Saving the ‘New Age’ from The Sins of its Predecessors
If the young must grow, the young must put in work
In Greek mythology there is the story of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun with wings of wax, and fell to his death in the most brutal way. Its message is simple: whatever goes up will come down. It explains the nature of things; how trends come and go and how people rise and fall.
On the rise of an outward demand for African music and other sibling sounds, a class of ultra-aesthetic experimental artists have come under spotlight. This is against the age-long belief that beyond the mainstream jollof sound, fringe sounds with complex arrangements and abstract ideas will never pop. But as social media would prove, there is always a little corner on the internet for anyone to self-publish and become a sensation.
The emergence of seemingly broad-thinking younger artists has come in part, because of a latent generation of culturally literate and cyber-aware 90s babies influenced by multiple genres music and wired to create on their own. These artists have come of age in the years of wave-based mood music often aliased (and refuted) as ‘tumblr music’. Think of it as inward music that comes with its own aesthetic and narrative (See Drake, Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey et-al). Because the dearth of good Nigerian content is exemplified in how often concepts are recycled, standing out can take as little as having a different creative approach to having distinct visuals. All you need is an artist with a little confidence and privilege for relative consistency. This is how you get a metrosexual Odunsi, a broken-hearted Nonso Amadi or a romantic Tay Iwar—artists who cleverly push an African narrative while riding the post-Drake neo-R&B wave.
But like young Icarus’ discovery of flight, we’re reminded that taking off the ground is possible for anyone who leaps high enough. The hard part is staying airborne.
Interesting as the future prospects for Nigerian music may seem, history would also make it appear that we have been here before. Nearly ten years ago, renewed interest for production, imagery and costumes paved the way for a slew of returnee artists including Sauce Kid, Banky W, Eldee, Olu Maintain, M.I, Don Jazzy et-al. MTV Base and Channel O launched a few years earlier and both terrestrial broadcasts were major influences on the continental urban culture. The radical shift to improved quality is still evident in picturesque art and lush chrome filtered videos today, the sounds, however, have become staid and uninspiring. Because the same so-called innovators got too comfortable with being just Africa-famous, to worry about being good artists.
For ‘new age’ artists, the tendency for validation bias is even higher. The information age obsesses over numbers, most of which are directly availed by social media and streaming platforms. The high of unexpected celebrity can become a mental trap for artists, insulating them from the rest of the world with a blind assumption that their music is not and cannot be universally accepted because it is ‘not for everyone’. This is already evidenced in the repeated themes and low replay value of many ‘new age’ artists who consistently manage to be above average but not great; conceptual but not focused; potential talent but not especially distinct.
As the legend goes, Icarus’ only sin was getting too caught up in flight to remember he’d been going somewhere. Beyond its mastery of aesthetics and flowery language, the ‘new age’ will have to look inward for authenticity and outward for possibilities. The respective successes of Davido, Burna Boy and Wizkid has turned mainstream attention to African music like we haven’t seen in a long time, its fruits should not be wasted on the self-facing ephemeral experiments.
Featured Image: Instagram/@odunsithengine, @tayiwar, @nonsoamadi
Interview: Nonso Amadi talks his influences and what brings him the most joy
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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