Review: Omah Lay’s ‘Boy Alone’
A potential classic made from the sprawling details of youthful existence
In 2020, a 23-year-old honey-toned artist appeared on the radar for Afropop lovers. Asides coming from the bubbling Port Harcourt scene, almost nothing was known about his person. The music had obvious appeal though, its many qualities helmed by a saccharine voice and incredibly aware songwriting. “Bad Influence” and “You” constructed the myth of Stanley Omah Didia, pushing him onto the attentive gaze of a lovelorn generation during the saddest time of our collective history.
To his credit, Omah Lay marked his breakout year with ‘Get Layd,’ a project suffused with delightful sonic pairings. “Lo Lo” and “Ye Ye Ye” cushioned the earlier pair of singles, while “Damn” went on to become a smash hit. R&B seemed to be an inspiration for his emo-heavy subjects, but the artist still carried the throbbing of Port Harcourts’s social life into his distinct sound.
These peculiarities mark Omah Lay as a standout student of his class, and the willingness to release projects is even more admirable. His sophomore EP, ‘What Have We Done?’, from November of the same year, may not have had the same instant cultural cache as its predecessors but the project reaffirmed the ascendant superstar’s unique ability to touch the core of his person, closely and without editing, while turning out a hit as monstrous as “Godly”. Rawness best describes that quality, but Omah Lay manages a kind of refinement, sketching where another artist would flagrantly paint.
Word about his debut album began spreading since late last year. Its forthcoming release was welcomed as the next step in his well-oiled career, since Omah Lay has conquered the terrain of two EP’s while becoming a darling of the streaming era. When he collaborated with Justin Beiber for early 2022 single “Attention,” that only served to amplify his burgeoning global status while coinciding with the run of a worldwide tour.
This hints at the album being a longstanding project, shifting through the motions of the artist’s ever-changing life. The pre-album releases of “Understand” and “Woman” were produced by Tempoe and P.Priime respectively, who are perhaps two of the biggest influencers of the new school sound—despite the current legal tiff. You know that sound when you hear it: minimal, mid-tempo, and easily folded into the singer’s melodies.
Understandably, both records were hits. Then Omah Lay announced the album this July, following up on the trend of utilising short rollout periods in order to maximise impact. That release day when it dropped, it sure felt like a full circle moment: here was this dreadlocked youth whose come-up we had witnessed, now sporting a full head of hair and his debut album. A number of recent social media posts reveal that perspective of having come into his own; where he was once reserved, now he speaks with cutting edge. “My depression became worse after I had sex with my therapist,” he wrote in one, deftly influencing people onto the vibe of his debut album.
In basic terms, ‘Boy Alone’ is about mental health and hedonism. That, however, undersells the sonic pleasures that’s essential in its success as a debut project. We’ve always parsed Omah Lay through the eyes of a lyricist, a conveyor of moments that aren’t easy to capture in words. The sweaty stuff of rooms and the gritty feel of streets are windows of the house he’s the architect of. Under his supervision, though, ‘Boy Alone’ offers way more lyrically and thematically.
The production is the immediate standout of the album. In an industry full of mid tempo beats, it’s obvious that Omah Lay goes for the originals. Each fourteen song is richly layered in an individual scale, closely attuned to the unconventional movements of the artist. Together, they’re splattered onto a broad canvas of a buttery percussive base. Occasionally, as on “i’m a mess” and “purple song,” there’s an emo feel radiating its centre, utilising mood-centric guitars to create a tender atmosphere. The duo of “never forget” and “soso” brilliantly pick up the pace, helping conduct the album’s rhythm at crucial moments.
Everything set up, Omah Lay coasts over each beat like a veteran sailor. Never mind that he’s been in our faces just a little over two years, he expertly charts an expansive and cohesive tale of young existence. He’s most interested in flipping melancholy on its many sides, showing the listener the associative tendencies of his mind. The paradox of getting high when he’s low is just one of them; Omah Lay makes the most interesting connections, witty as he is blunt, balancing both qualities with remarkable mastery.
The album begins on an aspirational note. “Only the real fit recognize/ Only the ship wey believe e no go capsize,” he sings in the opening lyrics of “recognize”, keeping the runtime minimal as he effortlessly enters “i”. He’s even more aware of his grind here, utilising its winding second verse to urge more freedom and “dance from night till the morning.” Even though the sounds are soft, they’re very affirmative records which set the mood for the album’s somewhat militant nature.
Further along, songs like “temptations” and “never forget” uphold his resolve to memory. It’s typical that having gone through a battle, one would have mental scars which, poked a little, could unleash a barrage of images. The former ebbs towards a lover, honestly recalling the times when his toxic lifestyle punished her tenderness. “In all of these temptations wey dey inside my life, you still hold me strong,” he sings with affectionate clarity, further painting her unconditional love while sketching vignettes of not keeping up with his own family. It’s a vulnerable portrait many young men would be familiar with, given how closely its trajectory resembles life.
“never forget” flips the gaze outwards, situating Omah Lay in the role of communal observer. A touch of groove lingers in the keys, but the mood is decidedly pensive and with undertones of the oil-related violence that’s rife in his native South. In the very first line he identifies his roots, going on to rep his Marine Base in Port Harcourt while warning, “I know love is war.” The repeated chants of “I’ll never forget” which make up the bridge precede a slight change in the song’s tempo, its percussions sped up as Omah Lay kicks off an exciting rhyme scheme with his second verse. His knickering came “way before Michael Jackson sing Billie Jean,” and in his ending lines he affirms, “my eyes don see the things, ordinary person like you no go believe it/ It’s why I’m cold and shivering; so I hide my pains, my blow, my misery.”
Omah Lay threads a number of traumatic experiences throughout ‘Boy Alone.’ In between, the revelry otherwise popular in African music is present, but there’s always some greyness lurking around. “i’m a mess” is the most impressionist among this sub-category, offering a damning assessment of the artist’s mind state. He makes a case for his celebrity (“How many million I make for a living?”) but knows it’s ultimately a veneer that’ll slip off once he’s alone and face to face with familiar demons. On “how to luv,” he’s forthcoming about the desire to love and reside in the moment, but even then the mask reappears when he admits “But I no believe say you go fit to solve my issues,” and then later on, cheekily inserting, “I get the spirit of ashewo.”
This spirit emerges in full glare on “bend you” and “woman,” which, by far, are the most sultry songs on the album. The last single pre-album release, “woman” has an understated quality, using metaphors like rubber band to suggest certain levels of intimacy. “bend you” is quite arrogant in its boldness: just few lines in, Omah Lay sings about liking panties from River Jordan and elsewhere, constructing a comically wise aphorism when he sings, “I hit that pussy motor accident/Road wey lead to happy ending, e no dey hard to kill person.” Such writing is reminiscent of “Ye Ye Ye,” upholding the name of Omah Lay as one of the better descriptors of insanely great coitus.
Through it all, it’s important to know that sex isn’t Omah’s end game. Those minutes are a pleasurable escape from the shackles of his own depression, and the duo of “safe haven” and “soso” are adept conduits for his unfettered honesty. Quite the closer, “purple song” finds the young man running through a list of possible rift areas, and yet entreating his lover not to let him go. “Only my water fit cool your soul,” he sings with calm assurance, deftly working a sexual suggestion into that and the lyric, “only your mouth fit lick my soup.” Tay Iwar on “tell everybody” infuses his signature feathery touch, but even then his host threads the salacious path. Along with Beiber on “Attention”, they’re the project’s only guests, contributing to the lived-in perspective of ‘Boy Alone.’
Among the new vanguard of Afropop superstars, the skill level of one’s lyricism is a hot topic. In such discussions, Omah Lay’s name is never far off. He’s the quintessential street poet, readily collapsing eras of linguistic inventiveness into the structure of a verse. ‘Boy Alone’ is a dazzling showcase of his ingenuity.
Ditching literary detail for cultural nuance, he’s highly adaptive of everyday terms and locations. He references Port Harcourt severally, spicing the songs with the narrative acumen that’s immediately audible in the music of his statesmen Burna Boy and Ajebo Hustlers. He’s most reminiscent of Duncan Mighty when he sings in Ikwerre, drawing from a deep well of inspiration while pairing those with influences elsewhere. Sometimes Omah Lay sounds closer to Drake than Celestine Ukwu, the legendary Highlife musician whose band his grandfather played in. The associative rhythms of the coastal genre, though, supplies a tribal grandeur to his otherwise polished beats, portending a well-balanced mix.
View this post on Instagram
Omah Lay’s voice is also an instrument of wonder. In default mode, it takes a lithe and reserved form. He’s however able to contort it into anything else, whether as a silver-tongued seductor (“bend you”), a cry-in-the-rain R&B disciple (“temptations”) or rap-leaning lyricist (“never forget”). A lot of things in life can be predictable, but Omah Lay’s delivery isn’t one of those. Reading his lyrics without sound offers insight into his unorthodox structures, but not the nuance of his Ikwerre-inflected adlibs which, more often than not, form the catchiest sections of a record.
‘Boy Alone’ is a memorable debut album. Every part of it fits into the breathtaking whole, one of the very first mainstream albums from Nigeria to dissect the phenomena of mental health on this scale. Since releasing “Do Not Disturb” in 2019, Omah Lay has always stood out; with these fourteen songs, he stands out even more visibly. Having attracted the focus of an entire generation two years ago, here he allies closely with the thoughts of their mind and the motivations of their heart. Still, ‘Boy Alone’ is a personal work. It’s as personal as the title suggests, and Omah Lay, making art from the sprawling details of youthful existence, might just have created a classic Afropop album. The resolve of that assertion would be tested by time, but right now this album surely ranks among the most important offerings of 2022.
BEST NEW MUSIC: OMAH LAY’S “TEMPTATIONS” IS A MASTERPIECE OF ROMANTIC TUSSLE
Shekhinah Returns With Surprise Album, ‘Less Trouble’
The South African R&B star is at her most assertive on her first album in four years.
South African R&B and Pop singer Shekhinah has released a new surprise album titled ‘Less Trouble.’ The Durban star, who had been quiet for most of the year, took to social media shortly before midnight to share the new album’s cover, synopsis, and tracklist, simply stating, ‘If you’re seeing this my album LESS TROUBLE is out now at Midnight,’ in an Instagram caption.
The soulful singer first began teasing ‘Less Trouble,’ her first album in over four years, about a year ago when she released its lead single “Risk,” a bouncy Afropop-inspired collab with Ghanaian star MOLIY. A few months after the release of “Risk,” she put out “Steady,” a dreamy pop number that suggested that something bigger was on the horizon. But then it was largely radio silence about a project until its surprise arrival at midnight.
If 2021’s ‘Trouble In Paradise’ represented a coming-of-age for Shekhinah, subsisting some of the dreamy, youthful exuberance of her debut album for more measured musings on themes like heartbreak and grief, ‘Less Trouble’ finds her at her most assertive, writing and singing with the acuity of someone who is grown, decisive and discerning. The delicate opener “Break Up Season” sets the tone for the rest of the album as she shows little tolerance for shady behaviour and toxic patterns.
Other standout cuts on the album like “Bare Minimum,” a sombre collab with fellow South African award-winning singer lordkez, the ethereal, in-your-face interlude “New Casanova,” and the percussive “What Are We,” where Shekhinah contemplates the nature of a relationship but ultimately demands all or nothing, all drive home a part of the album’s synopsis, which reads ‘A BOOK ON MORE HEARTBREAK BUT LESS HEARTACHE.’
Shekhinah invites a couple of new collaborators on ‘Less Trouble,’ featuring the aforementioned MOLIY and lordkez as well as multi-instrumentalist Mars Baby and Young Stunna across the album’s 11 tracks. Mpilo Shabangu handled the majority of the album’s production, while other producers like Michael Morare, her longtime collaborator, Mthintheki Mzizi, and Vuyo also contributed to the album.
Listen to ‘Less Trouble’ here.
Keep reading...
The NATIVE’s First Impressions Of Amaarae’s ‘Black Star’
‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for Amaarae, and The NATIVE team offer our thoughts after a...
Change has always been a constant theme in any discussion about the career of Ghanaian-American star, Amaarae. Since she emerged as a singular voice in the late 2010s, she has evolved from a sirenic Afropop-adjacent singer into a Punk-Pop firestarter with minimal fuss. ‘Fountain Baby,’ her 2023 sophomore album, was a sweeping departure from the lilting melodies and shapeshifing cadences of the hypnotic ‘The Angel You Don’t Know,’ emphasizing her commitment to charting new courses with her music.
In the lead-up to her new album, ‘Black Star,’ she has wholly embraced a Pop aesthetic and sheen that was reflected on the album’s promotional singles, “S.M.O.” and “Girlie-Pop!.” Now that the album has arrived, the singer has advised listeners not to go in expecting a continuation of the soundscape on ‘Fountain Baby.’ As keen followers of Amaarae’s career from its start, we are sure that ‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for her, and we offer our thoughts after a few listens.
WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF AMAARAE GOING INTO THIS ALBUM?
Kemnachi: I had zero doubts that she would impress me again. Amaarae always comes correct. She is audacious with her choices, taking creative risks most artists would not dare to imagine, and somehow rendering them seamless, deliberate, and effortless. Her music has a way of enveloping me: it’s fluid, slightly dangerous, and yet irresistibly sensual. Every project feels like an immersive world she has curated down to the finest detail. With ‘Black Star,’ I knew it was not going to be a mere collection of songs but another meticulously constructed realm.
Bamise: I expected something fun, genre-bending, and sonically diverse in the fashion that Amaarae’s music typically is. I may have taken the album title a bit too literally, though, because listening made me realise I had an eye out for some Pan-African statements or something to spark discourse on African identity, but I didn’t quite catch any of that.
Boluwatife: Amaarae has largely delivered throughout her career, so I knew she was going to come correct again. She’s one of those forward-thinking artists who take the kind of risks most others wouldn’t, but she always manages to make it work. She’s proven to be a musical omnivore who constantly meshes her wide-ranging influences into something new, fluid, icy, and more often than not, sensual. I knew ‘Black Star’ wasn’t going to be any different.
WHAT SONGS STOOD OUT ON THE FIRST LISTEN?
Wale: I liked “Girlie-Pop!.” I feel like it captures Amaarae’s vision of pushing Afropop into the future. She’s also really grown comfortable with music and lyricism and will not dumb down her message for anybody. The instrumental for “Girlie-Pop!” is also a wonder; it’s so dense, but there are pockets for Amaarae to be emotive about her feelings. Top song!
Daniel Akins: I need to hear “B2B” at the next rave I’m at. Amaarae is in her Dance era, and I’m here for it. Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” with PinkPantheress is the collaboration I knew I needed, and I’m glad they finally linked up. It’s a clear standout on the project; their ethereal style complements each other.
Shina: “B2B” was the one that did it for me. That is my favourite track on the project. The number of times I ran it back was unhealthy for a first listen. It was also really fun to catch the Don Toliver “Best You Had” sample. I need to hear this outside!
HOW WELL YOU THINK THE GUEST APPEARANCES ENHANCED THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE?
Israel: The guest features on Black Star aren’t mere flexes. They’re strategic, theatrical, and sometimes emotionally resonant. They enhance, yes, but they do so on Amaarae’s terms. A standout for me was PinkPantheress on “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” The tradeoff is that a few songs feel like dazzling cameos rather than an integrated conversation, yet overall they enhance the album’s drama, texture, and bravado with precision.
Daniel Banjoko: Everyone showed up and delivered, no weak links here. Instead of just guest spots, they felt like vital pieces of a bigger puzzle. Charlie Wilson on “Dream Scenario” nailed his part especially, making the track sound exactly like its name promises.
Moore: The guest appearances on ‘Black Star’ feel very intentional; each one enhances the album’s world without overshadowing Amaarae’s vision. PinkPantheress’s signature airy delivery meshes with Amaarae’s experimental pop sound. Naomi Campbell’s commanding voice on “ms60” is an unexpected but powerful addition, adding drama to the track. Each feature feels carefully chosen.
WHAT SONG IS THE BIGGEST SKIP?
Bamise: Not to be a party pooper, but I don’t get the PinkPantheress collab, “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” It feels like a PinkPantheress song with less pop in it, and just borrows the title of the iconic Soulja Boy song but has no other similarities. It’s between that and “ms60.” For me, the chorus of that sounds like something I’ve heard from Amaarae before, and I doubt its absence would have diminished the album.
Shina: I feel like biggest skip is a strong word for a solid project, but if I have to pick a song to skip, it’ll be “ms60.” I think it’s easily forgettable.
Wale: It’s hard to single out a song that stuck out to me, but hearing Naomi Campbell on “ms60” threw me off. It’s just too contrived to bear for me.
WHAT SONG HAS THE BIGGEST HIT POTENTIAL?
Boluwatife: My gut answer would probably be “She Is My Drug,” just because of how she beautifully reworks the melodies from Cher’s “Believe.” DJ remixes of this song could go crazy. But if I were to think a bit more logically, TikTok would probably lap up “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.”
Daniel Banjoko: “Kiss Me Thru the Phone pt 2” goes crazy. Amaarae and PinkPantheress are the perfect match. This collab feels like it was destined to happen, and it delivers in full. Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long, and now I just need more tracks from these two, ASAP.
Moore: “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” has the biggest hit potential on the album. The song has a nostalgic, sad party girl vibe that makes it appealing, and it’s also catchy and well-produced. PinkPantheress consistently performs well on platforms like TikTok, and her fanbase overlaps in a really interesting way with Amaarae’s. The collaboration feels organic and exciting, and will likely create a lot of buzz.
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Wale: There is a very visceral quality to how Amaarae expresses desire that I don’t hear very often in a lot of music. It’s abstracted and warped in futuristic textures, but it’s very profoundly human, and it’s always great to hear that even as she advances the sonics of her delivery. I do, however, have an issue with the thematic scope of ‘Black Star.’ I thought there would be overt references to her experiences of navigating her Ghanaian identity, but those references are limited to samples and interpolations. It’s still an incisive listen and a triumph for finding ways to advance music from Africa.
Bamise: It’s Amaarae; she can never go wrong. But for me, this is the album that excites me the least from her catalogue. Other than how bass-heavy some songs on the album are, like “S.M.O.” and “She Is My Drug” among others, it feels similar to other projects I’ve heard from her in a way that’s not exactly refreshing or mind-bending. I may have gotten spoiled by how diverse and eclectic Amaarae’s music tends to be, but I wanted more from her. I expected more gangster, Hip-Hop Amaarae. Thematically, I didn’t get anything that gives the Black Star of Ghana, or black stars are ruling the world. Will I listen again and enjoy every bit of it still, though? Yes, I will.
Shina: So first off, this is a solid body of work. I love the fact that Amaarae stuck with the Dance, Electro-Pop route she was going with throughout the album. The features also played their part, adding their unique touches to each record. I would say, though, a feature I would’ve loved to hear on this project is 070Shake. I think she would have been perfect on “100DRUM,” but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Thematically, I think Amaarae could’ve leaned heavily on her Ghanaian heritage, seeing as the title and cover of the album are a nod to that. Maybe Amaarae just wants us to dance, and that’s what I’m just gonna do, and you should too.
Keep reading...
Tems Partners With Hennessy For Leading Vibe Initiative
Launching in Lagos, Nigeria, this event pioneered by Tems marks the beginning of a continent-wide movement to...
In July, Tems announced the Leading Vibe Initiative (LVI) to support women in music and the creative space on their journey to make a mark in their fields and create space for other women in those industries. Born from Tems’ journey as a self-taught artist with a focus on driving change, the initiative offers training, mentorship, industry access, and community for women in music in Africa.
After a rigorous selection process for its inaugural cohort, Hennessy will join the two-time Grammy Award-winning star to celebrate the launch of the Leading Vibe (LVI) Initiative in Lagos, Nigeria. Held from August 8 to 9, 2025, the two-day event is the beginning of a bold new chapter in Hennessy’s long-standing commitment to music and culture in Africa.
“I’m excited to partner with Hennessy in bringing this initiative to life, supporting talented young women in music as they find their voices, embrace their power, and shape the future of the industry across Africa and beyond,” Tems said about the partnership.
The Leading Vibe Initiative aims to champion the next generation of female artists, producers, songwriters, and music professionals, increasing representation within all areas of music across the continent and beyond.
With Hennessy as lead partner, this ambitious program kicks off with an immersive event in Lagos featuring curated workshops, networking moments, and panel discussions led by top-tier talent from across the global and African music industries.
“Her vision, talent, and purpose align deeply with Hennessy’s legacy of championing those who push boundaries and redefine the world around them. We’re honored to support the Leading Vibe Initiative and to continue empowering African communities and cultures,” said Vincent Montalescot, Hennessy Global Chief Marketing Officer.
Hennessy’s partnership with Tems builds on the brand’s decades-long history of supporting music and artistic expression globally and on the continent. From Hip-Hop to Afrobeats, Hennessy continues to stand beside the artists and communities that shape culture.
In Africa, the Maison has deepened its commitment through meaningful initiatives like In the Paint and now, with the Leading Vibe Initiative, is taking a focused step toward amplifying women’s voices in music. With the Lagos launch as a powerful first step, the Leading Vibe Initiative will expand across Africa and globally, creating a cross-continental network of empowered women ready to shape the future of African music.
Keep reading...
