uNder spotlight: Njeri explores romantic toxicity and self-love on ‘D.R.U.G.S’
Kenya's rising R&B star “would NEVER wish a toxic love on anyone”
Njeri’s entrance into the music scene can be credited to the lockdown period. After a near death experience from contracting Co-Vid 19, Njeri wanted to make a statement that would immortalise her dedication to her first love: Music. Believing her songwriting abilities are innate, after stumbling across her late grandfather’s book where he scribbled lyrics, she decided to turn her lifelong hobby into her life’s mission.
A strong believer of love, Njeri has spent the bulk of her growing catalogue painting warm vignettes of life’s most ubiquitous and complex emotion, with her seraphic melodies acting as her most compelling trait. Aiming to use music as a mirror of her life, she has mapped and solidified her position as a growing R&B star in Kenya. Intensified devotion and an intentional approach, along with her childhood love for musical shows, has given her the formula to serenade listeners with enchanting songs that have emotional honesty at its core, tacitly and warmly urging us to join in and get vulnerable with our emotions.
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(@itsjustnjeri_)Njeri’s debut EP ‘Dimensions’ served as a forerunner to her greatness. With the aim of showcasing her life in full spectrum, she tackled going out, love and passion for life. The project also managed to get a co-sign from Kenyan musical legend, Chris Adwar. Her recently released album, ‘D.R.U.G.S’, is a reflection of her growth over the past year. With its title functioning as an acronym for “Dear Romance U Got Sweet,” Njeri takes listeners on a 23-minute sonic euphoria ride, with neatly stacked, absorbing production from prolific producer Cap, weaving together a subtly eclectic and cohesive tapestry that centres R&B and neo-soul, with touches of hip-hop, dream-pop, trip-hop, bedroom pop, synthwave, and even rock.
Across the nine tracks that make up ‘D.R.U.G.S’, Njeri’s silky tunes and the divine transitions between songs traces a journey from the false highs of toxic love to the wholesome safety of healthy love. Using the intoxicating effect of drugs and their sobering comedowns as a guiding device, Njeri curates a conceptually immersive body of work with great standalone songs that culminate into a seamless front-to-back listen. “I would NEVER wish a toxic love on anyone,” she tells The NATIVE over a zoom call. “Love should be pure, blissful, everything nice. Yes, there’s highs and lows but the lows should not be rock bottom.”
Shedding the bubbly character from her previous EP, Njeri takes a more introspective route to depict the persona of a lover in distress, happy, sad, melancholic, and on the road to self-discovery. Her soul infused serenades have built a project that will stand the test of time as it greets and holds ears across Kenya and beyond. A month after the release of the album, she’s appreciative of the positive reception towards the album. As we speak over Zoom, she tells me the reception has been immense, something she didn’t expect as she is still new in the industry.
In our conversation with Njeri, she discusses her path to singing, ‘D.R.U.G.S’, and her creative process. A lightly edited version of the interview follows below.
NATIVE: How did you get into singing?
Njeri: I really enjoyed listening to music as a kid and watching musicals, so I guess it just grew on me. Everything made sense when there was music on and I just started singing along. I was in the choir as well so I guess that played a big part as well.
I’ve always been one to shy away from my talents. The turning-point in my musical journey happened after I contracted Covid-19 in December 2020. I contemplated feelings of regret and self-doubt and realized that when all is said and done, music is what I wanted to do with my life. Plus I didn’t want to go back to the States, I was desperately searching for something to tie me back to Kenya. Obviously, this isn’t me trying to romanticize my experience contracting Covid but it was the sign I needed to be fearless with my passions and dive into the deep-end. I believe if you are given a gift, it’s your obligation to explore it!
Who have been your musical inspirations?
Most of them are R&B artists. Tracy Chapman, Whitney Houston, Kiana Ledé, Lauryn Hill.
How would you describe the style of music you make?
I would describe it as different. As basic as that sounds, there’s nothing in the Kenyan market that I can for sure say sounds like it. It’s emotive as well in terms of lyrics. I have lived in the US for a while and it has enabled me to be in touch with my African roots.
You released ‘Dimensions’ last year, what’s the difference between that EP and your new album?
Production quality and unison of ideas. The EP did not have a set storyline, whereas the album did. The production quality was also amped up to a much higher level thanks to Cap! He did an amazing job with everything and worked overtime to get the details perfectly such as the transitions. Everything was so seamless on ‘D.R.U.G.S’.
How would you describe your creative process for this album?
It comes from a storytelling point of view. Not necessarily my stories but things I’ve seen and witnessed in other people’s lives as well. I’m an optimist so I always like to end things on a positive note. In the album, the outro is “Love Again,” which basically denotes the willingness to want to fall in love again. Being open to finding love again, meaning one’s readiness of being vulnerable in that aspect after being hurt repeatedly. It takes a lot to be vulnerable, so being ready to take that leap of faith again takes a lot of healing and once it’s achieved it turns into something beautiful.
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The album digs about love and its toxic parts, would you say it is essential to have these feelings?
Hell no! I would NEVER wish a toxic love on anyone. Love should be pure, blissful, everything nice. Yes, there’s highs and lows but the lows should not be rock bottom. A lot of us are genuinely used to settling and calling it love which shouldn’t be the case. Everyone deserves love, a healthy love and I genuinely hope everyone finds it.
What was the most notable moment when making D.R.U.G.S?
The day we made “Ecstasy.” It was one of the chillest days in the studio. Albeezy, Cap and I were just chilling and Cap decided to make this fire beat that we wrote to and made into what it is now. It was actually supposed to be spelled Extacy because it’s about a past love.
‘D.R.U.G.S’ has catapulted you into an artist to watch out for, how has that impacted you in the last month?
It’s been quite normal for me but that’s probably because I don’t realize the magnitude of what it’s done. I tend to be a very low-key and realistic person. I’m not the type to change my way of life based on any sort of success, so yeah, it’s definitely a me problem. Everything feels the same to me. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate it all. I appreciate and reciprocate all the love that I’ve been getting. It just doesn’t change my way of life.
With roughly less than a year into the music industry, what have you learnt so far?
To be genuine. Always be yourself and never change what you make in terms of trends and all. My first project was more tailored to suit the market. It sounded like what was already out, but with the album I chose to stick to R&B and do what I do best. I’m impressed by how high up it is on the charts. I would’ve never expected an RnB album to be that high up on the Kenyan charts. I like that people are open to a new sound.
What’s your most memorable moment as an artist yet?
My listening party when people sang along to my songs that hadn’t even been released yet. I was in shock. I was in awe. It was a beautiful moment.
ICYMI: NJERI, NANETTE & MORE ARTISTS TO GET HIP TO FROM MAY 2021’S UNDER LIST
Shekhinah Returns With Surprise Album, ‘Less Trouble’
The South African R&B star is at her most assertive on her first album in four years.
South African R&B and Pop singer Shekhinah has released a new surprise album titled ‘Less Trouble.’ The Durban star, who had been quiet for most of the year, took to social media shortly before midnight to share the new album’s cover, synopsis, and tracklist, simply stating, ‘If you’re seeing this my album LESS TROUBLE is out now at Midnight,’ in an Instagram caption.
The soulful singer first began teasing ‘Less Trouble,’ her first album in over four years, about a year ago when she released its lead single “Risk,” a bouncy Afropop-inspired collab with Ghanaian star MOLIY. A few months after the release of “Risk,” she put out “Steady,” a dreamy pop number that suggested that something bigger was on the horizon. But then it was largely radio silence about a project until its surprise arrival at midnight.
If 2021’s ‘Trouble In Paradise’ represented a coming-of-age for Shekhinah, subsisting some of the dreamy, youthful exuberance of her debut album for more measured musings on themes like heartbreak and grief, ‘Less Trouble’ finds her at her most assertive, writing and singing with the acuity of someone who is grown, decisive and discerning. The delicate opener “Break Up Season” sets the tone for the rest of the album as she shows little tolerance for shady behaviour and toxic patterns.
Other standout cuts on the album like “Bare Minimum,” a sombre collab with fellow South African award-winning singer lordkez, the ethereal, in-your-face interlude “New Casanova,” and the percussive “What Are We,” where Shekhinah contemplates the nature of a relationship but ultimately demands all or nothing, all drive home a part of the album’s synopsis, which reads ‘A BOOK ON MORE HEARTBREAK BUT LESS HEARTACHE.’
Shekhinah invites a couple of new collaborators on ‘Less Trouble,’ featuring the aforementioned MOLIY and lordkez as well as multi-instrumentalist Mars Baby and Young Stunna across the album’s 11 tracks. Mpilo Shabangu handled the majority of the album’s production, while other producers like Michael Morare, her longtime collaborator, Mthintheki Mzizi, and Vuyo also contributed to the album.
Listen to ‘Less Trouble’ here.
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The NATIVE’s First Impressions Of Amaarae’s ‘Black Star’
‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for Amaarae, and The NATIVE team offer our thoughts after a...
Change has always been a constant theme in any discussion about the career of Ghanaian-American star, Amaarae. Since she emerged as a singular voice in the late 2010s, she has evolved from a sirenic Afropop-adjacent singer into a Punk-Pop firestarter with minimal fuss. ‘Fountain Baby,’ her 2023 sophomore album, was a sweeping departure from the lilting melodies and shapeshifing cadences of the hypnotic ‘The Angel You Don’t Know,’ emphasizing her commitment to charting new courses with her music.
In the lead-up to her new album, ‘Black Star,’ she has wholly embraced a Pop aesthetic and sheen that was reflected on the album’s promotional singles, “S.M.O.” and “Girlie-Pop!.” Now that the album has arrived, the singer has advised listeners not to go in expecting a continuation of the soundscape on ‘Fountain Baby.’ As keen followers of Amaarae’s career from its start, we are sure that ‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for her, and we offer our thoughts after a few listens.
WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF AMAARAE GOING INTO THIS ALBUM?
Kemnachi: I had zero doubts that she would impress me again. Amaarae always comes correct. She is audacious with her choices, taking creative risks most artists would not dare to imagine, and somehow rendering them seamless, deliberate, and effortless. Her music has a way of enveloping me: it’s fluid, slightly dangerous, and yet irresistibly sensual. Every project feels like an immersive world she has curated down to the finest detail. With ‘Black Star,’ I knew it was not going to be a mere collection of songs but another meticulously constructed realm.
Bamise: I expected something fun, genre-bending, and sonically diverse in the fashion that Amaarae’s music typically is. I may have taken the album title a bit too literally, though, because listening made me realise I had an eye out for some Pan-African statements or something to spark discourse on African identity, but I didn’t quite catch any of that.
Boluwatife: Amaarae has largely delivered throughout her career, so I knew she was going to come correct again. She’s one of those forward-thinking artists who take the kind of risks most others wouldn’t, but she always manages to make it work. She’s proven to be a musical omnivore who constantly meshes her wide-ranging influences into something new, fluid, icy, and more often than not, sensual. I knew ‘Black Star’ wasn’t going to be any different.
WHAT SONGS STOOD OUT ON THE FIRST LISTEN?
Wale: I liked “Girlie-Pop!.” I feel like it captures Amaarae’s vision of pushing Afropop into the future. She’s also really grown comfortable with music and lyricism and will not dumb down her message for anybody. The instrumental for “Girlie-Pop!” is also a wonder; it’s so dense, but there are pockets for Amaarae to be emotive about her feelings. Top song!
Daniel Akins: I need to hear “B2B” at the next rave I’m at. Amaarae is in her Dance era, and I’m here for it. Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” with PinkPantheress is the collaboration I knew I needed, and I’m glad they finally linked up. It’s a clear standout on the project; their ethereal style complements each other.
Shina: “B2B” was the one that did it for me. That is my favourite track on the project. The number of times I ran it back was unhealthy for a first listen. It was also really fun to catch the Don Toliver “Best You Had” sample. I need to hear this outside!
HOW WELL YOU THINK THE GUEST APPEARANCES ENHANCED THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE?
Israel: The guest features on Black Star aren’t mere flexes. They’re strategic, theatrical, and sometimes emotionally resonant. They enhance, yes, but they do so on Amaarae’s terms. A standout for me was PinkPantheress on “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” The tradeoff is that a few songs feel like dazzling cameos rather than an integrated conversation, yet overall they enhance the album’s drama, texture, and bravado with precision.
Daniel Banjoko: Everyone showed up and delivered, no weak links here. Instead of just guest spots, they felt like vital pieces of a bigger puzzle. Charlie Wilson on “Dream Scenario” nailed his part especially, making the track sound exactly like its name promises.
Moore: The guest appearances on ‘Black Star’ feel very intentional; each one enhances the album’s world without overshadowing Amaarae’s vision. PinkPantheress’s signature airy delivery meshes with Amaarae’s experimental pop sound. Naomi Campbell’s commanding voice on “ms60” is an unexpected but powerful addition, adding drama to the track. Each feature feels carefully chosen.
WHAT SONG IS THE BIGGEST SKIP?
Bamise: Not to be a party pooper, but I don’t get the PinkPantheress collab, “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” It feels like a PinkPantheress song with less pop in it, and just borrows the title of the iconic Soulja Boy song but has no other similarities. It’s between that and “ms60.” For me, the chorus of that sounds like something I’ve heard from Amaarae before, and I doubt its absence would have diminished the album.
Shina: I feel like biggest skip is a strong word for a solid project, but if I have to pick a song to skip, it’ll be “ms60.” I think it’s easily forgettable.
Wale: It’s hard to single out a song that stuck out to me, but hearing Naomi Campbell on “ms60” threw me off. It’s just too contrived to bear for me.
WHAT SONG HAS THE BIGGEST HIT POTENTIAL?
Boluwatife: My gut answer would probably be “She Is My Drug,” just because of how she beautifully reworks the melodies from Cher’s “Believe.” DJ remixes of this song could go crazy. But if I were to think a bit more logically, TikTok would probably lap up “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.”
Daniel Banjoko: “Kiss Me Thru the Phone pt 2” goes crazy. Amaarae and PinkPantheress are the perfect match. This collab feels like it was destined to happen, and it delivers in full. Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long, and now I just need more tracks from these two, ASAP.
Moore: “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” has the biggest hit potential on the album. The song has a nostalgic, sad party girl vibe that makes it appealing, and it’s also catchy and well-produced. PinkPantheress consistently performs well on platforms like TikTok, and her fanbase overlaps in a really interesting way with Amaarae’s. The collaboration feels organic and exciting, and will likely create a lot of buzz.
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Wale: There is a very visceral quality to how Amaarae expresses desire that I don’t hear very often in a lot of music. It’s abstracted and warped in futuristic textures, but it’s very profoundly human, and it’s always great to hear that even as she advances the sonics of her delivery. I do, however, have an issue with the thematic scope of ‘Black Star.’ I thought there would be overt references to her experiences of navigating her Ghanaian identity, but those references are limited to samples and interpolations. It’s still an incisive listen and a triumph for finding ways to advance music from Africa.
Bamise: It’s Amaarae; she can never go wrong. But for me, this is the album that excites me the least from her catalogue. Other than how bass-heavy some songs on the album are, like “S.M.O.” and “She Is My Drug” among others, it feels similar to other projects I’ve heard from her in a way that’s not exactly refreshing or mind-bending. I may have gotten spoiled by how diverse and eclectic Amaarae’s music tends to be, but I wanted more from her. I expected more gangster, Hip-Hop Amaarae. Thematically, I didn’t get anything that gives the Black Star of Ghana, or black stars are ruling the world. Will I listen again and enjoy every bit of it still, though? Yes, I will.
Shina: So first off, this is a solid body of work. I love the fact that Amaarae stuck with the Dance, Electro-Pop route she was going with throughout the album. The features also played their part, adding their unique touches to each record. I would say, though, a feature I would’ve loved to hear on this project is 070Shake. I think she would have been perfect on “100DRUM,” but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Thematically, I think Amaarae could’ve leaned heavily on her Ghanaian heritage, seeing as the title and cover of the album are a nod to that. Maybe Amaarae just wants us to dance, and that’s what I’m just gonna do, and you should too.
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Tems Partners With Hennessy For Leading Vibe Initiative
Launching in Lagos, Nigeria, this event pioneered by Tems marks the beginning of a continent-wide movement to...
In July, Tems announced the Leading Vibe Initiative (LVI) to support women in music and the creative space on their journey to make a mark in their fields and create space for other women in those industries. Born from Tems’ journey as a self-taught artist with a focus on driving change, the initiative offers training, mentorship, industry access, and community for women in music in Africa.
After a rigorous selection process for its inaugural cohort, Hennessy will join the two-time Grammy Award-winning star to celebrate the launch of the Leading Vibe (LVI) Initiative in Lagos, Nigeria. Held from August 8 to 9, 2025, the two-day event is the beginning of a bold new chapter in Hennessy’s long-standing commitment to music and culture in Africa.
“I’m excited to partner with Hennessy in bringing this initiative to life, supporting talented young women in music as they find their voices, embrace their power, and shape the future of the industry across Africa and beyond,” Tems said about the partnership.
The Leading Vibe Initiative aims to champion the next generation of female artists, producers, songwriters, and music professionals, increasing representation within all areas of music across the continent and beyond.
With Hennessy as lead partner, this ambitious program kicks off with an immersive event in Lagos featuring curated workshops, networking moments, and panel discussions led by top-tier talent from across the global and African music industries.
“Her vision, talent, and purpose align deeply with Hennessy’s legacy of championing those who push boundaries and redefine the world around them. We’re honored to support the Leading Vibe Initiative and to continue empowering African communities and cultures,” said Vincent Montalescot, Hennessy Global Chief Marketing Officer.
Hennessy’s partnership with Tems builds on the brand’s decades-long history of supporting music and artistic expression globally and on the continent. From Hip-Hop to Afrobeats, Hennessy continues to stand beside the artists and communities that shape culture.
In Africa, the Maison has deepened its commitment through meaningful initiatives like In the Paint and now, with the Leading Vibe Initiative, is taking a focused step toward amplifying women’s voices in music. With the Lagos launch as a powerful first step, the Leading Vibe Initiative will expand across Africa and globally, creating a cross-continental network of empowered women ready to shape the future of African music.
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