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.