During the SoundCloud heydays, Ayüü debuted with his well-received EP, ‘H. E. R. (His Emotions Recorded)’, a soulful introduction to the R&B-influenced base of his artistry. Continuing the streak, he joined forces with neo-soul singer AYLØ for ‘ØÜ’, before retooling for a nostalgia-fuelled pop project with ‘Mango Juice & Bad Decisions’ in the summer of 2018. At the end of the following year, he shared his official debut album, ‘AYÜÜNIVERSE’, a colourful fusion project that drew from 2000s Nigerian pop, dancehall, R&B, rap, and more.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ayüü (@ayuu_safi)

Over his artistic career, Ayüü has continuously evolved and redefined his image in the industry, showcasing a brighter version of himself with each new project. Today, he’s dropped his sophomore album, ‘Toxic Sweet’, a project whose title offers a window to the romantically complex themes the singer ruminates on. The album was teased with the release of “Guns&Roses”, a song that saw him question the sincerity of love interest—“Roses are black but your heart is darker”. He followed with the flamboyant visuals to “Makarena”, further setting the mood for the tape by telling the story of a happy love that is filled with imperfections, as he sings of his toxic desires for his mistress.

‘Toxic Sweet’ consists nine songs, with assists from GJtheCaesar, Dopeman Twizzy and Andrę Wolff. Tapping DOZ, Le Mav, KC, and Don Ozi for behind the boards duties, the album contains brisk and lively instrumental arrangement, providing a groovy backdrop for Ayüü’s baritone to slide and shine. From top to bottom, listeners get to experience Ayüü going through the motions of love gone sour, with the singer tackling toxicity in romance and its effect on a person’s mental health, giving credence to the idea that not everything that glitters now shines forever.

Listen to ‘Toxic Sweet’ here.

ICYMI: MELVITTO FEATURES GABZY, WANI AND MORE IN NEW EP, ‘OVRDOSE.’