With the release of Asake’s live version of his 2026 album, ‘M$NEY,’ the grandeur that comes with his live acts is now on full display. His performance at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London earlier this year may have been a more smaller, intimate setting as opposed to his past performances in 02 Arena and Madison Square garden that hosted tens of thousands, but one thing we can say for sure is his One Night Only performance came with just as much of an electric atmosphere as any other.

The performance was done in direct collaboration with Spotify, reaching a milestone as the first time an African artist has released a full-length, live album concert film. Speaking on the significance of the partnership, Victor Okpala, the Artist and Label Partnerships Manager for West Africa Spotify, said that the intention behind the partnership was about deepening the connection between Asake and his community. 

“Live performances and videos deepen user engagement and that’s the goal: to make passive and already engaged Spotify listeners deepen connections with the artists, through this new video format,” Okpala said. The live performance was only the culmination of a months-long partnership with Asake that started with the reveal of his album tracklist and the featured acts for ‘M$NEY.’

Per Okpala, partnering with Asake was a no-brainer. “Asake’s catalogue exemplifies the listening habits of the wider Nigerian populace per the data we see on Spotify,” he explained. “Unlike most SSA countries, Nigerians are quite hyper-local in their taste profile. Asake’s music is rooted in his cultural influences, and for us, aligning around the ‘M$NEY’ album beyond editorial programming, is a way to encourage the continuous supply of hyper-local content and champion one of the artists that is heroing this trend for Sub Saharan Africa.”

Through this live performance, and an Asake-themed listening parting hosted during the week of his album release, loyal fans were able to feel seen and have more intimate moments with Asake. “Cultivating moments that bring Spotify users closer to the artists they love, beyond just hitting play in the app, is usually a key determinant in our partnership considerations.,” Okpala explains. 

The standout ingredient that really pulls  all these activations together is the live event in London and Asake’s use of a live orchestra. From stunning vocals to breathtaking instrumentals, it took an album that wasn’t received as well as he would’ve hoped to a literal piece of sonic art. Apart from that, this live collection saw the debut of some other songs that weren’t among those originally listed in ‘M$NEY.’ There’re five additional tracks titled “King’s Intro,” “Psycho,” “Ako,” “Ego,” and “Bad Boy.”

“King’s Intro” opens up with an enthralling fanfare, typically associated with the arrival of an important figure or, judging from the title, a king.This is Asake at one of his proudest, affirming his status as royalty in the Afrobeats genre. Although this intro was only 55 seconds long, it was a powerful opener, setting the stage for what’s to come. It followed seamlessly into “Psycho,” coming in with heavenly then subsequently deep violins. 

Similarly to “King’s Intro,” “Psycho” was just as short but did more than enough with the time it had. When he said, “On my way up gold medal, Carry my own cross no helper,” Asake seemed to be referring to his journey towards glory and the struggle he had to overcome on his own. In line with the title, the song reflects on the determined, almost insane mindset that’s needed to get to the pinnacle he currently stands on. In other words, he needs to be a psycho.

The first full length song came with “Ako.” The track sees Asake confessing his deep affection towards another person. This is evident when he says, “Omo this your love calling o, Never felt this way before you know” and “Onomè baby, Onomè baby eleyin ju ege,” talking about someone with pretty eyes. Compared to the original tracks on ‘M$NEY’ that mainly revolved around Asake’s successes in the past few years, “Ako” helps us see him through a vulnerable and romantic lens, taking a moment to express his admiration and overwhelming commitment to his significant other. 

“Ego” is the Igbo word for money, a term that’s repeated throughout the course of the song. It doesn’t take much to see the vast wealth Asake has acquired over his years of stardom. From luxury cars to lavish jewelry, money has always been a central theme in his music. “Ego” is where we see Asake’s materialism at its fullest, boasting about the amount of riches he’s acquired through his accomplishments. 

“Bad Boy” is a more superficial take on affection from what we hear on “Ako.” While the latter covers the emotional aspect, the former is more about physical attraction. From “Only you see wetin you carry, You really know how to rock those jeans” to “Omo you bad see your curves,” it is your classic eye candy-centric, Afropop jam.

The outro is the perfect sign off to a captivating performance. The words “Go money” are chanted halfway through the track, backing up the exhilarating instrumentals. Since its release, the live album has surged to the top of charts in Nigeria, dominating Spotify and Apple Music Nigeria in a strong showcase of the resultant effect of the partnership with Spotify, displaying the beauty of all these elements coming together to add another string in the bow of Asake as one of Afropop’s premier performers.