NCVRD: How Niyi Okeowo and Tife Sonaike Created Rema’s ‘Heis’
This new logo and sonic exploration are just affirmations of what Rema has always been.
Since his foot-thumping debut single, “Dumebi,” Rema has continuously reaffirmed himself as a transformatory artist with a decidedly distinct aesthetic. A craftsman unmatched by his contemporaries.
Introduced with a boyish look, marked by a Balaclava and saddled with a teddy bear, Rema, 18 at the time, made one of the most audacious entrances for a newcomer within Nigerian music. He released an eponymous EP, maintained omnipresence across airwaves and billboards across the country, and commandeered social media through freestyle videos and colourful visuals layered with youthful exuberance. It was the year of Rema, the self-proclaimed Prince of Afrobeats, and multi-disciplinary creator, Niyi Okeowo had a front row seat from day one. “I photographed one of Rema’s first images,” Okeowo tells me over a zoom call. “There are some popular black and white images I shot for him [back then].”
Okeowo is one of the most magnetic visual design voices on the continent, stacking up a portfolio that boasts heavyweights such as Adobe, Uber, LVMH, among many others. “We got the brief that [Rema] wanted something that would read the same, front and back [like a palindrome], but with gothic elements that would spell ‘he is,’” Okeowo recalls. “We worked on keywords and did a moodboard. I think the first thing we did was to sketch it on a bat, and then we just went back and forth from there.”
The “we” Okeowo refers to here is himself and illustrator, Boluwatife Osinaike, whom Okeowo describes as an illustrator that thinks like a designer. The pair have since formed a Batman-and-Robin-esque relationship fueled by their mutual love for design and research, amassing an artist clientele list that ranges from ShowDemCamp to Wizkid.
“We built on the logo, Tife started working on sketches, and Rema added some elements. We built it on riot imagery. Not riot like [an] actual riot; I don’t know if you know this movie, Athena? More like that kind of riot. We also noticed he had been leaning towards that anarchy, rager, and riot direction so it was a no-brainer. We had about seven versions of the logo. We did a 3D and Chrome version.”
Within the five years of his ascendance, Rema has explored multiple iterations of himself, morphing into an absolute showman that commands attention. The video for the monumental single “Bounce,” erased any doubts about his confidence, “Soundgasm” put to bed questions about his innocence, and, finally, his critically-acclaimed debut album ‘Rave and Roses,’ cemented his coming-of-age moment. Each of these eras were accompanied by a selection of carefully-crafted aesthetics; from hair to fashion to imagery.
When Rema charmed his way into our hearts in early 2023 with his sensational footwork and newly-found dance moves, it was a prelude to the anarchy-driven rodeo aesthetic that characterized his ‘Ravage’ EP and formed the cornerstone of the design experience at his O2 Arena headline concert.
Now in a goth-laden phase, which is loosely termed “opium” after Playboi Carti’s rap collective and their all-black aesthetic, Rema leaves a lot to the imagination as he ushers in a new era – and his new insignia further complicates that mystique. “I kind of suspected that whenever he would use it, it would be for the revealing of something,” Okeowo says assuringly, eventually adding that he was as surprised and excited as everyone else by the bat signal reveal of the logo.
So far, Rema has brought in his opium era with a kinfolk collaboration with Shallipopi, “Benin Boys,” and a polarizing song “Hehehe” that sees him breathe in experimental pockets like never before.
Illuminati allegations have lingered over the Benin boy as he steps confidently into this new phase, with fans drawing overarching occultic undertones from his grim aesthetic and logo. “I think people just need to realize that within the confines of art and literature, people are allowed to explore different ideas. Nigerians are allowed to have occult imagery. Art will always form an opinion, it’s either you hate it, like it or you are in the middle. I don’t think we should police art but we can put a lens on it,” Okeowo says, before highlighting the importance of art direction and the countless benefits of artists building their own universes like The Weeknd and Travis Scott have.
Although this new logo marks a fresh chapter for Rema both visually and sonically, he’s long embodied this essence well before “HE IS” was even conceived. This new logo and sonic exploration are just affirmations of what he’s always been.
Maya Amolo Is Committed To Giving You The Sweetest Time
There’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the...
“Sweetest Time,” Maya Amolo’s latest single, is a soothing, lovesick confessional that mixes intimate, heartfelt lyricism with wistful production courtesy of Ugandan musician and producer SOULCHYD aka MAUIMØON. Alongside fellow Kenyan singer Ywaya Tajiri, the self-acclaimed sweetest girl delivers a lustrous duet that sees her soft vocals, which perfectly complement Tajiri’s more robust voice, skip and flit across moody synths, intensifying the spotlight on her wholehearted delivery. “I can feel you rushing through my system / Every single day it’s my religion,” she sings passionately halfway into the record. The whole thing sounds like the aural equivalent of a warm blanket; a truly affectionate record that immerses and envelopes its listeners in its warmth. This is the brand of vulnerable, understated R&B music that has been helping Amolo gain significant attention since she debuted in the pandemic year.
Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Amolo always had an affinity for music. The singer and producer, who took on piano and guitar lessons as a child, has previously credited acts like Brandy, Erykah Badu, Prince, and Kenyan musical icon Eric Wainaina as her early influences – and it’s easy to see how Amolo’s style draws from this strong lineage of musicians whose music is equally expansive, soothing and vulnerable. After years experimenting with different styles, recording covers to beats she ripped from YouTube and posting them on her Soundcloud page, Amolo released her debut project ‘Leave Me At The Pregame’ in 2020.
The EP, which quickly soared up the charts in Kenya, served as a brief but emphatic introduction to Amolo’s minimalistic take on R&B. Standouts like the emotive opener “Puddles,” “Lush Green”, and “Jokes” showcase her clever and poignant lyricism that reflects on themes of love, depression, and self-healing. Along with sparse, melancholic production and the icy sensuality of her voice, Amolo delivered a remarkable debut that made her one of the most promising figures in Nairobi’s alternative music scene. Two years after ‘Leave Me At The Pregame,’ the Kenyan rising star released her debut album, ‘Asali.’
‘Asali,’ which translates to “honey” in her native Kiswahili, showcased Amolo’s progression as both an artist and a human being, as she swapped out the sad-girl tunes that filled her debut EP for more vibrant and intricate records – thanks in part to Sir Bastien and Kenyan producer and rapper Lukorito – that explore themes of growth and the complexities and rich luster of love. The album’s lead singles, “Foundry” and the self-produced “Can’t Get Enough,” found relative success on streaming platforms, placing Amolo as one of the continent’s most exciting new R&B voices. About a year after the release of ‘Asali,’ Amolo updated the album with 8 new songs on a deluxe version that featured Kenyan stars like Bensoul, Xenia Manasseh and Zowie Kengocha.
In August 2024, a few months after she delivered a splendid Colors performance, Amolo released a new project titled ‘What a Feeling.’ The 5-track EP, which essentially serves as an ode to Amolo’s home city, Nairobi, sees her experimenting with an array of dance sub-genres without straying too far from her R&B roots. While the project still retains much of the melancholy and elegance that defined her earlier work, there’s a hypnotic and pulsating energy that courses through ‘What A Feeling,’ that highlights a shift in the singer’s sensibilities. Amolo’s honeyed vocals gently seep through subtle Dancehall, Electronic, R&B and House-inspired production and the accompanying visualizer, a mashup of camcorder footage of her and her friends in Nairobi, also adequately captures the charming and nocturnal vibe of the tape.
The project produced standout tracks like the sensual “Let It Flow,” the title track and “Take It,” which later got remixed by Ugandan singer Soundlykbb and rapper SGawD. With Amolo’s latest release, “Sweetest Girl,” the Kenyan rising star continues her intricate exploration of R&B music, merging it with varying styles to produce her own distinct and refreshing variant. There’s no telling what Amolo might do next, but with only a handful of releases to her name so far, there’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the genre’s most prominent faces across the continent.
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T.I Blaze Updates ‘Shakur’ EP With Deluxe Version
Following the success of “Trenches Luv,” the street-pop star is back with seven new songs on the deluxe...
Over the last few years, street-pop, a guttural version of afropop, has surged to mainstream popularity, birthing stars like Asake, Seyi Vibez, and Shallipopi. On the homefront, a generation of younger stars also put unique spins on the sound. Singer, T.I Blaze, has been a notable star in the sub-genre since his 2021 single, “Sometimes,” and a subsequent remix with icon, Olamide, launched him into a different stratosphere.
Since “Sometimes,” Blaze has established his profile as a reliable source for songs that reflect the pulse of the streets while archiving his come-up story across a debut album (‘El Major’) and three extended plays like ‘The Fresh Prince Of Lagos’ and ‘Dangerous Wavy Baby.’ His 2024 EP, ‘Shakur,’ further underscored his evolution as an artist, featuring slippery numbers about escapism, his thoughts on life in the fast lane, and brotherhood with features from rising stars like Tml Vibez and BhadBoi Oml.
In 2025, the singer has picked up where he left off last year, releasing “Trenches Luv,” a balmy February release that examines the dynamics of romance from his point of view as a young adult moulded by the hard realities of life on the street. The success of “Trenches Luv” has led to a deluxe version of ‘Shakur’ with the singer adding seven new songs to the original version of the project. Impressively, on the new version of the project, TI Blaze taps up Ayo Maff and Ghanaian star Arathejay on “My Brother” and “Mario Remix,” respectively.
Led by a galala-inflected opener, “Track 1,” ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ is both raw and complex with the singer sounding refreshed on songs like “My Brother,” “Dodge,” and “Introduction.” In many ways, this project is an invitation for listeners to explore the many facets of T.I Blaze’s artistry as well as a portent to celebrate his roots and offer a glimpse at his evolution.
Listen to ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ here.
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NATIVE PREMIERE: Rigo Kamp Runs Ahead Of The Pack With The Visuals For “Marathon”
Rigo Kamp’s Marathon video is an intimate Afro-juju revival that pays homage to Sir Shina Peters and stamps...
Last Friday, Rigo Kamp, a NATIVE uNder alum and one of the architects of an equal parts nostalgic and refreshing sound released his self-titled debut EP, delivering a propulsive fusion of Alte, R&B, Funk, and Soul-infused rhythms.
Featuring previously released singles “Morning Sun” and “Summer”, the six-track eponymous EP executively produced by Odunsi The Engine sees Rigo lean heavily into his element as a sonic alchemist, jumping from silky falsettos to gritty grooves without losing an ounce of cohesion, and ultimately stamping the Abuja-born, Lagos-based singer-songwriter as a mad scientist of sound.
Just last November, Apple Music named Rigo Kamp as its Up Next artist, an acknowledgment that underscored his potential and confirmed what the tastemakers and underground scene already knew. Weeks later, he delivered an exhilarating live set for Spotify Fresh Finds in Lagos, proving he’s just as compelling live as he is in the studio.
On “Marathon”, the refreshing opener to the Rigo Kamp EP, Rigo borrows the bounce and swagger of Afro-Juju legend, Sir Shina Peters’ golden-era, fusing nostalgia with re-imagination to birth a vintage performance that feels like a private party for two, where it’s just Rigo, and you.
Get an exclusive first look at the video for Marathon here:
Listen to the Rigo Kamp EP:
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