Lindsey Abudei & The Perfect 4th String Quartet make a strong case for the unplugged showcase
The secret magic of the intimate set.
For singer/songwriter Lindsey Abudei, 2016 was a fortuitous year. After many delays and a difficult process, that involved several cuts and a restructuring of the project, And The Bass Is Queen, her debut album, was finally released to the public. It was 5 years after Brown, an EP people often mistake for an album, and 2010’s Prix Découvertes Awards, celebrating African songwriting where she was the second runner up. The album was critically acclaimed across the bar, but in the same breath many critics suggested it wouldn’t mainstream success in Nigeria.
It was long before the suggestions that Abudei water down her sound started coming. Suggestions to add some percussions or a little ‘ethnic’ flair, something the mythical ‘average Nigerian’ can latch on to and take ownership of her music for themselves. She found herself placed firmly in the category of Nigerian musicians whose music was qualified as ‘Alternative’ and thus not commercially viable not because it was experimental or unconventional, but because it ascribed to a global standard of technical excellence and universal accessibility. It seems unfair, even now, to be punished for excellence, but this is the nature of Nigerian music.
Rather than fighting this limiting category, Lindsey Abudei is seeking to embrace, and then transcend it through intimacy. Since the album was released, Abudei has opened for a number of high profile Nigerian musicians, including Asa, and has taken to small venues like the weekly Taruwa meet at Bogobiri in Ikoyi, poised in chair, backed occasionally by a bass player or guitarists, drawing old faithfuls and new converts into the fantastic world of the album’s plucky protagonist. These satellite performances were good practice for when Abudei decided to strike out on her own.
Omenka Gallery. | No. 24 Modupe Alakija Crescent, Ikoyi. | Lagos, Nigeria. Details about tickets will be up soon. You coming?
#AndTheBassIsQueenAnd she did, on May 16th via Instagram. With a string quartet no less. I thought it couldn’t get any more intimate than that. I was wrong.
Omenka Gallery, the venue for the concert was concurrently hosting an exhibition so it’s sterile walls were flush with hyperrealistic drawings and monochromatic photographs and stylized paintings of gawking women. In lieu of chairs were cushion spread out around the set up for the quartet in the middle of the room. Abudei worked the room, unassuming in a striped blouse and wide pants, her hair, cut into an unruly pixie cut. Many of the guests were long time fans who’d seen her perform before but never like this. So for everyone, Lindsey Abudei inclusive, this was a first.
The first thing that you notice is that there are no discrepancies between how Abudei sounds on the record and how she sounds live. Every note is delivered in near perfect pitch, every adlib measured to complement the quartet that plays in concert with her. The second is that the songs from the album and the EP before it are intensely personal to her, so much so, she has chosen to forgo playing instruments herself during performances so she can fully go where the music leads. We sing along with some songs, others we are content to just listen.
There are small anecdotes woven into the story, glimpses into the how songs came to be, and the things and people that inspired them. Libra man came from a conversation with her father, Shoot ‘Em Down was inspired by Jay-Z song, Drift Away has several versions floating on the internet. Then there is the easter egg of the female bass player, dressed up in red, a homage to album’s cover art and the double entendre of the album’s name. By the time Lindsey finishes her set list and the audience begins to drill her for encores, jukebox style, we all feel as though we’ve known for her years. She indulges us, taking questions about her career thus far, her personal life, and the future. She lets it slip that she was recently accepted into a prestigious international music residency. We are all sated, but sorry to see it end.
It isn’t very often that we see a beloved musician shed the pedestal and the artificial barriers of raised stages & guarded barricades, become indistinguishable from people for whom she makes her music. This, perhaps, is the magic of Lindsey Abudei.
Tiwa savage and the curse of the groupie effect
Asake Links With Tiakola On Gritty “BADMAN GANSTA”
Another step towards ‘Money,’ his fourth
Street-pop star, Asake, has released a surprise new single titled “BADMAN GANSTA.” Produced by super producer, P.Priime, the single, Asake’s second of the year, arrives with a crisp black and white feature and a stellar guest verse from French rapper and singer Tiakola.
The singer posted the full music video–a monochromatic montage of dazzling shots and scenes of his opulent lifestyle–across his different social media handles on Thursday evening, July 24, with a caption that read, ‘The World Of Money.’
Earlier in June, the ex-YBNL star announced a new album titled ‘Money.’ A few months before that, he released a loosie titled “Military” and then “WHY LOVE,” his first official single under his new imprint Giran Republic. “Military” served as a bookend to the first arc of his impressive career as much as an announcement of a new era, while “WHY LOVE” officially kicked off season two.
Following the release of “WHY LOVE,” Asake has also featured on songs like Olamide’s “99,” J Hus’ “Gold”, and Young Jonn’s “Che Che,” delivering standout verses that favour a melodious, laid-back approach as opposed to the spirited, fast-paced style that earned him success early on. “BADMAN GANSTA” also excels with this approach, as Asake’s melodious musings about his current lifestyle dovetail nicely with Tiakola’s equally sturdy verse over a plush beat that samples Amerie’s 2005 classic “1 Thing.”
With Asake releasing three albums in as many years, it’s not unreasonable to assume ‘Money’ might arrive before the end of the year. There’s also the possibility that he might be willing to take his time a little more now, seeing as he his under his imprint now.
Whatever the case may be, ‘Money’ is likely to arrive sooner rather than later, and it will be fascinating to see what other aces Asake has up his sleeves.
Listen to “BADMAN GANSTA” here.
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Ayra Starr Releases Her Sizzling Anthem, “Hot Body”
An 11th-hour summer anthem for the
Ayra Starr has released her highly anticipated single “Hot Body.”
The Mavin popstar has been teasing the new single for a few weeks now, posting multiple promotional videos across social media that built up significant excitement for her third official release of the year. The release of “Hot Body” comes on the heels of recent reports that confirmed the Grammy-nominated singer had officially joined Roc Nation’s roster, the American music label, entertainment, and sports services company founded by rapper and business mogul JAY-Z.
Earlier in February, Ayra Starr shared “All The Love,” a sumptuous Afropop ballad produced by labelmate Johnny Drille and Teemode, before releasing the sleek and sensual Wizkid-assisted “Gimmie Dat” about months later. In that time period, the singer picked up two awards at the 2025 MOBO Awards for Best African Music Act and Best International Act before also clinching her first BET award for Best International Act in June.
It was recently announced that the pop singer would be joining Coldplay on the UK leg of their Music Of The Spheres World Tour between August to September, and her impressive year continues with the release of “Hot Body.” Once again, teaming up with close collaborator Ragee and UK production duo The Elements, Ayra Starr manages to deliver a sweetly erotic summer jam that’s sure to elicit plenty lip-biting, hip gyrating, and flirty winks. “Look what a hot body can do,” she sings repeatedly, almost like an enchantress performing a magic trick.
With her current deal with Mavin and Universal Music still running and the recent confirmation of her management deal with Roc Nation, it’s safe to assume that “Hot Body” might garner significant momentum both at home and abroad. Outside of her music, the singer recently wrapped up the shooting of the film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone which is reportedly set for release in early 2027.
Listen to “Hot Body” here.
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Zulo Details His Evolution On New ‘Z’ EP
Packed with his reflections on faith, love, and cultural pride, ‘Z’ distills ZULO’s thoughts into a...
ZULO is no stranger to reinvention. Formerly known as Lil Trix, the rapper rose through the ranks with a series of gritty mixtapes that chronicled his upbringing, thrills, and connection to the community. Since his rebrand, he’s steadily grown into a renowned voice in South African Hip-Hop, regarded for his storytelling, cultural homage, and genre fusion.
Three years after the release of ‘Talk To Me Naace,’ his reintroduction to the scene, ZULO has returned with ‘Z,’ a three-track EP that shows a glimpse of his evolution as an artist and human. Packed with his reflections on faith, love, and cultural pride, ‘Z’ distills ZULO’s thoughts into a refined sound that’s bold, emotional, and distinctly South African.
The three-tracker opens with “God’s Armour,” a gospel-inflected protest anthem layered with brass and trap drums. It is followed by “Sweeter Success,” an infectious Afropop-inspired groove built around a nostalgic sample of UPZ’s iconic “Pure Surprise”. Beneath its shine lies a darker message: the emotional cost of ambition, the toll of always pushing for more. ZULO produced the track himself, with additional production from Miglow and SpiceDrums.
‘Z’ closes with “Spaan”, a gritty street anthem that samples Kamazu and confronts addiction, poverty, and the lingering scars of apartheid through the lens of coloured identity. “These songs are battle cries and war journals,” ZULO says. “‘Z’ is everything I’ve fought through to stand where I am. The EP follows a strong run of 2024 singles, including “Adawise,” “JOL,” “Garden,” and “Smaak To Love (Lamza).”
Listen to ‘Z’ here.
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