so I think I’ll prefer to venture into that more in the future. I could become a model, who knows. 

 

What can fans look forward to regarding new music this year? 

I’m fully loaded, I promise. I’m always working, I’m always recording. I don’t have a lot of hobbies, so I think that has helped me. I just want to watch football, play FIFA, maybe go to the gym and get back into the studio. I have a lot of new music coming. 2026 is the year, I promise. 

Interview: Zee Nxumalo Wants You To Dance  

Posted on by The Native

Zee Nxumalo might just be at the start of her career, but the Swazi-South African singer approaches her craft with the even-keeled maturity of a veteran. Since her single, “Funk 55,” catapulted her to mainstream success, Nxumalo has taken to music with aplomb, meeting each level with strategy and planning that she credits to her willingness to learn. “I think it actually comes from the urge of wanting to learn more,” she tells Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio. “Because you know, as you keep on learning more, you realize, ‘No, actually it gets bigger, it gets better. I can get better with time.'”

After ending 2025 as the most streamed female musician in South Africa, the star is setting her eyes on new targets, starting with the release of her extended play, ‘IZINJA ZAM,’ next week. Crafted in partnership with 3-Step icon, Dlala Thukzin, the project is a tribute to having a good time, writing a new page in African Dance Music in unique fashion as only Nxumalo can. One week before the release of ‘IZINJA ZAM,’ she comes on Africa Now Radio to discuss her career so far and the demands of growing. 

The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. 

What’s the goal for the new project?

I want people to dance. I genuinely want people to dance and have a good time. I mean, there are spiritual songs in the music, and that’s what I wish people could take time listening to. There’s a song, it’s my favorite song, “Igama Lami,” I think I’m going to make it the lead single. So, the song is an internal conversation that I’m having with myself. So, you know the thing about what would future Zee say? I actually did it in the song. So, I’m telling future Zee, “Ukuthi isimo sibi, konakele, izinto azihamani, kamoshakale.” And then future Zee says, “Zisoma izithazihasele. Ufuna makukfuna kfhole ubalindele.” Yo, it’s such a beautiful song. I wish people can feel what I felt when I was doing that song. Yeah, but I want people to dance.

What’s it like working with Dlala Thukzin?

So when I went to Durban, I just wanted to learn how some people work. Because I had started being in Joburg, I was boiling to want more. So, it was like, let’s see what we can take from Durban. We spent a week with Dlala Thukzin, and then we made beautiful music. Music that you listen to and you’re like, “Let’s release this.” Like, “Okay, let’s just give it to the people.” You know, that’s how confident we were with this music. So yeah, it was Durban, obviously with the help of other producers as well, but the majority of the production is Dlala Thukzin.

What does winning awards mean to you?

The recognition means so much. I always take it like that. I have this thing of let’s just look at the positive of it because if we focus too much on the negative, we’ll fail to celebrate what God has actually given us. So, no matter how bad the situation is, ngithi noma waphu-munga-winanga-lutho, it’s the fact that just the recognition, kusho ukuthi ngiyitshaye game because I’m my biggest fan. But with me with awards, I’m just grateful for the recognition; I don’t want to lie. And being the most nominated artist at Metro FM 2026, that for me was a win. 

How do you handle growth?

I’m still growing, you understand? And maybe I’m doing things that one day I’m going to be like, “Mmm, I shouldn’t have done that.” You know, and that’s what comes with growing, mistakes. So with me, it’s just accepting my nature of being a female because there’s DNA that contributes. That means there comes a time in the month when I’m moody. At least I’m able to be like, “Okay, maybe I’m not in this space to be interacting with people, maybe ngizophawana nama-emotions,” you know, because that’s just who I am, I am female. But it’s a learning process. Ngiyaphunda. Maybe after 10 years, I’ll come back to you with a proper answer.

How are you processing getting popular beyond South Africa?

I think it actually comes from the urge of wanting to learn more. Because you know, as you keep on learning more, you realize, “No, actually it gets bigger, it gets better. I can get better with time, yabo? So I think much of the credit I’d give to my nature of wanting to learn. For example, when I was in Alex and when I was cool in Alex, anyone could have been like, yeah, actually I’ve reached the pinnacle of Alex, but you can actually get cooler than Alex and get out of Alex and do dope [things]. Then you’re like, no, it gets bigger than dope, South Africa. Then when you start obviously interacting with people from other places, like you can actually be big in South Africa and go global. 

What helps you dream bigger?

I think much of the credit should be given to my team, honestly. That’s what I like about working with people who are more advanced than you are. For example, I come from Alex, and most of my team members come from the North, [so] they’ve been exposed.  So those are the people who have also helped me dream bigger. I remember at one point when they were like, “You know, you need to get a stylist.” I’m like, “I-stylist iyabhadalwa? You must pay someone to dress you up?” But it’s just not the same, or maybe you just can’t be that consistent, yabo? As opposed to having someone who’s actually doing this thing as a profession, there’s a difference. I mean, not saying you shouldn’t style yourself, it’s good to play around with your art, but the intention was taught by i-management yami, angifuni amampunge.

Are you trying to break through in Nigeria?

Let me start by saying I think the biggest platform is South Africa. And then from South Africa it gets better. In terms of reaching out continentally, we are trying to penetrate the Nigerian space. I found it very interesting, like the interest. So obviously, we’re reaching out to the other side. We were doing a panel talk there as well. So we are very much trying our luck in that Western Africa region. I’m hoping it’s going to go well. I think I’m ready now, because also with my sound, I’m very defined, because you know, I don’t have that thing where when you go to Nigeria, then you want to be Nigerian, because obviously, you are not yet ready. But if you’ve defined yourself in your own hometown, I think it’s going to go easier for us to come out in Nigeria and be fully Zee. You know what I’m saying? We are really trying the Nigerian market, and then I’m going on a UK tour as well, doing AfroNation. So yeah, we are going global. We are global. The main focus is just to go global.


Listen on Apple Music

 

Vanco Wants to Score the Best Night of Your Life

Posted on by Melony Akpoghene

Vanco never really second-guessed that his 2025 hit song “Ma Tnsani (Yalla Habibi)” would take off. “When I release something, I’m confident people will enjoy it,” the South African DJ/Producer tells NATIVE Mag. That confidence has guided him every step of his career, pushing him to walk away from his day job as a quantity surveyor to pursue music full-time after years of balancing both worlds. A chance trip to the Amsterdam Dance Event in 2018 revealed to him glimpses of what was possible and proved his creativity was worth the gamble.

To those just tuning in, Vanco seemingly appeared out of nowhere. “Ma Tnsani (Yalla Habibi),” a collaboration with AYA, which was Ibiza’s most shazamed track of 2025, was evocatively contemporary in spirit, sitting right within the Afro-House revival happening globally and earning a successful remix from Tiësto. But Vanco is no overnight success. His foundational breakthrough came a decade earlier with 2015’s “Regeneration.” His journey since then has seen him continue to expand through constant travel, larger stages, and deeper engagement with diverse audiences and cultures, all of which feed back into his evolving sound.

 

This evolution unfolds against a broader shift in African Dance music, with South Africa remaining a fertile ground for the birth and blossoming of the different iterations of the sound across the continent. Raised on a cocktail of Gospel, Hip-Hop, and especially Kwaito—which he identifies as a precursor to contemporary styles like Amapiano and 3-Step—Vanco’s sound enables him to connect South Africa’s vibrant Dance tradition with parallel movements across the continent, specifically towards Nigeria, a territory he views as a primary creative foil. 

His new single with Deela, “Repeat,” is a thumping six-minute excursion through winding electro rhythms buried deeper into a shape-shifting bed of Afro-Tech, as Deela’s hypnotic chants lead it in headier directions. We caught up with the globetrotting artist as he prepared for a Hungarian tour stop to discuss his ever-expanding creative world and his mission to create resonant, memory-defining moments through music.

What have you been up to lately?

I’ve been up and down. I’ve been busy touring and making music on the road, while also balancing family time and spending time with friends. I’ve taken up interior design again as well, something I used to do when I worked in real estate as a construction engineer. Now, I pursue it as a hobby to help maintain balance in my life. Creatively, I feel I’m in a very good place. I’ve been travelling more and gaining exposure to new territories and larger stages, which has enriched my creative process. These experiences naturally find their way into my music.

Growing up, would you say you were very musically inclined?

Yes, very much so. In South Africa, music is a big part of our culture. It’s a form of expression for us, and it speaks to us in many ways, so you can’t deny or ignore it. From going to school and coming back home to spirituality, especially church, which is significant, music is always present. People are deeply rooted in spirituality, so music becomes part of the journey. In other words, you’re born into it.

What kind of music was playing when you were growing up?

Old-school music, of course, Gospel, which my parents played. There was also Kwaito and House music, as House was quite mainstream even then, you’d always hear it on the radio, along with a bit of Hip-Hop.

It’s interesting how you distinguished Kwaito from House music. Can you talk more about that?

Kwaito is different from House music. Kwaito is the originator, and much of the music is heavily influenced by it, including Amapiano and 3-Step. Most of our local music draws from Kwaito. It also comes from a time when South Africa gained freedom, so many artists used it as a form of expression and celebration. It was about sharing relaxed, enjoyable music to lift people’s spirits, given the country’s difficult history.

One of the things I like about Kwaito is the message behind it, the songwriting, and the melodies, especially the basslines. For me, the basslines on those songs are unbeatable. It’s something I always go back to. Even though I was young at the time, now that I’m an adult, I relive those moments. It brings a sense of nostalgia. Some songs carry strong messages about enjoying time with your boys, life getting better, and personal growth. Sometimes it’s about girls, too. It’s similar to Hip-Hop and Pop in that way, something people can relate to, especially in the hood. It’s positive, uplifting music.

 

What music have you been listening to lately?

I’ve been listening to old-school Hip-Hop and a lot of local music, such as uMaskandi, which is heavily guitar-driven with a distinct rhythm. I also listen to Highlife a lot. I enjoy it very much.

When did you realise you wanted to make music full-time?

I took a trip in 2018, when I was still running a construction consulting company with my mentor. It was my last year working as a quantity surveyor, in real estate development and interior design. I travelled to Amsterdam for a holiday, and that was my first ADE. People recognised me and were taking pictures because they had been listening to my music. At the time, I had been doing music part-time since 2015. That trip gave me confidence and belief. The following year, in 2019, I took a leap of faith and started doing music full-time.

Where were you in your career when you worked on “Ma Tnsani (Yalla Habibi)”?

I was in London. The idea started on the plane, mainly the melody. There’s a strong melody before the vocals come in. I often create ideas on flights, usually melodies, chords and grooves. Then the full song was produced in London.

Did you anticipate how successful it would become?

I always expect my tracks to do well, not in a cocky way, but in a positive and motivational sense. When I release something, I’m confident people will enjoy it. But the success of that track went beyond my expectations. I didn’t anticipate it reaching those heights, although I do believe in everything I put out.

How did “Repeat,” the collaboration with Deela, come about?

It was about good energy. These things aren’t always planned. I was introduced to Deela through my management, and we met at a studio session in London. We worked on the track, and it was good, but we felt strongly about this one. It was natural, just good vibes, and before you know it, you have something special.

How do you view the creative synergy between Nigeria and South Africa right now?

We are all Africans at the end of the day. The rhythms may differ, but they are connected. It’s important to bridge those cultural and musical gaps. Nigeria has a strong, long-standing music culture. You can see it in collaborations like AKA and Burna Boy. The Nigerian scene has incredible artists, with strong support within the community. That energy spreading across the continent is powerful. It’s time for Africa to explore its creativity and share it with the world.

Are there other Nigerians you’d like to work with?

I’m open to making good Electronic music with anyone. I really love Nigeria. I’ve been coming to play every year for the past five years, and I’ve become deeply connected with the culture. One of my favourite things to do is drive around and visit the Shrine. It’s a great way to understand the culture more deeply. I also enjoy watching local DJs, like Aniko, and seeing what others in the scene are doing. Meeting people and seeing the work from platforms like Spektrum is inspiring.

Are you experimenting with any new directions in your music at the moment?

I wouldn’t say I’m experimenting, but I’m open to making good Electronic music. The experimental side comes from working with different vocalists, artists, and producers across various genres. I’m focused on creating strong electronic music and developing within that space.

 

How would you say Electronic music has evolved from when you started releasing music until now?

It has definitely evolved. Social media, the internet, and AI have all played a role in that growth. Like any region, Africa has its own rhythm, which is different from other parts of the world. Europe also has its own distinct sound. Right now, Africa is in the spotlight. There were times when America, especially during the rise of hip-hop, was in focus, and later the UK had its moment. Now it’s Africa’s time to shine. The world is starting to catch up with what we are doing. We are different in our own way, and we are able to tell our own stories. In the past, people were not widely exposed to our creativity, but now they are discovering more African artists. It shows progress. It’s also helping to remove stereotypes about Africa and highlight our identity through music. 

You’ve been touring a lot. How has the experience been?

It’s been good. I’ve been touring for the past five years. Since 2019, which was my first European tour, I’ve continued performing. The difference now is that I’m playing bigger stages and more shows than before. It’s been a beautiful journey and a great experience. You get to learn about different cultures, then go back to the drawing board and incorporate some of those elements. As much as I’m African, I also take influences from other parts of the world through travel and performance. So far, I’ve adopted different sound qualities, mixing and engineering techniques, and even how DJs in other countries approach their business.

What do you want to make people feel on the dance floor?

I want people to have a memorable night, moments they can connect to their life experiences. For example, remembering when a particular track played during an important moment in their lives. I’ve performed at private events where couples got engaged after meeting on the dance floor. Those kinds of stories matter. I want people to leave with moments they will carry with them for life.

What does the next phase of your career look like?

It’s about staying committed to the music and the culture, and continuing to grow and improve. I want to take things to greater heights, be more innovative, and eventually create a platform for others. I would like to be an example for emerging artists, especially in Africa, who want to break into the international scene, and help them progress in their careers.

Listen to “Repeat” here.

Senegal’s Draconian Anti-LGBTQ Law Is Starting To Affect Lives

Posted on by Michelle Ejiro

Since the beginning of 2026, a fresh wave of homophobia has hit Senegal, with strong enforcement laws leading to multiple arrests of individuals suspected of engaging in same sex relations. This queer hunt has become the catalyst for doubling the already existing anti-LGBTQ law by Senegal’s National Assembly. 

On March 11 2026, Senegal legislators, with a vote ratio of 135 to 0, unanimously approved a bill to increase the maximum prison sentence from five years to a total of ten years. By the end of the same month, the Senegalese president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, passed the bill into law, increasing additional fine rates from between 100,000 and 1.5 million CFA francs to a minimum of 2 million and up to 10 million CFA francs. 

 

Barely a month after the new anti-LGBTQ law was passed, its judicial effects have started to take effect with a conviction recently occurring on Friday, April 10, at the Pikine-Guédiawaye High Court in Dakar, where a man named Mbaye Diouf was found guilty of public indecency and committing unnatural acts. His arrest was initiated by a witness who filmed Diouf and an unidentified partner without their consent in what was labelled a “compromising scene.”  The witness then called for their arrest. However, only Diouf was arrested as he was unable to flee the scene while his partner absconded. 

Following his arrest, Diouf pleaded guilty, admitting he engaged in the act with an agreement to get paid 2,000 CFA francs, claiming he was unaware that his actions were illegal. The public prosecutor eventually sentenced him to six years’ imprisonment and requested him to pay an extra fine of 2 million CFA francs, which is approximately $3,591.

This case proves that Senegal has become unsafe for queer people, and the stringent enforcement won’t be alleviated anytime soon. This is the first case of many potential convictions, and it leaves the question: What is Africa’s obsession with queer people, and why are queer rights still being stifled?  Across the continent, 31 countries actively criminalise same-sex relationships with death penalties in Mauritania and some parts of Nigeria,  Somalia and Sudan where Sharia law is practiced. In other countries like Ghana, simply identifying as a queer individual or advocating for LGBTQ rights can lead to a jail term of five to ten years. 

Godwin Is Expanding the Frame With ‘RENDITIONS’

Posted on by Temiloluwa Adeyemo

Godwin is entering a defining stretch in his creative journey. Between the release of  ‘RENDITIONS,’  a piano-led reinterpretation of Nigerian classics, and Crocodile, a documentary chronicling a decade’s worth of work with his brothers in The Critics, his work is finding new visibility across both music and film. While these recent releases mark a step forward, they build on years of quiet development. Starting as a filmmaker in Kaduna, Godwin’s early work with The Critics established a practice rooted in consistency and self-direction, which are elements that continue to shape how he approaches his art today.

Now leaning more fully into music, that foundation carries through in his process and output. Before ‘RENDITIONS,’ Godwin had been building a body of work through ‘Road to Nirvana’ and ‘Atonement,’ where grief, faith, and memory were explored through stripped-back, narrative-driven songwriting. Alongside these releases, he started sharing piano-led reinterpretations of Nigerian classics online, gradually building an audience drawn to their simplicity. What began as loose, personal recordings slowly grew into something people kept returning to. ‘RENDITIONS’ emerged from that period, gathering those moments into a more intentional body of work while holding on to the intimacy that shaped them.

 

We caught up with Godwin to talk about his evolution, creative discipline, and what lies ahead.

You started as a filmmaker in Kaduna. How did growing up and working in Kaduna shape your creative approach?

Kaduna is where I spent my formative years, and even though I’m still quite young, it’s been all that I’ve really known. It has had a huge impact on me. More specifically, I’m from a place called Kudenden. It’s very small, almost like a village. People aren’t necessarily exposed to art or its possibilities, but they are very open-minded. When my brothers and I started exploring filmmaking, people didn’t fully understand what we were doing, but they supported us. They would watch our work and give simple feedback, like pointing out parts they liked. That kind of encouragement helped build my confidence as an artist, and the same goes for my brothers. The sense of community in Kudenda made us feel like we could do anything. We genuinely believed we could conquer the world.

Looking back at those early filmmaking days with The Critics, what was driving you then, and how has that motivation evolved?

That period was very important because it introduced me to consistent creation. It became a routine, a part of who I am. At first, it was simple; we could wake up and decide to shoot something. But as we grew, we realized there’s structure involved. You need budgets, planning, and coordination. That understanding of structure has helped me now, even in music. I already know what works for me. Film, music, and art in general are all connected. So, those early experiences have shaped how I approach everything creatively today.

You’ve been balancing filmmaking and music for years. How do those two sides of your creativity interact now?

My music is very visual and story-driven, and I also direct my own videos. There’s a natural overlap between the two. The skills I’ve learned over the years intersect in a way that allows me to express myself fully without abandoning one for the other. Right now, I’m prioritizing music. I haven’t made a film in about three or four years, but I still find ways to enjoy both within my journey.

The ‘RENDITIONS’ EP revisits some iconic Nigerian classics. What drew you to these particular songs?

Before I fully transitioned into being a musician, I used to make a lot of renditions, like my own versions of songs. These were mostly songs I grew up on. Nigerian music, Pop songs, all kinds. I would slow them down and play them on the piano so people could better understand and appreciate the lyrics. I didn’t change much beyond the tempo. I had a very small piano, but it helped me experiment and build confidence. I posted snippets online without expectations, but some went viral. People started asking for full versions, especially for special occasions like weddings. While I was on tour recently, the idea came back, and we recorded full versions on the road, in hotels, and whenever we had free time. The songs we chose were among the most requested, and they hold deep personal meaning. They represent my early musical experiences and highlight the richness of Nigerian music.

 

Was there any track on the EP that felt too big or intimidating to touch at first?

Not really. When I was younger, I had a mindset of wanting to make something even better than the original. I always aimed to create versions that felt uniquely mine so people could immediately recognize them as my interpretation. There was one song I made out of pure curiosity. I saw an interview where someone said they didn’t like people covering their music, so I decided to make a version anyway. That was more of a playful moment.

These songs have meant a lot to many people over time. What do you hope your versions add to the conversation around them?

I think they remind people that we come from somewhere, that there’s a rich musical history behind what we have today. For those who know the originals, it brings back nostalgia. For new listeners, it introduces them to that era of Nigerian music. It’s about appreciation. Going back and reconnecting with the music and the memories attached to it.

The documentary Crocodile captures your journey with The Critics over more than a decade. What did seeing your story on screen reveal to you about yourself?

Watching it on a laptop is one thing, but seeing it on a big screen with an audience is completely different. It gave me a deeper understanding of myself and my brothers. Sometimes we live our lives without fully understanding each other’s perspectives. The film provided context. It helped me see moments I may have misunderstood before. It brought me a lot of happiness and clarity. It also reminded me that we’ve come a long way and that we have every reason to hope for a bright future.

How did it feel seeing your film on a global stage like the Berlinale?

It was amazing. When the director from New Zealand first reached out, we actually ignored her for months. Eventually, we connected, understood her vision, and worked together over time. At that point, we weren’t thinking about global recognition. It was just our lives. When the film got that level of exposure, it was incredibly rewarding. It felt like a dream we had always hoped for.

What’s next for you creatively? Is there a new direction or part of yourself you’re excited to explore?

An album. That’s what I’ll say for now. We’re working on the next project, and the past few months have been really inspiring. It’s pushing me to think beyond what I previously imagined. I’m excited to explore all the possibilities with this next body of work.

Listen to ‘RENDITIONS’ here. 

How King Saheed Osupa Became A Timeless Pop Culture Icon

Posted on by Foyin Ejilola

“Where is Saheed Osupa?” 

Last September, Saheed Osupa was conspicuously absent at the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja. This dashed the hopes of many for a performance that captured the cultural essence of the event. Ultimately, it sparked an appreciation of the Fuji star’s style as one distinctly steeped in Yoruba culture through language, orature, and worldview. 

Since the time of Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, the pioneer of Fuji, the genre has produced some of the biggest stars in the history of Nigerian music. Each one has made a mark on the evolution of Fuji by infusing it with stylistic advances. Yet their success is mostly tied to how much they grasp and have been able to hone its foundational elements: Yoruba and Islamic music traditions, praise-singing, mastery of rhythms and percussion, cross-genre permutations, all primarily delivered in the Yoruba language. 

True to the qualities of a Fuji master, Saheed Osupa checks all these boxes. He then niches down, forcing us to see the Yoruba language beyond being a communicative tool but as an archive of historical knowledge and philosophical perspectives. To say his lyrics are incantatory, as I’ve heard many argue, is one of the most contemptuous remarks I’ve heard about the cultural prominence of his music. Still, it implies his status as a Yoruba knowledge keeper who uses Fuji as a bank. His work, from ‘Fuji Fadisco’ to ‘Oracle,’ takes listeners on a cultural exposition. 

 

A Man of The People

Younger Nigerians are currently buzzing with renewed interest in their indigenous cultures and languages. Artists like Asake, Adekunle Gold, and Seyi Vibez are taking global stages with the Yoruba language. In recent years, Fuji has become the new cool in the warm embrace of newer, younger consumers, some of whom are musicians innovating with it. 

2025, especially in its fourth quarter, saw this world of Fuji and cultural enthusiasts gravitate towards Saheed Osupa. In the face of incessant demands, he hosted the Olubadan Appreciation Night to make up for his absence at the coronation. He was the cynosure at AG Baby’s Fuji Street Carnival, which was hosted on October 5th, 2025, to mark the launch of ‘Fuji’, Gold’s sixth album. He graced the stage with Asake at the December Flytime Fest, giving the show one of its brightest highlights. This created more publicity for the second edition of Osupa’s Exclusive All-White Agbada Party, which he hosted about a week later. 

 

Much of the acclaim being held for Saheed Osupa is inseparable from his artful use of every linguistically possible Yoruba medium to achieve profundity. This has been a defining feature from the beginning of his career, through his own growth and the loss of Fuji’s momentum in the last decade, which kindled the fusion of Fuji and Hip-Hop, a sub-genre dominated by Wasiu Alabi Pasuma.

Starting with Saheed Osupa’s debut album, ‘Fuji Fadisco,’ he has shown a natural zest for spotlighting the Yoruba culture. In the two-track album, he pays homage to his Fuji predecessors and the extraterrestrial. He administers doses of sermonic lyrics. He self-aggrandises while reassuring himself of success in his career path. At this point, he shows his adventures in seeking out the Yoruba belief system while blending it with his birth religion, Islam. He likens himself to Ọ̀bàrà Bogbè, an odu ifa that he links to victory. In the face of adversity, he claims to have been instructed by the Iyas—the witches spiritually backing him—to turn to this odu as his nasiha, an Islamic concept that loosely means ‘advice’. 

Osupa, the cultural advocate, would surface in subsequent works. “Olaju De,” the third track from his 2007 ‘Reliable’ album, is the biggest instance to point at. The song starts by sharing the sentiments of each older Yoruba generation against the younger ones: they’re active participants in eroding cultural norms with every wave of modernity. It proceeds into being a lesson in ancient Yoruba practices, commenting on how technology and the other fruits of modernity in the postcolonial era have changed them. He ends it by clamouring for the reutilisation of these systems, an argument he drives home by insisting that Oyinbo, the white colonisers we emulate, have never abandoned their culture. With that, the track became the sound for radio and television shows themed around the advocacy for Yoruba culture. In “Vanacular,” a track off ‘Non Stop (Hip-Fuji)’ album in which he features Terry Apala, he charges elders with the responsibility of teaching the younger generations the Yoruba language. 

For scholars, Yoruba-centric creators, and initiatives enhancing cultural pride, Saheed Osupa is a source of reference and endless materials for knowledge expansion. Such is his contribution in this space that in 2024, he was conferred the title “Oba Afededara” by the Department of Linguistics, African Languages, and Communication Arts at Lagos State University (LASU). 

“Fuji Theatre” is one of Saheed Osupa’s most popular live performances. It stands out for its opening chorus, a lengthy, illustrative proverb whose literal interpretation was puzzling. Kọ́kọ́rọ́ alátẹ, t’òun t’àtẹ ni; òwú alátẹ, t’òun t’àtẹ ni. He directed the song at Fathia Williams, who was then in the thick of her separation from her ex-husband, Saidi Balongun. Years later, Tayo Bello (Waa Sere), one of Nigeria’s top Yoruba educators, analyses the proverb—all of its symbols point to the inherence of imperfection in humans. 

 

Similarly, Olalekan Fabilola of Másòyìnbó, a top Yoruba game show in Nigeria, often credits the impact of Saheed Osupa’s music on his language mastery as a then computer science undergraduate at Covenant University and now as a Yoruba language tutor and advocate. He would later tell him this in an episode in which he was featured. In these later years of Saheed Osupa’s career, he has built an audience faithful to Yoruba culture. For them, their fondness for him reinforces their identities as Yoruba culture advocates, alongside being Fuji fans. 

Osupa, the Deity 

The Yoruba music style favours functionality over creating for art’s sake. Thus, music is also tasked with the responsibility of expressing Yoruba’s didacticism, passing down lore, and preserving traditions. In matter and manner, Saheed Osupa delivers these functions with his music and, on occasion, the films he has made. 

He comments on societal happenings with the Yoruba worldview as a framework for sharing wisdom and extracting lessons. This is imbued with storytelling mastery, personal experience, and innovative use of Yoruba language aesthetics. The result is works that have evergreen relevance, just like the proverbial counsel of elders that never gets outdated. Of course, this validates Saheed Osupa’s claims when he refers to himself as a messenger divinely inspired. 

Realistically, he owes a part of his sagacity to the cultural model he has stuck with. This concept of relevance is directly taken on in “Ilu mi,” a track from his 2009 ‘Mr Music’ album. Culled from the Yoruba emphasis of being sensitive to one’s environment and acting accordingly, he urges fellow musicians to follow this principle by illustrating the ridiculousness of singing a dirge at a housewarming. Fans would cite this as the shortcoming of Taye Currency’s performance during Olubadan’s coronation. 

For his Olufimo fanbase, Saheed Osupa’s story—replete with hardships—moves them. They relate to his struggles. It justifies why his songs are often heavily themed with ọ̀rọ̀ ìyànjú, words of relief to uplift his listeners. His breakthroughs are aspirational, a major one being when Sikiru Ayinde Barrister crowned Saheed Osupa the King of Music. The Fuji Pioneer declared no one worthier, praising Saheed Osupa for fusing melody with lyrical depth that conveyed the prudent counsel of the Yoruba language. 

The history of this particular endorsement is written in supremacy battles that further tore the Fuji community into factions and intensified the lyrical war Saheed Osupa had been waging against his counterparts, particularly Pasuma. Studying Osupa’s conduct during this season of rivalries introduces one to Orin Eebu (songs of insult), a facet of Yoruba music tradition delivered with invectives. During conflicts, its purpose is to air one’s grievances indirectly. 

“Kolokolo Okota,” “Akuko Omole,” “Tanta Rubber,” and “Nuclear Weapon” are some of the potent case studies of how Saheed Osupa is a master at wielding this weapon when his ire gets drawn. Much of his fight was about establishing that he was second to none (read: Pasuma) and resisting titles that reflected otherwise. In a linguistically impressive way of doing this, he once refers to Pasuma—when he was known as the Otunba Fuji—as a crab-eater and he (Osupa), a consumer of crayfish in their supremacy race. “Otunba ti j’akan to ri o ti jeyi to kan, Awa jede jede lo ku ta tun le je’mi si,” he sang. 

Per the phrasing of the song, he declares Pasuma unfit to be crowned the King of Fuji. In Yoruba culture, heirs are forbidden from eating crabs lest they never ascend the throne. The shared context in the Fuji industry is Pasuma’s deputy position in King Wasiu Ayinde’s faction. As Oluwarotimi Ogungbemi and Ganiu Bamgbose affirm in Imagery in Fuji Music: Saheed Osupa as an Exemplar, being a deputy to some other king in the past is the inference of crab eating, which prohibits anyone from becoming a king. These two have since sheathed their swords, but Osupa rarely passes on self-adulating and shaming detractors. The songs of invectives are also still very much within his reach. 

 

Like many other Fuji musicians, Osupa has had many earnest yearnings. One is to have an everlasting reign and command honour in one’s music career. “Bàbá jẹ́ kí n lẹ́yìn nídìí iṣẹ́ orin kí n gbayì títí dalẹ́,” he pleads on “Reliable Pt 2”.  His prayers are being answered manifold: He is revered as a maker of timeless, grounded music. He is a teacher in the lifelong class of the Yoruba language and wisdom. The two top songs in the first quarter of 2026, Kayode’s “Aimoye” and Oshamo’s “Shina Rampe”, can be respectively traced to the fifth track off Saheed Osupa’s ‘Reliable’ album and the third of ‘Mr Music (Ore Niwon).’ More significantly, Saheed Osupa’s work is a reference point for a new generation of musicians carrying the Yoruba language further in their own unique fashion.

Interview: 17 Just Wants To Tell His Story 

Posted on by The Native

The walls of separation between disparate parts of people’s lives are quickly disintegrating in this generation, and the arrival of 17’s new extended play, ‘More To Life,’ holds further proof of that evolution. For much of his life, the Nigerian-British star, more popularly known as Alex Iwobi,  has been judged by what he can do on the football pitch, but he’s keen to show that there’s more to him than we know. 

It’s a moment that has long been in the works, with the rapper starting to release music in 2024. Since then, he’s sharpened his voice and vision, setting the stage for the arrival of his debut project, ‘More To Life,’ where he’s letting listeners into the minutiae of his life as a young and gifted black man navigating the parameters of his stardom without losing sight of his priorities.  With features from Fido, 24AM (fellow footballer, Amadou Onana), and TeniolaTime, 17 is stepping out to tell his story on his own terms. 

We hear that you love padel?

Of course, everyone knows that I like my football, I like my music.  Then, even recently, my friends and I have been trying to get into things like padel. I’ve played twice, and I’m already trying to book my next session. I’m actually enjoying it. So, whatever we try to like, we think, oh, let’s test it and see what we can do, we just try to enjoy ourselves. So the reason why obviously ‘More to Life’ is the best way to describe everything is that with my friends and me, with my family and me, we always say there’s more to life.

Why did you start releasing music?

I’ve been going to the booth with my friends for over like 15 years. So like, it’s always a hobby that my friends and I like, we just like to go in the booth, just talk about our lives, talk about what’s going on with us. Literally, whatever comes to mind, we literally just lay it into some lyrics and just put it on the mic. But then, only I’d say like four years ago, towards the end of my career at Everton, we said, “Ah, like, maybe we should put out your music. Like, what do you think?” And I thought, “Yeah, you know what? I think it’s time.” I think it’s time, like, of course, everyone knows Alex Iwobi the footballer, but I feel like it’s time, people see that I have more than just football hobbies, that I like to indulge in a lot of things. And obviously, music is one of them.  I don’t want people thinking I’m distracted with my music because, at the same time, football is my main profession. I feel like ever since I had the move to Fulham, it’s been the right time. My manager gives me the license to go and express myself outside the football pitch. My friends are giving me that freedom, and my family gives me that freedom. So when a lot of people are giving me that green light, I feel confident just to express myself through music. 

How did you approach making the opening track?

It’s an introduction to showcase what you’re going to hear for the rest of the tracks, to just hear like, and to understand that you’re going to hear about my life, you’re going to hear about what I go through, my experiences. And obviously, it’s called “Track Zero” because I’m giving credit to E-Man, he tried to be different. He didn’t want it to be just an intro. He said, “Let’s do something different.” I literally just started talking about me and how I see things, my vision on life. And obviously, the last bar, “there’s a whole new person just unleashed”. So with this EP, it’s time for me to come out of my shell. You’re going to hear my sounds.

How did you discover Amadou Onana could make music?

So with Amadou, that’s like my little brother, even though he’s like 24 inches taller than me. We went bowling once, and then after we went karaoke, and you know, when you go karaoke, normally it’s just like a bit of fun, you’re not expecting people to sound good. He started singing, and everyone was like, “Oh my god, he can sing.” So that’s the first time I thought, “Wow, you can actually sing.” So, I spoke to him. I said, “You actually like to do music?” He said, “Yeah,” he writes his own music. And I said, “Oh, like maybe one day we should link up and go to a studio. I have to give a shout-out to a group called Footballers’ Fits. They organised the session, and we created two songs. But one of the songs is obviously on the EP. Amadou is a talent. He’s another one who’s doing well with his football, but he can sing, and he’s got more to give as well. There are projects from him that are on the way as well.

How did you make “Bussdown?”

So my boy AT, Alex Teniola, obviously, he’s in a relationship. All of us were just talking about how we feel when we’re with girls, like what goes through our minds, and obviously, we like to be confident. So, it’s a smooth one, it’s a nice one, and it’s how I felt in the moment. We made the song, I think, like two, three years ago when I first signed for Fulham, so I was number 22. So, there’s a bar I say about the 22 in it. I was literally talking about the time when I was like, there were people, or like I had a certain someone that I was with at the time, and she was like, “Yeah, like 22,” and like it was nice, man. Everyone was talking about how they really feel in the time.

Are you the first footballer to release music?

Potentially, but my uncle did release a couple of tracks on YouTube, I believe. So I mean, obviously, he wasn’t known for his music, so maybe I might be able to take him up on that.

 

Review: Omah Lay’s ‘Clarity Of Mind’

There is something inherently spiritual about artists deeply plugged into the essence of their sounds. Spirituality, not acutely in the sense of honoring a certain deity or extra-natural force, but the confident and superhuman manner in which they prance around the affairs of their craft. The music they make becomes an extension of their inner essence. Their listeners feel whatever they have inside: from pain to excitement, from the lowest points to the highest peaks. 

Omah Lay is a spiritual singer, and almost four full years after releasing his debut album, ‘Boy Alone,’ he has returned with a polarizing sophomore album, ‘Clarity of Mind.’ That’s as simply as it can be relayed when you leave out what came before the arrival of the music: his hiatus from the public, his cryptic SOS messages online, his managerial controversy, an assist on Davido’s Grammy-nominated track “With You,” and his allegations that the initial concept for his album had been stolen by one of his colleagues. 

On the night of his listening party in London, he came out carrying what looked like 20-kilogram dumbbells and pumped his arms until they could lift no more. In Lagos, he maniacally laughed when a fan asked if he was mad. And without any reference to his frantic period of exemption, he told Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio during an interview that he “has been chilling.” Throughout the rollout for ‘Clarity of Mind,’ he’s been moving with a kind of unbothered calm, and it doesn’t really make any sense. 

Well, that’s because it’s not supposed to make sense. On ‘Boy Alone,’ Omah Lay established the persona of a fighter caught between hedonism as an escape from his troubled mind and the deep blue sea of its effects. He talked about the risk of a burnt liver from smoking so much, the well of trauma he has pent up inside, and even stretched out to the pollution problem in his hometown of Port Harcourt. But the thing with preserving that fighter persona is that it only lasts for so long, and at some point, the fighter who has been attacking his problems with his guard up must eventually ease up for a bit.

Leaning back to watch the party die, Omah Lay begins with a direct message on the album opener of his sophomore full length, “ARTIFICIAL HAPPINESS.” He is conscious of the hold that his addiction has on him, but, ironically, isn’t willing to push back on its caustic effects: “Before morning, the feeling will wash off / But tonight, we will die at the warfront,” he sings. Produced by the trio of David Hart, Orlando, and Tempoe, the track is maintained on a single tempo. Besides the drums, shakers, and feeble synths that blaze across occasionally, it’s mostly Omah’s vocals that steal the show, setting the stage for the album’s slippery feel. 

 

On “CANADA BREEZE,” he continues to emphasize giving in to the euphoric sense of awareness that comes with being intoxicated and unattached. This disdain for appendages runs throughout the album. Omah orders his Bisi not to hold on to anything they might have shared on “JAH JAH KNOWS,” because he is as clueless as she is and has dropped all attempts to figure things out. All of this culminates in the theme of peace as derived from apathy.  Rather than trying to make meaning out of a life that’s progressively becoming more puzzling, he prefers to leave it all to the fates. 

Not only is Omah Lay intoxicated with the serenity of not trying, but his hubris on “I AM” has him at a point where he believes he is supreme. He takes no dissension nor prisoners, and again only admits the counsel of his weed. It is like the classic braggadocio that defines art makers, except that Omah’s muffled incantation of the biblical reference “I am who I am” on most of the song is intended to convince listeners to take him seriously. 

The Tempoe-produced “DON’T LOVE ME,” however, introduces a new dilemma. Omah’s escape routes—the quick thrills of his Hennessey and marijuana, and other instant forms of gratification—aren’t as effective as before. Nonetheless, he won’t stop chasing them, and on “WATER SPIRIT,” he narrates an unrestrained night with a lover in highly metaphorical details: “She is on her way to come and make it rain tonight/ All she want na vitamin D, all she need na vitamin D,” he drags out. It is a mirror of the iconic and nasty “Ye Ye Ye” from 2020, and his cadence echoes early 2000s sexy Afropop. In particular, the Desperate Chick’s verse on Dekumzy’s “Who Get Dat Thing” first came to mind when he began to float over the incandescent instrumental. 

Omah’s lyric-tenor allows him to consummately bounce in, out, and around pockets that Tony Duardo creates with his percussion-driven production. He bends his syllables and is nimble with his words to match BPMs that are orthodox to rap songs. Omah repeats the same trick on the first verse of the pre-released “WAIST,” and matches it with the choral motif that becomes fatiguing further along into the album. To listen to only Omah’s vocals, unfortunately, became an exercise in patience at some point. 

Conversely, that isn’t the case on “COPING MECHANISM,” the only collaboration on the album, which features Elmah. Although the Afrosoul singer has fewer than ten songs in her catalogue, she rose to prominence after her single, “New Boy In Town,” took over TikTok in 2024. “COPING MECHANISM” is the first touchy-feely track on the record. Elmah takes the opening chorus, and as tenderness and vulnerability slip through the vocals of both singers, Omah reaches a seminal point in the album.

 

During a pre-album interview in London, Omah Lay narrated how he had to deal with a breakup and losing in his Grammy category on the same night.  “I was at the Grammys, and while Justin Bieber was performing, I was having a breakup,” he said. “So, there were two performers.” Although he tries to make light of the situation, he goes deeper into his toxic connection with being in love, explaining how hard it is to be fully immersed in his craft when he has his heart out for someone else across ‘Clarity of Mind.’

The breakup becomes a turning point and brings him clarity. “CANADA BREEZE” is the first time he addresses it on the album, turning reality to art when he sings, “…lost my bae and award all in one day.”  After his and Elmah’s duet, he creates a pictorial version of that night on “JULIA.” He mentions that he had already set tables for his victory, looking as stunning as possible, anticipating celebrating with his partner, only to walk away with ghostly apparitions of what could have been. 

The production on the album is inspired, with his close collaborator, Tempoe, taking credit for seven of the total 12 songs on the album. The bounce on “JULIA” is the standout, as well as Tony Duardo’s trickery on “WATER SPIRIT.” Built mostly around muted percussion, there are occasional synths from time to time that give it a sort of dramatic feel, like at the end of “CANADA BREEZE,” and through “WATER SPIRIT.”  ‘Clarity of Mind’ closes with “AMEN,” a manifestation of a good life where Omah has nothing else than what he desires: enough money, new Louis Vuitton merchandise, and, of course, clarity of mind. 

For most of its runtime, ‘Clarity of Mind’ moves beyond the narratives explored on ‘Boy Alone.’ Omah’s inclination towards manicured lyrics and substance-powered escapism tones down the emotionality. Here, he’s no longer trying to fix his problems, but becoming one with them in characteristic fashion. For the singer, ‘Clarity of Mind’ isn’t about finding solutions to his substance problems or emotional irregularity; it is about embracing them. 

Listen to ‘Clarity of Mind’ here.

Igwe Aka Is Leaning Into Legacy On “EGONOMICS”

Posted on by Boluwatife Adeyemi

A quick look at Igwe Aka’s Instagram account reveals the precise moment his style shifted. A teaser post from the 9th of January marks that critical turning point. In this clear digital landmark, he debuted what turned out to be “KAPOW,” a viral track that has given the Nigerian-born, Sacramento-based rapper and singer a significant boost in local exposure and acclaim. 

Before the release of “KAPOW,” Igwe Aka had already garnered some buzz in Sacramento’s underground scene thanks to his experimentation with a range of Hip-Hop styles and even Rock-influenced music. The viral track, however, ingeniously merged those Western influences with distinctive melodic cadences of his native Igbo language, creating an authentic and refreshing sound that quickly drew admiration from local listeners here who found resonance with his new style. 

 

This potent fusion of influences and a discernible visual aesthetic that leans heavily into Y2K Nollywood imagery has been the bedrock of his recent run and has made him one of the most exciting names currently shaping the future of Nigerian music. It’s also the driving force behind his latest release, ‘Wawa Music,’ a two-pack that features the standout “EGONOMICS.” 

Produced by 3CB, one of the major architects shaping the sounds coming out of the burgeoning underground scene, “EGONOMICS” reaches deeper into Igwe Aka’s cultural roots and evolving musical sensibilities, putting on for the Ndi Wawa, a subgroup of the Igbo people primarily located in Ebonyi and Enugu, his home state. Over bouncy drums and a floating oja flute, a native instrument of the Igbos, he raps about how he’s focused on getting the bag with clever wordplays like ‘My pockets filled with crackers but they speaking in Ebonics,’ while also referencing regions and landmarks like Federal Housing and Mbaise that ground the song’s narrative within his lived experiences.

The promotional videos for the single, as well as most of his other releases this year, have been fit for purpose, as they feature Igwe Aka in specific, carefully selected locations that intentionally evoke a strong sense of place and local pride, nicely complementing the themes and context of his current music. 

 

“EGONOMICS,” and the rest of ‘Wawa Music,’ which includes the Odunsi The Engine-assisted “BACKASSI,” exists within a broader trend of emerging acts pushing against the homogenisation of Afropop by taking strong inspiration from their roots and making something familiar but also forward-thinking. The recent viral success of Kayode’s “AIMOYE,” which samples King Saheed Osupa’s “Reliable Pt.5” lends credence to the trend. 

Other emerging acts like Luwa.Mp4, S1orDie, and Indi are similarly merging old and new influences to create something unique, and the release of “EGONOMICS” ensures Igwe Aka remains at the forefront of this movement, shaping and defining the future of Nigerian music. 

Listen to “EGONOMICS” here. 

Apex Village Wants To Leave Its Mark On Nigerian Hip-Hop With ‘Welcome 2 The Ville’

Posted on by Chinonso Ihekire

Seven years ago, somewhere in the heart of Nigeria’s bustling capital city, Abuja, Apex Village sprang to life under the aegis of Psycho YP and his sister/manager Cindy Ihua, with a talented group of mavericks, including Zilla Oaks, Kuddi, and Marv OTM in tow. By 2019, they had etched their first sonic offering as a group, with the 8-tracker ‘Welcome to the Ville’ album. The record showcased their brilliant progressive rap persona, outlier stories, and team spirit, rebelling against the idea that it was impossible to gain significant momentum with their music from anywhere other than Nigeria’s cultural capital, Lagos.

Now, their recent sophomore album, ‘Welcome 2 The Ville,’ expands that vision. The 14-tracker spin introduces Laime, Azanti, Uloko, and Thrill Max, positioning the group as a vanguard of Hip-Hop’s generational shift in Nigeria. The record weaves melodic Rap, street poetry, and hustler narratives, featuring a lineup of collaborators spanning Nigeria and the UK, including Arieenati, Kemuel, Bkay EastGaad, Zhud Jdo, Rjayondtrack, Tyira, Not3s, and Jeriq.

The soothing baritone of Nigerian broadcaster EDK opens up ‘Welcome 2 The Ville.’ “Monday is here! Brand new work week! We made it!” The radio-dub interlude segues into the trippy, anthemic hi-hats and Afro-Trap melody that structure the album’s opener, “God No Go Shame Us,” setting the tone for the ambitious youth memento that the entire record preaches. The song is a braggadocious duet between Psycho YP and Azanti where YP’s pidgin-inflected chorus, “Now when I don cash out from the Maye/ God no go shame us,” opens up room for Azanti’s hazy vocals as they affirm their self-belief and reliance on God’s providence. 

With most of the tracks produced by Apex sonic honcho Thrill Max, the rest of the record possesses that suspenseful, anthemic feel that introduces the group’s grandeur. In the second track, “How Far” (with Uloko, Psycho YP, and Marv OTM), the group introduces its polarizing Afrobeats shift, which began with earlier tracks like “Extracurricular Activities.” The same crew talking about the signposts of their financial success is reminiscing on earlier financial struggles. Uloko, who is a more recent member, brings on his Pop-leaning alto as he talks about his materialistic shayla from Tinapa. 

From there, the album segues into “Been A Minute” (with Laime, Aguero Banks, and Marv OTM), which brings their rap focus into full view. The track, which should have been a filler track at best, springs to the front burner, but the high-octane energy from Laime and Aguero on the track revs the record into an instant replay addiction. Trading bars in Pidgin, Igbo, and English juices the song with an instant relatability and groove that finds legitimacy among contemporary Hip-Hop records.

The polyphonic groove, melding hi-hats, 808s, Trap drums, backing vocals, and punchy bars, continues in the next track, “Anymore” (with Laime, Psycho YP and Arieenati) as they dive into their Kanye-esque energy in this track. Swapping stories of “pearls and diamonds as their fashion style” and “flying to Calabasas”, as they reflect on their quintessential ‘bad b,’ the record finds its footing in the raspy paces from both YP and Laime, who enshrine their deliveries with hard-hitting enunciation.

By the time the album spins into “No Hand$” (with Kemuel and Psycho YP), the album displays Apex Village’s versatility. Kemuel delivers feathery vocal smoothness; YP counterbalances with UK Drill cadence. Other tracks, like “Can’t Complain” and “Memories,” maintain this balance of R&B melodies and Trap grit. “Practice,” a solo track, showcases YP’s range, while his presence across nearly every track cements him as both the collective’s creative anchor and lead melodic voice. His dual upbringing in the UK and Nigeria is audible in his fusion of Afropop and Trap.

The entire album thrives on a particular tempo that prioritizes cohesiveness. Each track seeps into the other with familiar piano chords and suspenseful ambient melodies that buffer its Hip-Hop feel. The storytelling also follows a similar sequence, where braggadocio and hustling take centre-stage, while romance appears as a minority. For a collective like Apex, the stories feel like hair on skin, easily arriving as natural, intimate, sincere stories, like reading chapters from their personal journals. The celebratory, defiant, and ambitious mood that defines the album is, perhaps, the most exciting part of the music. It’s an instant adrenaline jolt, with no waning moments and instant replay value.

The album draws its curtains with “Memories.” The soothing, lithe vocals from Tyira, “I don’t want to lose you,” hang like thick clouds in the air, before Thrill Max’s airy drums usher in Laime’s Pop-Soul-leaning verse. Psycho YP’s pidgin bars surface again, as he odes to his roots, “From Rivers State, make dem no dey follow me play.” This particular track reveals the synergy between Laime and Psycho YP, who appear to be the most versatile in the entire group. Whether it’s blending their energetic Southern Nigerian spirit or their American-inspired Trap flows, the cousins understand the subject of tonal clarity in each of their collaborations.

Overall, ‘W2TV’ feels like a very fluid, progressive arrangement of ideas, sonics, and storytelling. The choice of features also ranks as one of the record’s strongest pillars, with invigorating contributions from indigenous rappers like Aguero Banks, Jeriq, to stylized UK/US Trap from Psycho YP, Marv OTM, and Bkay EastGaad, as well as Pop-Soul-influenced delivery from Laime, Azanti, and Kemuel. With brazy-but-intimate lyrics, each track feels well-tailored to feel uplifting, introspective, yet still giddy.

In some ways, the album is essentially a statement-making document of Apex Collective’s rise as one of Nigeria’s most vibrant and impactful Hip-Hop crews in recent times. Nearly a decade after rising to fame, Apex Village revives the communal, storytelling energy of earlier collectives like the Choc Boiz while tweaking it for today’s expansive, multi-genre soundscape. With clever lyricism, meticulous production, and carefully curated features, ‘Welcome 2 The Ville’ positions the group as both chroniclers and architects of Nigerian Hip-Hop’s next era. 

Interview: Omah Lay Wants ‘Clarity Of Mind’

Posted on by The Native

Since Omah Lay rose to mainstream consciousness during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Port Harcourt native has built a reputation as one of Afropop’s most conceptual-driven performers, blending sounds and moods in homage to his overarching vision, whether it was exploring the perks of superstardom on ‘What Have We Done’ or working through the emotional trappings of that success on ‘Boy Alone.’

‘Boy Alone,’ his debut album, released in 2022, was a triumph of his approach to making music and set the bar high for what was to come from the singer. Rather than give in to the pressure to craft a quickfire follow-up to ‘Boy Alone,’ the singer disappeared to work on his overall well-being, occasionally sharing singles and hinting at a follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut album. Nearly four years on from ‘Boy Alone,’ that follow-up, ‘Clarity Of Mind,’ has arrived, and per Omah Lay, it’s the sound of refreshment. “This is really clarity of mind, and with all of this resting and all of this chilling and just enjoying life, it just feels like, okay, it’s time,” he says. “It’s time to really start afresh.”

His conversation with Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio has been edited below for length and clarity. 

We’re speaking from the slopes of Austria. You’re skiing right now, how cool is that?

I’m having fun. I was just having fun with my life. And I think that’s the whole essence of my album. This album, ‘Clarity of Mind,’ is really just to enjoy life, you know? Life is really good.

What is ‘Clarity of Mind’ about?

You see, with ‘Clarity of Mind,’ I feel like for a while I kind of like decided to chill. Even though I was chilling, I was still getting Grammy nominations and all of that. But I decided to chill for a minute, take care of myself, take care of my family, put my mind back in the right space, and I really just turned off the world for a while. I just did that, spent time with my family, all of that, but while I was doing that, I was recording music too, you know? Because, you know, that’s my thing. I was recording music, and it feels like I’ve just been inside doing all this healing, all this self-growth, and all of that. I looked at a bunch of records that I made during this time that I’m taking care of myself, and I’m like, “Yeah, this is ‘Clarity of Mind.’ This is really clarity of mind, and with all of this resting and all of this chilling and just enjoying life, it just feels like, okay, it’s time. It’s time to really start afresh. 

 

 

What do you think about the creative scene today?

For a while, I’ve just been observing the scene, like our music and African art. I’ve been observing it for a while, and I’ve honestly not been happy. I have honestly not been happy. Not like we’re doing bad,  we’re doing really great. Something new has to happen, you know? There has to be, like the kids, they need to learn something else. They need to see something else, and that’s the whole essence of ‘Clarity of Mind.’ I’ve always wanted to start afresh. So I was like, okay, this is the time to start afresh. 

Why did you tattoo your head?

I’ve always wanted to tattoo my head, like all of my head. So it was like, I’m gonna make this an event. I’m gonna make it cool for my fans. I want to enjoy this moment with everybody. So, from the start of when I shaved off my hair, I’m gonna post it, and I’m gonna take my fans through this journey and make this whole thing an event. Go to the warehouses, invite them to see me tattoo my head, get my piercings, see me real-time, my hair grow while we’re listening to the album, partying from city to city, very private and intimate. Because it’s been a while, I feel like I miss them so much. I miss my fans so much.  With ‘Clarity of Mind,’ it’s like, “Yo, let’s go outside. Let’s have fun. Let’s enjoy this time.” So it’s gonna be one of the greatest gifts of anybody’s life. ‘Clarity of Mind’ is like the thing that I’ve always worked so hard for. Like all the self-growth, all these books, it’s for me to reach that height. So, we’re here. Let’s do it with everybody. I gotta give this to everybody. Everybody has to feel it. Fans have to grow with me. 

What do you want the fans’ reaction to the project to be?

I want the world to listen to this and just feel it for themselves, you know? I don’t want to explain how it happened. At the end of the day, it just boils down to this being my life. My life is going on. It’s really just going on right in front of me.  While some fans and some haters and some people who don’t understand what’s going on think that it’s all fun, it’s really real life. It’s my life happening right in front of me. From ‘Boy Alone,’ which was my last album, that’s really me. That’s me going through it. [I] had to use loneliness for escape, and that was ‘Boy Alone.’ I’m in a place right now where it’s like, “Okay, solitude, a lot of solitude”. And now the solitude brings you clarity. That’s a fact. I’m in a place where it’s like I feel a bit more at peace. I kind of understand things a bit more. I’m grown, a bit more grown-up, and I’m in a place of clarity. This is the season. It’s just my life really happening in front of everybody with sound. So, I don’t want to explain it. I feel like you just soak inside of it, enjoy the music as much as I enjoyed making it for you.

Listen to ‘Clarity Of Mind‘ here.

 

The Lagos Fanti Carnival Is Back For 2026 Edition

Posted on by Melony Akpoghene

The Lagos Fanti Carnival will return to Tafawa Balewa Square on April 6, 2026, bringing one of the city’s oldest cultural expressions back into focus during the Easter period.

Rooted in the history of Afro-Brazilian returnees known as the Aguda, the carnival traces back to the nineteenth century, when formerly enslaved Africans settled in Lagos after journeys through Brazil. They arrived with distinct customs that gradually shaped life on Lagos Island, from architecture to food, music, and spiritual practice. Over time, these influences formed the identity now celebrated through the Fanti Carnival.

 

Today, the event stands as a living record of that exchange. Under the theme “A Homecoming of Heritage,” this year’s carnival builds on the 2025 comeback to be even bigger, with wider programming and increased participation. Community groups from Lafiaji, Isale-Eko, Olowogbowo, Campos, and Okepopo are expected to participate, each presenting distinctive styles shaped by neighbourhood histories, with their presence reflecting how the festival continues to be community-led despite its growing scale.

It will also extend beyond the procession, as plans include a curated exhibition presenting archival material and artefacts tied to Afro-Brazilian life in Lagos, as well as an economic summit exploring contemporary creative and commercial links between both regions. The day will close with a concert featuring live music rooted in samba-influenced Nigerian sounds.

 

Produced by Nuru Lab, the carnival forms part of Lagos’ broader push to position itself as a centre for cultural tourism, grounded in stories that connect continents through lived experience.

uNder: Best New Artists (March, 2026)

Posted on by The Native

Believe it or not, we are already one quarter through 2026 and so much has happened and keeps happening around us. Through it all, the music has never really paused and we owe much of that to the tireless efforts of rising artists who are committed to working their way through a range of feelings in their music. In a year when time has genuinely felt like an abstraction, the work of form-bending musicians and artists has tethered us to reality for better or worse and we’re all the better for it. 

True to our mission to continue to support rising artists from across Africa and the Black diaspora, our uNder column is back for another installments and the musicians we are celebrating this month have an unmistakable sense of humaness to them. Whether it’s the forward-leaning propulsion of Zen Univrse, the cathartic candour of S1orDie, the soulful inquests into pain that Jack APK proposes, or the romantic programming of Kofee Bean, these musicians have deeply-felt considerations that translates to their music, and we’re all better that they exist in the same timeline with us. Tap into their work and discover some new gems for your playlists; and thanks for rocking with us for another month. 

 

S1orDie

 

For Fans of: Lancey Foux, Cochise, and Fimiguerrero.

One of the more exciting shifts in Nigeria’s underground right now is how young artists are building their own systems. At the centre of that movement is CYK—short for Cyber Youth Kaizen—a loose collective that has become a meeting point for a new class of internet-raised creatives. The name doubles as a guiding idea, reflecting a generation of artists who learned from online spaces and turned that exposure into a working method. Their music moves freely, pulling from different scenes without settling in one place, and that openness defines much of what they do.

S1orDie is one of the clearest voices to come out of that circle, an artist whose steady run of releases has started to sketch out a clear identity. The Nigerian artist works across rap and melody, drawing from Trap, R&B and Alté. His songs often shift in tone, moving between sharp verses and more melodic stretches, giving his work an adaptable structure.

Across the last few years, S1orDie has built a dense catalogue of releases, moving quickly from early projects like ‘S3X’ (2023), which first drew attention to his name, to ‘PINK + WHITE’ (2024) and, more recently, ‘SS25’ (2025). Each project tracks a subtle shift in his sound without losing the in-the-moment feel that defines his music. On highlights like “CIGARETTE SILHOUETTE” and “CASH IN CASH OUT” from ‘SS25,’ the production moves into murkier territory with enough space for his often low-register, slurry flows.

While his other projects map out his sonic growth, the ‘NEVER TRUST A VOGUE GYAL EP’ series provides a tighter look at his thematic fixations, acting as a more focused outlet for his fascination with modern relationships, lifestyle and ambition. Lately, he has been raiding the Y2K vault, and he is so chameleonic that his recent release last month, “PHASE SHIFT,” saw him shift into the foundational Street-Pop aesthetics birthed in Ajegunle, one of the low-income districts in Lagos. His collaborative reach has also expanded through work with Monochrome on the two-part project ‘+We 2 Fly.’ – M.A.

As he continues to evolve, S1orDie represents the future of Nigerian urban music.

 

Jack Apk

 

For Fans of: Tems, Aylø, and Frank Ocean.

If you listen closely enough to Jack APK’s music, you can hear the singer cauterising his emotional wounds and constructing an homage to the resultant scars through his melodies. A casual dive into his catalogue reveals that pain is never too far away from Jack and he doesn’t neccesarily run away from it; instead he tries to use his music to understand the nature of hurt and solitude as a means to healing. The South African made his debut on 2019’s “123” with 44KA$H and Vergo Pharmacist, teaming up with his co-stars on a Trap-adjacent song about drugs and women. He followed it up with “Old Jack” in 2020, purposefully introducing his mid-tempo fusion of Soul and Trap that was fully unfurled on 2021’s ‘ISOLATION,’ a four-track dispatch on romantic desire and solitude. 

Since then, the singer has experimennted widely and frequently, pushing the boundaries of his work in different directions without sacrificing thematic discipline and lyrical consistence. Singles like the dance-influenced “Techno,” the Rage Rap-leaning “Can’t sleep,” and “Jetski!” preceded ‘ISOLATION II,’ a full-on immersion into Soul that provided highlights like “Paper towns” and “Interlude.” 2024 was noticeably lean for the rising singer who favoured a singles-lead approach, releaisng emotionally-wrenching songs like “You got someone,” “All I want,” and “Alone” that explored his sorrow at a romance that doesn’t quite go the way he envisioned while fleshing out the realties of navigating life alone. 

Growing bolder with his vulnerability, 2025 was a seminal year for Jack APK as he tunnelled into his weighty topics like obsession, loss, and rejection across two full-length projects, one extended play and a cache of singles. February’s ‘Blue hour’ was a six-track inquiry into the quirks of humanity and the price of self-confidence played out over quirky and off-kilter guitar-led instrumentals that allowed his voice to soar. In November 2025, he released the titanic ‘Scars & Wounds,’ further pondering heartache and growing pains across 16 tracks with highlights like “Who cares, just cry,” “Dog in me,” and “On my own.” Just one month later, he returned with ‘Come On!,’ a Trap-influenced extravaganza that found him leaning into self-pride and healing. 

2026 has started in similar fashion for the singer who released a two-pack, “2 love letters,” in February, detailing his capacity for love and tenderness. Impressively, seven years into a still-unfolding career, Jack APK has not lost any of the sensitivity that makes him an enjoyable listening, he’s still earnest, honest, and engaging, continuing to capture the raw moments of jeopardy and numbing euphoria that mark him out as a must-listen.  – W.O.

 

Zen Univrse

 

For Fans of: Olamide, Minz, and Asake.

In a recent interview discussing his music and influences, Zen Univrse was asked to name one African rap album that he could listen to forever, and his pick was Olamide’s seminal sophomore album ‘Baddest Guy Ever Liveth.’ Even though he didn’t go into detail as to the reason for his choice, the reasons for his affinity are immediately apparent to anyone familiar with both artists’ work. Released in 2013, ‘Baddest Guy Ever Liveth’ represents a crucial blueprint for a similar sort of hybridisation of Hip-Hop and Afropop sounds that Zen Univrse’s current genre-bending approach aims for. 

Interestingly, the Olamide influences in the rapper and singer’s work were not always as apparent as they are right now. His introductory EP ‘Bad Decisions’ from 2020 and the accompanying deluxe version were both defined by a breezy sound, often leaning into contemporary R&B textures and a more laid-back vocal delivery. A couple of subsequent tracks like “Streets Ain’t Safe,” inspired by the #EndSars protests, “Omo Ologo,” and particularly “Dragon,” the standout track from a 2023 two-pack, chart his evolution as he began to infuse a raw, vernacular-heavy energy into his music, echoing the influential style of Olamide and bridging the gap between his earlier, smoother sound and his current, more culturally-grounded Street-Pop delivery. 

A ton of his releases since “Dragon,” like 2024’s ‘Mr Univrse,’ and ‘Alternative Univrse,’ have seen him fully commit to this style, spitting melodious, witty lines over throbbing log drums or a dark, minimalist Trap beat, most of which are self-produced. “Ben 10,” the standout track from the latter EP, is one of his finest examples of this mature style, combining cutting lyricism with an irresistible groove. His latest album, ‘crazy motion,’ which arrived earlier in the year, continues to explore the depths of his lyrical prowess and dynamic production capabilities. He’s openly described the project as one that he hopes will bring him significant attention, and with his display on highlights like “bonita” and “run am,” the foundation for that mainstream recognition is firmly in place. – B.A.

 

Kofee Bean

 

For Fans of: Asa, Shekhinah, and Erykah Badu.

Kofee Bean is honest about using music as a map towards a long-held quest of finding a universal truth that was set in motion by soaking up influences from idols like Jill Scorr, Erykah Badu, and Sade. As a child growing up in Takoradi, Ghana, the singer was caughtb between diverse interpretations of music, moving fluidly between the colourful dynamism of Traditional Folk music played at weddings and funerals, the all-engrossing spirituality of Gospel Music, as well as the Jazz and R&B that her parents would frequently play. Inspired by what she heard around her, the singer (born Patience Naa Oyo Titus-Glover) developed a unique style, defined by the soulful essence of R&B and the sweeping melancholy of gospel music. 

She first got her start performing at venues across Accra, shaping her voice by throwing herself into the craft and sharpening her abilities. Convinced that she was ready to give music a go, Kofee Bean released her debut single, “Breathing,” in 2022. A warm, Jazz-inflected exploration of longing and desire, “Breathing” featured rapper, KiddBlack, who broadened the song’s interrogation of romantic dynamics. Almost one year after her debut, Kofee Bean returned with another song, “Garden Lily,” a more intimate offering that pondered the depths of desire with the singer asking a love interest to wait for her and choose her over other people. 

As she has continued to release music professionally, Kofee’s interpretation of romance and love has mirrored the contentious nature of modern dating. Her 2024 two-pack, “Silly Nigga,” is a fiesty two-punch excoriation of a romantic interest who doesn’t returm love with the same intensity or intention that Kofee does. The song features Kenyan rapper, Steph Unruly, expressing her fury at a lover who can’t quite act right, drawing the line at behaviour she finds too inconsistent for her. Later in 2024, Kofee Bean joined German singer, Peter Fox, on “Night Ride,” a dreamy Hip-Hop-R&B collab hinging on the allure of love. 

All of Kofee’s work in 2024 set the stage for 2025, her most busy year yet. She kicked off the year with “Taste,” a sensual, mid-tempo with rising Ugandan star, MAUIMØON, that opens with the striking question, “Do you believe in true love?” In June 2025, she returned with “Why,” a mournful guitar-led dirge about romantic heartbreak that featured fellow Ghanaian, Supa Gaeta. Just a month later, she was channeling optimism on “In2U,” an uptempo romantic manifesto that saw the singer offering her heart once more. Despite its brevity, the release was a light-hearted dispatch that set the stage for the arrival of “Cashmere,” another experimental release with the Ugandan-Rwandan producer, La Soülchyld. On “Cashmere,” Kofee Bean’s powerful grasp of emotional interiority and narrative building comes to the fore over Soülchyld’s alluring instrumental as she continues to craft worlds for her feelings to exist in unencumbered. – W.O.

Ife Ogunjobi Is Staking His Claim with ‘Tell Them, I’m Here’

Posted on by Melony Akpoghene

Between his 2023 debut, ‘Stay True,’ and now, Ife Ogunjobi has changed. He has grown more intent on revealing the full spectrum of his multifaceted self. Who he is now, by his own account, is someone thoroughly grounded in certainty. “There’s only one version of me,” he tells NATIVE Mag, “and that alone means I must be special in some way.”

Since that debut, Ogunjobi has moved through a period of rapid personal and creative expansion. He felt compelled to offer an update on his identity, guided by the belief that his music must faithfully reflect who he is at any given moment. Against that backdrop, his latest project, ‘Tell Them, I’m Here,’ captures his present state of mind: confident, assured, and openly optimistic about what lies ahead. The music is a conduit for the self-possession that defines him now, reaching outward towards new possibilities. 

Building on this evolution, the EP projects a perspective rooted in a psychological state of aplomb that extends beyond career ambition. Ife Ogunjobi is, of course, authoritatively demanding attention upon his arrival, but he is also proposing a framework for personal autonomy. “It’s the confidence and self-belief I have in myself that I want other people to have as well,” he explains. “Even though the EP is called ‘Tell Them, I’m Here,’ I want everyone to be able to say that for themselves, in their own way. No one else can be you. You’re your own person, so step into that.” The title is an imperative sentence, striking in its decisiveness, and it is deeply satisfying that the music substantiates the claim. 

A five-track release, ‘Tell Them, I’m Here‘ is a document of unrestrained melodic expression. It is buoyant and blissed-out, filled with sticky-sweet melodies that glide across subgenres, folding disparate influences from Afropop to Hip-Hop, Afro R&B, and Jazz into a cohesive whole while committing fully to genre-bending freedom.

The EP opens with the spunky, Highlife-inflected swinger “East Street Market,” a track that demonstrates the zest of the Walworth Road market. “I started with ‘East Street Market’ because a lot of projects like to ease you in with an intro before getting into it,” Ogunjobi says. “I wanted to do the opposite. I wanted to hit people straight away with what this is. As soon as you press play, you hear the drums come in. I wanted it to feel like a Nigerian hall party or like actually being in a busy market.”

 

It transitions seamlessly into “Cali,” where featured vocalist Samm Henshaw floats gently over a supple instrumental that gleams. “Zimbabwe,” which follows, is the EP’s most immediately adhesive moment. Rollicking and circular, it is driven by a trumpet refrain that settles into the listener’s body and refuses to leave. Ogunjobi has said that if he had to explain himself through a single song, this might be it. “Going into ‘Zimbabwe,’ I wanted to start heavy, then ease people into the vibe. If I had to explain who I am in one song, it might be this song. It’s infectious. I can listen to it all day.”

Indeed, while the prevailing mood is joyful and blithe, the EP is not emotionally monolithic, and Ogunjobi is careful not to stay in the sun for too long. He pivots to “Don’t Leave,” perhaps the most vulnerable moment on the record. On the track, the trumpet stops being a herald and starts being a confidant, moving at an unhurried, unharried pace. “It’s funny. People have said to me that once they’ve heard that song, it’s like they felt I was speaking even though I’m only playing the trumpet,” Ogunjobi shares. 

None of this disrupts the EP’s coherence or its overall vivacity. There is a unifying sensibility that makes each track feel like a room in the same house, with Ogunjobi’s trumpet serving as a steady guide from one space to the next.

 

For an instrumentalist, this degree of emotional articulation is entirely intentional. Ogunjobi is a composer first, one who happens to play the trumpet, and uses the instrument to telegraph a complex range of feelings. Without lyrics to lean on, the burden of storytelling rests fully on melody and structure. He rejects the notion that instrumental music is subordinate to vocals. To him, the human voice can be too specific or limiting. A trumpet line, by contrast, can carry ten different meanings for ten listeners, allowing for a universality that words often constrain.

“When I start a song, it already has an emotional direction,” he says. “Then I ask myself, as an instrumentalist, what I actually want to say. I’m very intentional about that. Do I want people to feel uplifted? Reflective? Intimate? Do I want them to escape and forget their troubles? Because I don’t have lyrics, I have to be even more intentional. Everything has to come through the music itself.”

As a core member of the Mercury Prize–winning Ezra Collective, Ife Ogunjobi’s sound has travelled across global stages, forming part of the melodic backbone of a movement that has reshaped the aesthetics of 21st-century Jazz. Raised in South East London by Nigerian parents, his home was saturated with Fuji, Highlife, Afrobeat, and Jazz, where he first encountered foundational figures like Miles Davis, Fela Kuti, King Sunny Adé, and Ebenezer Obey.

While his training at the Royal Academy of Music furnished him with a formidable technical foundation, his musical instincts were forged in London’s Saturday music schools and youth centres. He recalls seeing Hugh Masekela perform at the Royal Festival Hall when he was just ten years old. That performance reoriented his sense of what was possible.

Contemporary African Jazz currently sits at the centre of global experimentation. On the continent and across its diaspora, the music is shaping the avant-garde. In South Africa, Nduduzo Makhathini frames Jazz as ritual, drawing on Zulu cosmology to guide modern improvisation. Groups like Kokoroko and SuperJazzClub channel West African lineage into groove-forward, dancefloor-ready forms. Across cities like Lagos, Paris, and London, artists like Lia Butler, Etuk Ubong, Ami Taf Ra, and Hervé Samb are building a borderless instrumental movement grounded in cultural memory and forward momentum. Ogunjobi agrees that the scene today is at a high point. “I think that Jazz and just generally the instrumental scene right now is one of its strongest,” he says. “I look at artists like Venna, who’s doing so well, and it’s very inspiring. There’s also Kokoroko; even though their music has lyrics, it is very instrumentally driven. And then artists like Masego, who sings but also plays the saxophone. There are so many pockets of people doing different things, all using instruments to tell their story as part of their craft.”

Ogunjobi’s work also intersects with Afropop’s global expansion, though it enters through a different door. He uses the trumpet to navigate the same grooves that have made West African artists global icons, adding a layer of virtuosic musicianship that feels fresh and historically literate. He remains unmoved by the industry’s bias towards vocalists. “I think the industry lost its way for a bit, treating instrumental music as a service for vocals. It doesn’t have to be that. I’ve always felt like music can speak a thousand words, even when there are no actual words.”

Looking forward, Ogunjobi is already scanning the horizon. “Even though the EP only came out, I’m already excited for what’s next and the new avenues that might open up from releasing it,” he shares. The future is an open field, and the creative restlessness that birthed ‘Tell Them, I’m Here’ is already nudging him towards new terrain, including a deeper dive into Dance music. “I want to make music you can dance to that still possesses depth,” he muses. “I want people to be in the club, dancing their problems away, while realising there’s a whole other level of nuance happening.” He isn’t sweating the journey, though. Whatever direction he takes, he remains untroubled by uncertainty. “Good music lasts,” he concludes. “It always finds its way to the surface.”

Listen to ‘Tell Them, I’m Here’ here.