Songs Of The Day: New Music From Burna Boy, Sute Iwar, PRVNA & more
New releases this week
New releases this week
Much as we’d like music drops to slow down and give us a chance to catch up with the unique tunes that are sprouting from across the world, the reality of the music business in the post-2010 era is very much different. With amazing songs dropping at an unrelenting pace, it’s not always easy to cut through the noise and sheer volume of it all to find the music that will accompany our melancholy, inspire our next creative breakthrough, tether us our loved ones more securely, or take us to a place of unencumbered elation.
That’s where our ‘Songs of the Day’ column comes in. We try to keep our fingers on the pulse of music from across the continent and beyond, bringing you exciting songs from talented musicians who are continuously trying to bounds of artistry with their music. Last weekend, we brought you new drops from Ghanaian star Gyakie, British-Nigerian rapper ENNY, Nigerian rap star Psycho YP, South African production duo Black Motion, and much more. This week, we’re bringing you new releases from Burna Boy, Patoranking, Dj Spinall x Oxlade, Ycee, Yemi Alade, Niniola, DEELA, PRVNA, Joya Mooi and more. Enjoy.
After keeping the clubs and venues on lock with his hit single, the Amapiano-inflected “Yaba Buluku”, which featured on his EP ‘Moz Piano Vol.2‘, Mozambican DJ Tarico is back with the song’s official remix, this time featuring Nigeria’s Odogwu. Burna is ushered into the song with the words, “Odogwu you bad/E Fi Le Fun Burna,” as the song’s propulsive rhythm begins to build. Over the song’s infectious groovy beat, Burna Boy sings “Baby your body Roboto, make I fly you go obodo,/oyinbo make we jodogo” as he delivers a braggadocious verse that runs through his sexual prowess and his wealth. As Burna has proven once before on “Jerusalema“, he’s got the ability to kill any genre with ease.
After closing out 2020 with his memorable album ‘Three’, a 12-track project that showed his continued ability to deliver party-stopping hits, Patoranking is back with his first official single of the year titled “Celebrate Me”. The midtempo single finds the singer calling for people to give others their dues while they are life and not when they are dead and gone. Singing “Abeg no carry my blessings run/Today na you tomorrow fit be my turn/Celebrate me now when I dey alive”, he makes a convincing case for why we should give people their flowers today.
Following the release of his highly anticipated fifth studio album ‘GRACE’, DJ, producer, and singer, Spinall has returned for the video to his latest single titled “Jabole” which features Oxlade and Ycee. The sweet-sounding single comes from a Yoruba street slang “ma je ko jabole”, which is meant to encourage women to keep their swag on at all times. In the new video directed by Dalia Dias, we can see Spinall, Oxlade and Ycee delivering their set accompanied by an array of beautiful and powerful women around them.
After the release of her fifth studio album ‘Empress’ last year, singer Yemi Alade has been treating the singles on her project to befitting video treatments. The latest video to get such treatment is “Rain” which features the amazing Mzansi Youth Choir. In the recently released vibrant video directed by Ovie Etseyatse, we see the singer in a vibrant rainforest where she sings her verses while backed up by the South African-based choir and an incredible dance team. Championing strength, unity and togetherness, the video reminds us that we are united in our differences.
Over the weekend, Abuja-based rapper, Suté Iwar released his fifth studio album ‘199X’, a 17-track course of genre-mashing singles where he deftly unfolds the complexities of love, youth and loss. On the SGaWD-assisted “U”, the singer examines his infatuation with a muse. “You told me don’t stop it, just cause you love it/You’re my favourite subject, that’s cause I love you” he sings over the song’s infectious hook as he ruminates on his relationship with this woman. The best part yet is SGaWD’s incredible vocals which she lays down on the second verse, confidently showing listeners that while she’s got the rap thing on lock, she’s also got the sweet-sounding R&B hands.
Earlier this year, the Queen of AfroHouse released her R&B offering, a succinct romantic 5-track offering titled ‘6th Heaven’Â which showed off a different, softer side to the singer. She’s just released the official video for the standout track “Ryde”, a romantic number that finds her reassuring her lover of her undying commitment. Singing “We’ll be riding it out for life”, she promises to stay ten toes and become a ride or die to this person. In the accompanying video, we see clips of the singer in a car workshop performing her verse while backed up by male and female dancers. It turns out her boo is in the mix as the video closes with Niniola walking off into the dusk with her love.
Following the release of her bouncy single “Get Down” and the Devstar-assisted “Let Myself Go” earlier this year, British-Mauritian singer PRVNA is back with a new single titled “Believe”, a romantic uptempo number featuring KdotMelody. Over the song’s groovy production she sings “On the first day, you really had to chat real gimmicks/Now I must say, this could be it in the best way”, full of belief that the person on the other end of her drink is her soulmate. What’s more charming than hearing your lover say “When you’re in my arms, all bad vibes decease”.
Following the release of her EP ‘Blossom Carefully’ last year, Dutch-South African singer Joya Mooi is back with a new single titled “Remember”. The slow-tempo track finds the singer reflecting on the past. The accompanying video supports the track’s comforting and pensive feel which follows Joya in a peaceful coastal setting within Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte before her body is duplicated as she explores its geometric installation.
Following her entrance into the rap scene last year, London-based Nigerian rapper DEELA is back with a new single titled “CHAINS”. The incendiary new track finds the rapper getting down to business and talking her shit over a menacing beat produced by WizzerOnDaBeat. “It’s a shame, niggas lost me/these niggas insane, all these niggas need chains” she quips on the first verse, delivering bars with razor-sharp precision as she clearly states what she doesn’t want from these niggas.
Featured image credits/Instagram