Interview: 17 Just Wants To Tell His Story 

Posted on by The Native

The walls of separation between disparate parts of people’s lives are quickly disintegrating in this generation, and the arrival of 17’s new extended play, ‘More To Life,’ holds further proof of that evolution. For much of his life, the Nigerian-British star, more popularly known as Alex Iwobi,  has been judged by what he can do on the football pitch, but he’s keen to show that there’s more to him than we know. 

It’s a moment that has long been in the works, with the rapper starting to release music in 2024. Since then, he’s sharpened his voice and vision, setting the stage for the arrival of his debut project, ‘More To Life,’ where he’s letting listeners into the minutiae of his life as a young and gifted black man navigating the parameters of his stardom without losing sight of his priorities.  With features from Fido, 24AM (fellow footballer, Amadou Onana), and TeniolaTime, 17 is stepping out to tell his story on his own terms. 

We hear that you love padel?

Of course, everyone knows that I like my football, I like my music.  Then, even recently, my friends and I have been trying to get into things like padel. I’ve played twice, and I’m already trying to book my next session. I’m actually enjoying it. So, whatever we try to like, we think, oh, let’s test it and see what we can do, we just try to enjoy ourselves. So the reason why obviously ‘More to Life’ is the best way to describe everything is that with my friends and me, with my family and me, we always say there’s more to life.

Why did you start releasing music?

I’ve been going to the booth with my friends for over like 15 years. So like, it’s always a hobby that my friends and I like, we just like to go in the booth, just talk about our lives, talk about what’s going on with us. Literally, whatever comes to mind, we literally just lay it into some lyrics and just put it on the mic. But then, only I’d say like four years ago, towards the end of my career at Everton, we said, “Ah, like, maybe we should put out your music. Like, what do you think?” And I thought, “Yeah, you know what? I think it’s time.” I think it’s time, like, of course, everyone knows Alex Iwobi the footballer, but I feel like it’s time, people see that I have more than just football hobbies, that I like to indulge in a lot of things. And obviously, music is one of them.  I don’t want people thinking I’m distracted with my music because, at the same time, football is my main profession. I feel like ever since I had the move to Fulham, it’s been the right time. My manager gives me the license to go and express myself outside the football pitch. My friends are giving me that freedom, and my family gives me that freedom. So when a lot of people are giving me that green light, I feel confident just to express myself through music. 

How did you approach making the opening track?

It’s an introduction to showcase what you’re going to hear for the rest of the tracks, to just hear like, and to understand that you’re going to hear about my life, you’re going to hear about what I go through, my experiences. And obviously, it’s called “Track Zero” because I’m giving credit to E-Man, he tried to be different. He didn’t want it to be just an intro. He said, “Let’s do something different.” I literally just started talking about me and how I see things, my vision on life. And obviously, the last bar, “there’s a whole new person just unleashed”. So with this EP, it’s time for me to come out of my shell. You’re going to hear my sounds.

How did you discover Amadou Onana could make music?

So with Amadou, that’s like my little brother, even though he’s like 24 inches taller than me. We went bowling once, and then after we went karaoke, and you know, when you go karaoke, normally it’s just like a bit of fun, you’re not expecting people to sound good. He started singing, and everyone was like, “Oh my god, he can sing.” So that’s the first time I thought, “Wow, you can actually sing.” So, I spoke to him. I said, “You actually like to do music?” He said, “Yeah,” he writes his own music. And I said, “Oh, like maybe one day we should link up and go to a studio. I have to give a shout-out to a group called Footballers’ Fits. They organised the session, and we created two songs. But one of the songs is obviously on the EP. Amadou is a talent. He’s another one who’s doing well with his football, but he can sing, and he’s got more to give as well. There are projects from him that are on the way as well.

How did you make “Bussdown?”

So my boy AT, Alex Teniola, obviously, he’s in a relationship. All of us were just talking about how we feel when we’re with girls, like what goes through our minds, and obviously, we like to be confident. So, it’s a smooth one, it’s a nice one, and it’s how I felt in the moment. We made the song, I think, like two, three years ago when I first signed for Fulham, so I was number 22. So, there’s a bar I say about the 22 in it. I was literally talking about the time when I was like, there were people, or like I had a certain someone that I was with at the time, and she was like, “Yeah, like 22,” and like it was nice, man. Everyone was talking about how they really feel in the time.

Are you the first footballer to release music?

Potentially, but my uncle did release a couple of tracks on YouTube, I believe. So I mean, obviously, he wasn’t known for his music, so maybe I might be able to take him up on that.

 

Review: Omah Lay’s ‘Clarity Of Mind’

There is something inherently spiritual about artists deeply plugged into the essence of their sounds. Spirituality, not acutely in the sense of honoring a certain deity or extra-natural force, but the confident and superhuman manner in which they prance around the affairs of their craft. The music they make becomes an extension of their inner essence. Their listeners feel whatever they have inside: from pain to excitement, from the lowest points to the highest peaks. 

Omah Lay is a spiritual singer, and almost four full years after releasing his debut album, ‘Boy Alone,’ he has returned with a polarizing sophomore album, ‘Clarity of Mind.’ That’s as simply as it can be relayed when you leave out what came before the arrival of the music: his hiatus from the public, his cryptic SOS messages online, his managerial controversy, an assist on Davido’s Grammy-nominated track “With You,” and his allegations that the initial concept for his album had been stolen by one of his colleagues. 

On the night of his listening party in London, he came out carrying what looked like 20-kilogram dumbbells and pumped his arms until they could lift no more. In Lagos, he maniacally laughed when a fan asked if he was mad. And without any reference to his frantic period of exemption, he told Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio during an interview that he “has been chilling.” Throughout the rollout for ‘Clarity of Mind,’ he’s been moving with a kind of unbothered calm, and it doesn’t really make any sense. 

Well, that’s because it’s not supposed to make sense. On ‘Boy Alone,’ Omah Lay established the persona of a fighter caught between hedonism as an escape from his troubled mind and the deep blue sea of its effects. He talked about the risk of a burnt liver from smoking so much, the well of trauma he has pent up inside, and even stretched out to the pollution problem in his hometown of Port Harcourt. But the thing with preserving that fighter persona is that it only lasts for so long, and at some point, the fighter who has been attacking his problems with his guard up must eventually ease up for a bit.

Leaning back to watch the party die, Omah Lay begins with a direct message on the album opener of his sophomore full length, “ARTIFICIAL HAPPINESS.” He is conscious of the hold that his addiction has on him, but, ironically, isn’t willing to push back on its caustic effects: “Before morning, the feeling will wash off / But tonight, we will die at the warfront,” he sings. Produced by the trio of David Hart, Orlando, and Tempoe, the track is maintained on a single tempo. Besides the drums, shakers, and feeble synths that blaze across occasionally, it’s mostly Omah’s vocals that steal the show, setting the stage for the album’s slippery feel. 

 

On “CANADA BREEZE,” he continues to emphasize giving in to the euphoric sense of awareness that comes with being intoxicated and unattached. This disdain for appendages runs throughout the album. Omah orders his Bisi not to hold on to anything they might have shared on “JAH JAH KNOWS,” because he is as clueless as she is and has dropped all attempts to figure things out. All of this culminates in the theme of peace as derived from apathy.  Rather than trying to make meaning out of a life that’s progressively becoming more puzzling, he prefers to leave it all to the fates. 

Not only is Omah Lay intoxicated with the serenity of not trying, but his hubris on “I AM” has him at a point where he believes he is supreme. He takes no dissension nor prisoners, and again only admits the counsel of his weed. It is like the classic braggadocio that defines art makers, except that Omah’s muffled incantation of the biblical reference “I am who I am” on most of the song is intended to convince listeners to take him seriously. 

The Tempoe-produced “DON’T LOVE ME,” however, introduces a new dilemma. Omah’s escape routes—the quick thrills of his Hennessey and marijuana, and other instant forms of gratification—aren’t as effective as before. Nonetheless, he won’t stop chasing them, and on “WATER SPIRIT,” he narrates an unrestrained night with a lover in highly metaphorical details: “She is on her way to come and make it rain tonight/ All she want na vitamin D, all she need na vitamin D,” he drags out. It is a mirror of the iconic and nasty “Ye Ye Ye” from 2020, and his cadence echoes early 2000s sexy Afropop. In particular, the Desperate Chick’s verse on Dekumzy’s “Who Get Dat Thing” first came to mind when he began to float over the incandescent instrumental. 

Omah’s lyric-tenor allows him to consummately bounce in, out, and around pockets that Tony Duardo creates with his percussion-driven production. He bends his syllables and is nimble with his words to match BPMs that are orthodox to rap songs. Omah repeats the same trick on the first verse of the pre-released “WAIST,” and matches it with the choral motif that becomes fatiguing further along into the album. To listen to only Omah’s vocals, unfortunately, became an exercise in patience at some point. 

Conversely, that isn’t the case on “COPING MECHANISM,” the only collaboration on the album, which features Elmah. Although the Afrosoul singer has fewer than ten songs in her catalogue, she rose to prominence after her single, “New Boy In Town,” took over TikTok in 2024. “COPING MECHANISM” is the first touchy-feely track on the record. Elmah takes the opening chorus, and as tenderness and vulnerability slip through the vocals of both singers, Omah reaches a seminal point in the album.

 

During a pre-album interview in London, Omah Lay narrated how he had to deal with a breakup and losing in his Grammy category on the same night.  “I was at the Grammys, and while Justin Bieber was performing, I was having a breakup,” he said. “So, there were two performers.” Although he tries to make light of the situation, he goes deeper into his toxic connection with being in love, explaining how hard it is to be fully immersed in his craft when he has his heart out for someone else across ‘Clarity of Mind.’

The breakup becomes a turning point and brings him clarity. “CANADA BREEZE” is the first time he addresses it on the album, turning reality to art when he sings, “…lost my bae and award all in one day.”  After his and Elmah’s duet, he creates a pictorial version of that night on “JULIA.” He mentions that he had already set tables for his victory, looking as stunning as possible, anticipating celebrating with his partner, only to walk away with ghostly apparitions of what could have been. 

The production on the album is inspired, with his close collaborator, Tempoe, taking credit for seven of the total 12 songs on the album. The bounce on “JULIA” is the standout, as well as Tony Duardo’s trickery on “WATER SPIRIT.” Built mostly around muted percussion, there are occasional synths from time to time that give it a sort of dramatic feel, like at the end of “CANADA BREEZE,” and through “WATER SPIRIT.”  ‘Clarity of Mind’ closes with “AMEN,” a manifestation of a good life where Omah has nothing else than what he desires: enough money, new Louis Vuitton merchandise, and, of course, clarity of mind. 

For most of its runtime, ‘Clarity of Mind’ moves beyond the narratives explored on ‘Boy Alone.’ Omah’s inclination towards manicured lyrics and substance-powered escapism tones down the emotionality. Here, he’s no longer trying to fix his problems, but becoming one with them in characteristic fashion. For the singer, ‘Clarity of Mind’ isn’t about finding solutions to his substance problems or emotional irregularity; it is about embracing them. 

Listen to ‘Clarity of Mind’ here.

Igwe Aka Is Leaning Into Legacy On “EGONOMICS”

Posted on by Boluwatife Adeyemi

A quick look at Igwe Aka’s Instagram account reveals the precise moment his style shifted. A teaser post from the 9th of January marks that critical turning point. In this clear digital landmark, he debuted what turned out to be “KAPOW,” a viral track that has given the Nigerian-born, Sacramento-based rapper and singer a significant boost in local exposure and acclaim. 

Before the release of “KAPOW,” Igwe Aka had already garnered some buzz in Sacramento’s underground scene thanks to his experimentation with a range of Hip-Hop styles and even Rock-influenced music. The viral track, however, ingeniously merged those Western influences with distinctive melodic cadences of his native Igbo language, creating an authentic and refreshing sound that quickly drew admiration from local listeners here who found resonance with his new style. 

 

This potent fusion of influences and a discernible visual aesthetic that leans heavily into Y2K Nollywood imagery has been the bedrock of his recent run and has made him one of the most exciting names currently shaping the future of Nigerian music. It’s also the driving force behind his latest release, ‘Wawa Music,’ a two-pack that features the standout “EGONOMICS.” 

Produced by 3CB, one of the major architects shaping the sounds coming out of the burgeoning underground scene, “EGONOMICS” reaches deeper into Igwe Aka’s cultural roots and evolving musical sensibilities, putting on for the Ndi Wawa, a subgroup of the Igbo people primarily located in Ebonyi and Enugu, his home state. Over bouncy drums and a floating oja flute, a native instrument of the Igbos, he raps about how he’s focused on getting the bag with clever wordplays like ‘My pockets filled with crackers but they speaking in Ebonics,’ while also referencing regions and landmarks like Federal Housing and Mbaise that ground the song’s narrative within his lived experiences.

The promotional videos for the single, as well as most of his other releases this year, have been fit for purpose, as they feature Igwe Aka in specific, carefully selected locations that intentionally evoke a strong sense of place and local pride, nicely complementing the themes and context of his current music. 

 

“EGONOMICS,” and the rest of ‘Wawa Music,’ which includes the Odunsi The Engine-assisted “BACKASSI,” exists within a broader trend of emerging acts pushing against the homogenisation of Afropop by taking strong inspiration from their roots and making something familiar but also forward-thinking. The recent viral success of Kayode’s “AIMOYE,” which samples King Saheed Osupa’s “Reliable Pt.5” lends credence to the trend. 

Other emerging acts like Luwa.Mp4, S1orDie, and Indi are similarly merging old and new influences to create something unique, and the release of “EGONOMICS” ensures Igwe Aka remains at the forefront of this movement, shaping and defining the future of Nigerian music. 

Listen to “EGONOMICS” here. 

Apex Village Wants To Leave Its Mark On Nigerian Hip-Hop With ‘Welcome 2 The Ville’

Posted on by Chinonso Ihekire

Seven years ago, somewhere in the heart of Nigeria’s bustling capital city, Abuja, Apex Village sprang to life under the aegis of Psycho YP and his sister/manager Cindy Ihua, with a talented group of mavericks, including Zilla Oaks, Kuddi, and Marv OTM in tow. By 2019, they had etched their first sonic offering as a group, with the 8-tracker ‘Welcome to the Ville’ album. The record showcased their brilliant progressive rap persona, outlier stories, and team spirit, rebelling against the idea that it was impossible to gain significant momentum with their music from anywhere other than Nigeria’s cultural capital, Lagos.

Now, their recent sophomore album, ‘Welcome 2 The Ville,’ expands that vision. The 14-tracker spin introduces Laime, Azanti, Uloko, and Thrill Max, positioning the group as a vanguard of Hip-Hop’s generational shift in Nigeria. The record weaves melodic Rap, street poetry, and hustler narratives, featuring a lineup of collaborators spanning Nigeria and the UK, including Arieenati, Kemuel, Bkay EastGaad, Zhud Jdo, Rjayondtrack, Tyira, Not3s, and Jeriq.

The soothing baritone of Nigerian broadcaster EDK opens up ‘Welcome 2 The Ville.’ “Monday is here! Brand new work week! We made it!” The radio-dub interlude segues into the trippy, anthemic hi-hats and Afro-Trap melody that structure the album’s opener, “God No Go Shame Us,” setting the tone for the ambitious youth memento that the entire record preaches. The song is a braggadocious duet between Psycho YP and Azanti where YP’s pidgin-inflected chorus, “Now when I don cash out from the Maye/ God no go shame us,” opens up room for Azanti’s hazy vocals as they affirm their self-belief and reliance on God’s providence. 

With most of the tracks produced by Apex sonic honcho Thrill Max, the rest of the record possesses that suspenseful, anthemic feel that introduces the group’s grandeur. In the second track, “How Far” (with Uloko, Psycho YP, and Marv OTM), the group introduces its polarizing Afrobeats shift, which began with earlier tracks like “Extracurricular Activities.” The same crew talking about the signposts of their financial success is reminiscing on earlier financial struggles. Uloko, who is a more recent member, brings on his Pop-leaning alto as he talks about his materialistic shayla from Tinapa. 

From there, the album segues into “Been A Minute” (with Laime, Aguero Banks, and Marv OTM), which brings their rap focus into full view. The track, which should have been a filler track at best, springs to the front burner, but the high-octane energy from Laime and Aguero on the track revs the record into an instant replay addiction. Trading bars in Pidgin, Igbo, and English juices the song with an instant relatability and groove that finds legitimacy among contemporary Hip-Hop records.

The polyphonic groove, melding hi-hats, 808s, Trap drums, backing vocals, and punchy bars, continues in the next track, “Anymore” (with Laime, Psycho YP and Arieenati) as they dive into their Kanye-esque energy in this track. Swapping stories of “pearls and diamonds as their fashion style” and “flying to Calabasas”, as they reflect on their quintessential ‘bad b,’ the record finds its footing in the raspy paces from both YP and Laime, who enshrine their deliveries with hard-hitting enunciation.

By the time the album spins into “No Hand$” (with Kemuel and Psycho YP), the album displays Apex Village’s versatility. Kemuel delivers feathery vocal smoothness; YP counterbalances with UK Drill cadence. Other tracks, like “Can’t Complain” and “Memories,” maintain this balance of R&B melodies and Trap grit. “Practice,” a solo track, showcases YP’s range, while his presence across nearly every track cements him as both the collective’s creative anchor and lead melodic voice. His dual upbringing in the UK and Nigeria is audible in his fusion of Afropop and Trap.

The entire album thrives on a particular tempo that prioritizes cohesiveness. Each track seeps into the other with familiar piano chords and suspenseful ambient melodies that buffer its Hip-Hop feel. The storytelling also follows a similar sequence, where braggadocio and hustling take centre-stage, while romance appears as a minority. For a collective like Apex, the stories feel like hair on skin, easily arriving as natural, intimate, sincere stories, like reading chapters from their personal journals. The celebratory, defiant, and ambitious mood that defines the album is, perhaps, the most exciting part of the music. It’s an instant adrenaline jolt, with no waning moments and instant replay value.

The album draws its curtains with “Memories.” The soothing, lithe vocals from Tyira, “I don’t want to lose you,” hang like thick clouds in the air, before Thrill Max’s airy drums usher in Laime’s Pop-Soul-leaning verse. Psycho YP’s pidgin bars surface again, as he odes to his roots, “From Rivers State, make dem no dey follow me play.” This particular track reveals the synergy between Laime and Psycho YP, who appear to be the most versatile in the entire group. Whether it’s blending their energetic Southern Nigerian spirit or their American-inspired Trap flows, the cousins understand the subject of tonal clarity in each of their collaborations.

Overall, ‘W2TV’ feels like a very fluid, progressive arrangement of ideas, sonics, and storytelling. The choice of features also ranks as one of the record’s strongest pillars, with invigorating contributions from indigenous rappers like Aguero Banks, Jeriq, to stylized UK/US Trap from Psycho YP, Marv OTM, and Bkay EastGaad, as well as Pop-Soul-influenced delivery from Laime, Azanti, and Kemuel. With brazy-but-intimate lyrics, each track feels well-tailored to feel uplifting, introspective, yet still giddy.

In some ways, the album is essentially a statement-making document of Apex Collective’s rise as one of Nigeria’s most vibrant and impactful Hip-Hop crews in recent times. Nearly a decade after rising to fame, Apex Village revives the communal, storytelling energy of earlier collectives like the Choc Boiz while tweaking it for today’s expansive, multi-genre soundscape. With clever lyricism, meticulous production, and carefully curated features, ‘Welcome 2 The Ville’ positions the group as both chroniclers and architects of Nigerian Hip-Hop’s next era. 

Interview: Omah Lay Wants ‘Clarity Of Mind’

Posted on by The Native

Since Omah Lay rose to mainstream consciousness during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Port Harcourt native has built a reputation as one of Afropop’s most conceptual-driven performers, blending sounds and moods in homage to his overarching vision, whether it was exploring the perks of superstardom on ‘What Have We Done’ or working through the emotional trappings of that success on ‘Boy Alone.’

‘Boy Alone,’ his debut album, released in 2022, was a triumph of his approach to making music and set the bar high for what was to come from the singer. Rather than give in to the pressure to craft a quickfire follow-up to ‘Boy Alone,’ the singer disappeared to work on his overall well-being, occasionally sharing singles and hinting at a follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut album. Nearly four years on from ‘Boy Alone,’ that follow-up, ‘Clarity Of Mind,’ has arrived, and per Omah Lay, it’s the sound of refreshment. “This is really clarity of mind, and with all of this resting and all of this chilling and just enjoying life, it just feels like, okay, it’s time,” he says. “It’s time to really start afresh.”

His conversation with Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio has been edited below for length and clarity. 

We’re speaking from the slopes of Austria. You’re skiing right now, how cool is that?

I’m having fun. I was just having fun with my life. And I think that’s the whole essence of my album. This album, ‘Clarity of Mind,’ is really just to enjoy life, you know? Life is really good.

What is ‘Clarity of Mind’ about?

You see, with ‘Clarity of Mind,’ I feel like for a while I kind of like decided to chill. Even though I was chilling, I was still getting Grammy nominations and all of that. But I decided to chill for a minute, take care of myself, take care of my family, put my mind back in the right space, and I really just turned off the world for a while. I just did that, spent time with my family, all of that, but while I was doing that, I was recording music too, you know? Because, you know, that’s my thing. I was recording music, and it feels like I’ve just been inside doing all this healing, all this self-growth, and all of that. I looked at a bunch of records that I made during this time that I’m taking care of myself, and I’m like, “Yeah, this is ‘Clarity of Mind.’ This is really clarity of mind, and with all of this resting and all of this chilling and just enjoying life, it just feels like, okay, it’s time. It’s time to really start afresh. 

 

 

What do you think about the creative scene today?

For a while, I’ve just been observing the scene, like our music and African art. I’ve been observing it for a while, and I’ve honestly not been happy. I have honestly not been happy. Not like we’re doing bad,  we’re doing really great. Something new has to happen, you know? There has to be, like the kids, they need to learn something else. They need to see something else, and that’s the whole essence of ‘Clarity of Mind.’ I’ve always wanted to start afresh. So I was like, okay, this is the time to start afresh. 

Why did you tattoo your head?

I’ve always wanted to tattoo my head, like all of my head. So it was like, I’m gonna make this an event. I’m gonna make it cool for my fans. I want to enjoy this moment with everybody. So, from the start of when I shaved off my hair, I’m gonna post it, and I’m gonna take my fans through this journey and make this whole thing an event. Go to the warehouses, invite them to see me tattoo my head, get my piercings, see me real-time, my hair grow while we’re listening to the album, partying from city to city, very private and intimate. Because it’s been a while, I feel like I miss them so much. I miss my fans so much.  With ‘Clarity of Mind,’ it’s like, “Yo, let’s go outside. Let’s have fun. Let’s enjoy this time.” So it’s gonna be one of the greatest gifts of anybody’s life. ‘Clarity of Mind’ is like the thing that I’ve always worked so hard for. Like all the self-growth, all these books, it’s for me to reach that height. So, we’re here. Let’s do it with everybody. I gotta give this to everybody. Everybody has to feel it. Fans have to grow with me. 

What do you want the fans’ reaction to the project to be?

I want the world to listen to this and just feel it for themselves, you know? I don’t want to explain how it happened. At the end of the day, it just boils down to this being my life. My life is going on. It’s really just going on right in front of me.  While some fans and some haters and some people who don’t understand what’s going on think that it’s all fun, it’s really real life. It’s my life happening right in front of me. From ‘Boy Alone,’ which was my last album, that’s really me. That’s me going through it. [I] had to use loneliness for escape, and that was ‘Boy Alone.’ I’m in a place right now where it’s like, “Okay, solitude, a lot of solitude”. And now the solitude brings you clarity. That’s a fact. I’m in a place where it’s like I feel a bit more at peace. I kind of understand things a bit more. I’m grown, a bit more grown-up, and I’m in a place of clarity. This is the season. It’s just my life really happening in front of everybody with sound. So, I don’t want to explain it. I feel like you just soak inside of it, enjoy the music as much as I enjoyed making it for you.

Listen to ‘Clarity Of Mind‘ here.

 

The Lagos Fanti Carnival Is Back For 2026 Edition

Posted on by Melony Akpoghene

The Lagos Fanti Carnival will return to Tafawa Balewa Square on April 6, 2026, bringing one of the city’s oldest cultural expressions back into focus during the Easter period.

Rooted in the history of Afro-Brazilian returnees known as the Aguda, the carnival traces back to the nineteenth century, when formerly enslaved Africans settled in Lagos after journeys through Brazil. They arrived with distinct customs that gradually shaped life on Lagos Island, from architecture to food, music, and spiritual practice. Over time, these influences formed the identity now celebrated through the Fanti Carnival.

 

Today, the event stands as a living record of that exchange. Under the theme “A Homecoming of Heritage,” this year’s carnival builds on the 2025 comeback to be even bigger, with wider programming and increased participation. Community groups from Lafiaji, Isale-Eko, Olowogbowo, Campos, and Okepopo are expected to participate, each presenting distinctive styles shaped by neighbourhood histories, with their presence reflecting how the festival continues to be community-led despite its growing scale.

It will also extend beyond the procession, as plans include a curated exhibition presenting archival material and artefacts tied to Afro-Brazilian life in Lagos, as well as an economic summit exploring contemporary creative and commercial links between both regions. The day will close with a concert featuring live music rooted in samba-influenced Nigerian sounds.

 

Produced by Nuru Lab, the carnival forms part of Lagos’ broader push to position itself as a centre for cultural tourism, grounded in stories that connect continents through lived experience.

uNder: Best New Artists (March, 2026)

Posted on by The Native

Believe it or not, we are already one quarter through 2026 and so much has happened and keeps happening around us. Through it all, the music has never really paused and we owe much of that to the tireless efforts of rising artists who are committed to working their way through a range of feelings in their music. In a year when time has genuinely felt like an abstraction, the work of form-bending musicians and artists has tethered us to reality for better or worse and we’re all the better for it. 

True to our mission to continue to support rising artists from across Africa and the Black diaspora, our uNder column is back for another installments and the musicians we are celebrating this month have an unmistakable sense of humaness to them. Whether it’s the forward-leaning propulsion of Zen Univrse, the cathartic candour of S1orDie, the soulful inquests into pain that Jack APK proposes, or the romantic programming of Kofee Bean, these musicians have deeply-felt considerations that translates to their music, and we’re all better that they exist in the same timeline with us. Tap into their work and discover some new gems for your playlists; and thanks for rocking with us for another month. 

 

S1orDie

 

For Fans of: Lancey Foux, Cochise, and Fimiguerrero.

One of the more exciting shifts in Nigeria’s underground right now is how young artists are building their own systems. At the centre of that movement is CYK—short for Cyber Youth Kaizen—a loose collective that has become a meeting point for a new class of internet-raised creatives. The name doubles as a guiding idea, reflecting a generation of artists who learned from online spaces and turned that exposure into a working method. Their music moves freely, pulling from different scenes without settling in one place, and that openness defines much of what they do.

S1orDie is one of the clearest voices to come out of that circle, an artist whose steady run of releases has started to sketch out a clear identity. The Nigerian artist works across rap and melody, drawing from Trap, R&B and Alté. His songs often shift in tone, moving between sharp verses and more melodic stretches, giving his work an adaptable structure.

Across the last few years, S1orDie has built a dense catalogue of releases, moving quickly from early projects like ‘S3X’ (2023), which first drew attention to his name, to ‘PINK + WHITE’ (2024) and, more recently, ‘SS25’ (2025). Each project tracks a subtle shift in his sound without losing the in-the-moment feel that defines his music. On highlights like “CIGARETTE SILHOUETTE” and “CASH IN CASH OUT” from ‘SS25,’ the production moves into murkier territory with enough space for his often low-register, slurry flows.

While his other projects map out his sonic growth, the ‘NEVER TRUST A VOGUE GYAL EP’ series provides a tighter look at his thematic fixations, acting as a more focused outlet for his fascination with modern relationships, lifestyle and ambition. Lately, he has been raiding the Y2K vault, and he is so chameleonic that his recent release last month, “PHASE SHIFT,” saw him shift into the foundational Street-Pop aesthetics birthed in Ajegunle, one of the low-income districts in Lagos. His collaborative reach has also expanded through work with Monochrome on the two-part project ‘+We 2 Fly.’ – M.A.

As he continues to evolve, S1orDie represents the future of Nigerian urban music.

 

Jack Apk

 

For Fans of: Tems, Aylø, and Frank Ocean.

If you listen closely enough to Jack APK’s music, you can hear the singer cauterising his emotional wounds and constructing an homage to the resultant scars through his melodies. A casual dive into his catalogue reveals that pain is never too far away from Jack and he doesn’t neccesarily run away from it; instead he tries to use his music to understand the nature of hurt and solitude as a means to healing. The South African made his debut on 2019’s “123” with 44KA$H and Vergo Pharmacist, teaming up with his co-stars on a Trap-adjacent song about drugs and women. He followed it up with “Old Jack” in 2020, purposefully introducing his mid-tempo fusion of Soul and Trap that was fully unfurled on 2021’s ‘ISOLATION,’ a four-track dispatch on romantic desire and solitude. 

Since then, the singer has experimennted widely and frequently, pushing the boundaries of his work in different directions without sacrificing thematic discipline and lyrical consistence. Singles like the dance-influenced “Techno,” the Rage Rap-leaning “Can’t sleep,” and “Jetski!” preceded ‘ISOLATION II,’ a full-on immersion into Soul that provided highlights like “Paper towns” and “Interlude.” 2024 was noticeably lean for the rising singer who favoured a singles-lead approach, releaisng emotionally-wrenching songs like “You got someone,” “All I want,” and “Alone” that explored his sorrow at a romance that doesn’t quite go the way he envisioned while fleshing out the realties of navigating life alone. 

Growing bolder with his vulnerability, 2025 was a seminal year for Jack APK as he tunnelled into his weighty topics like obsession, loss, and rejection across two full-length projects, one extended play and a cache of singles. February’s ‘Blue hour’ was a six-track inquiry into the quirks of humanity and the price of self-confidence played out over quirky and off-kilter guitar-led instrumentals that allowed his voice to soar. In November 2025, he released the titanic ‘Scars & Wounds,’ further pondering heartache and growing pains across 16 tracks with highlights like “Who cares, just cry,” “Dog in me,” and “On my own.” Just one month later, he returned with ‘Come On!,’ a Trap-influenced extravaganza that found him leaning into self-pride and healing. 

2026 has started in similar fashion for the singer who released a two-pack, “2 love letters,” in February, detailing his capacity for love and tenderness. Impressively, seven years into a still-unfolding career, Jack APK has not lost any of the sensitivity that makes him an enjoyable listening, he’s still earnest, honest, and engaging, continuing to capture the raw moments of jeopardy and numbing euphoria that mark him out as a must-listen.  – W.O.

 

Zen Univrse

 

For Fans of: Olamide, Minz, and Asake.

In a recent interview discussing his music and influences, Zen Univrse was asked to name one African rap album that he could listen to forever, and his pick was Olamide’s seminal sophomore album ‘Baddest Guy Ever Liveth.’ Even though he didn’t go into detail as to the reason for his choice, the reasons for his affinity are immediately apparent to anyone familiar with both artists’ work. Released in 2013, ‘Baddest Guy Ever Liveth’ represents a crucial blueprint for a similar sort of hybridisation of Hip-Hop and Afropop sounds that Zen Univrse’s current genre-bending approach aims for. 

Interestingly, the Olamide influences in the rapper and singer’s work were not always as apparent as they are right now. His introductory EP ‘Bad Decisions’ from 2020 and the accompanying deluxe version were both defined by a breezy sound, often leaning into contemporary R&B textures and a more laid-back vocal delivery. A couple of subsequent tracks like “Streets Ain’t Safe,” inspired by the #EndSars protests, “Omo Ologo,” and particularly “Dragon,” the standout track from a 2023 two-pack, chart his evolution as he began to infuse a raw, vernacular-heavy energy into his music, echoing the influential style of Olamide and bridging the gap between his earlier, smoother sound and his current, more culturally-grounded Street-Pop delivery. 

A ton of his releases since “Dragon,” like 2024’s ‘Mr Univrse,’ and ‘Alternative Univrse,’ have seen him fully commit to this style, spitting melodious, witty lines over throbbing log drums or a dark, minimalist Trap beat, most of which are self-produced. “Ben 10,” the standout track from the latter EP, is one of his finest examples of this mature style, combining cutting lyricism with an irresistible groove. His latest album, ‘crazy motion,’ which arrived earlier in the year, continues to explore the depths of his lyrical prowess and dynamic production capabilities. He’s openly described the project as one that he hopes will bring him significant attention, and with his display on highlights like “bonita” and “run am,” the foundation for that mainstream recognition is firmly in place. – B.A.

 

Kofee Bean

 

For Fans of: Asa, Shekhinah, and Erykah Badu.

Kofee Bean is honest about using music as a map towards a long-held quest of finding a universal truth that was set in motion by soaking up influences from idols like Jill Scorr, Erykah Badu, and Sade. As a child growing up in Takoradi, Ghana, the singer was caughtb between diverse interpretations of music, moving fluidly between the colourful dynamism of Traditional Folk music played at weddings and funerals, the all-engrossing spirituality of Gospel Music, as well as the Jazz and R&B that her parents would frequently play. Inspired by what she heard around her, the singer (born Patience Naa Oyo Titus-Glover) developed a unique style, defined by the soulful essence of R&B and the sweeping melancholy of gospel music. 

She first got her start performing at venues across Accra, shaping her voice by throwing herself into the craft and sharpening her abilities. Convinced that she was ready to give music a go, Kofee Bean released her debut single, “Breathing,” in 2022. A warm, Jazz-inflected exploration of longing and desire, “Breathing” featured rapper, KiddBlack, who broadened the song’s interrogation of romantic dynamics. Almost one year after her debut, Kofee Bean returned with another song, “Garden Lily,” a more intimate offering that pondered the depths of desire with the singer asking a love interest to wait for her and choose her over other people. 

As she has continued to release music professionally, Kofee’s interpretation of romance and love has mirrored the contentious nature of modern dating. Her 2024 two-pack, “Silly Nigga,” is a fiesty two-punch excoriation of a romantic interest who doesn’t returm love with the same intensity or intention that Kofee does. The song features Kenyan rapper, Steph Unruly, expressing her fury at a lover who can’t quite act right, drawing the line at behaviour she finds too inconsistent for her. Later in 2024, Kofee Bean joined German singer, Peter Fox, on “Night Ride,” a dreamy Hip-Hop-R&B collab hinging on the allure of love. 

All of Kofee’s work in 2024 set the stage for 2025, her most busy year yet. She kicked off the year with “Taste,” a sensual, mid-tempo with rising Ugandan star, MAUIMØON, that opens with the striking question, “Do you believe in true love?” In June 2025, she returned with “Why,” a mournful guitar-led dirge about romantic heartbreak that featured fellow Ghanaian, Supa Gaeta. Just a month later, she was channeling optimism on “In2U,” an uptempo romantic manifesto that saw the singer offering her heart once more. Despite its brevity, the release was a light-hearted dispatch that set the stage for the arrival of “Cashmere,” another experimental release with the Ugandan-Rwandan producer, La Soülchyld. On “Cashmere,” Kofee Bean’s powerful grasp of emotional interiority and narrative building comes to the fore over Soülchyld’s alluring instrumental as she continues to craft worlds for her feelings to exist in unencumbered. – W.O.

Ife Ogunjobi Is Staking His Claim with ‘Tell Them, I’m Here’

Posted on by Melony Akpoghene

Between his 2023 debut, ‘Stay True,’ and now, Ife Ogunjobi has changed. He has grown more intent on revealing the full spectrum of his multifaceted self. Who he is now, by his own account, is someone thoroughly grounded in certainty. “There’s only one version of me,” he tells NATIVE Mag, “and that alone means I must be special in some way.”

Since that debut, Ogunjobi has moved through a period of rapid personal and creative expansion. He felt compelled to offer an update on his identity, guided by the belief that his music must faithfully reflect who he is at any given moment. Against that backdrop, his latest project, ‘Tell Them, I’m Here,’ captures his present state of mind: confident, assured, and openly optimistic about what lies ahead. The music is a conduit for the self-possession that defines him now, reaching outward towards new possibilities. 

Building on this evolution, the EP projects a perspective rooted in a psychological state of aplomb that extends beyond career ambition. Ife Ogunjobi is, of course, authoritatively demanding attention upon his arrival, but he is also proposing a framework for personal autonomy. “It’s the confidence and self-belief I have in myself that I want other people to have as well,” he explains. “Even though the EP is called ‘Tell Them, I’m Here,’ I want everyone to be able to say that for themselves, in their own way. No one else can be you. You’re your own person, so step into that.” The title is an imperative sentence, striking in its decisiveness, and it is deeply satisfying that the music substantiates the claim. 

A five-track release, ‘Tell Them, I’m Here‘ is a document of unrestrained melodic expression. It is buoyant and blissed-out, filled with sticky-sweet melodies that glide across subgenres, folding disparate influences from Afropop to Hip-Hop, Afro R&B, and Jazz into a cohesive whole while committing fully to genre-bending freedom.

The EP opens with the spunky, Highlife-inflected swinger “East Street Market,” a track that demonstrates the zest of the Walworth Road market. “I started with ‘East Street Market’ because a lot of projects like to ease you in with an intro before getting into it,” Ogunjobi says. “I wanted to do the opposite. I wanted to hit people straight away with what this is. As soon as you press play, you hear the drums come in. I wanted it to feel like a Nigerian hall party or like actually being in a busy market.”

 

It transitions seamlessly into “Cali,” where featured vocalist Samm Henshaw floats gently over a supple instrumental that gleams. “Zimbabwe,” which follows, is the EP’s most immediately adhesive moment. Rollicking and circular, it is driven by a trumpet refrain that settles into the listener’s body and refuses to leave. Ogunjobi has said that if he had to explain himself through a single song, this might be it. “Going into ‘Zimbabwe,’ I wanted to start heavy, then ease people into the vibe. If I had to explain who I am in one song, it might be this song. It’s infectious. I can listen to it all day.”

Indeed, while the prevailing mood is joyful and blithe, the EP is not emotionally monolithic, and Ogunjobi is careful not to stay in the sun for too long. He pivots to “Don’t Leave,” perhaps the most vulnerable moment on the record. On the track, the trumpet stops being a herald and starts being a confidant, moving at an unhurried, unharried pace. “It’s funny. People have said to me that once they’ve heard that song, it’s like they felt I was speaking even though I’m only playing the trumpet,” Ogunjobi shares. 

None of this disrupts the EP’s coherence or its overall vivacity. There is a unifying sensibility that makes each track feel like a room in the same house, with Ogunjobi’s trumpet serving as a steady guide from one space to the next.

 

For an instrumentalist, this degree of emotional articulation is entirely intentional. Ogunjobi is a composer first, one who happens to play the trumpet, and uses the instrument to telegraph a complex range of feelings. Without lyrics to lean on, the burden of storytelling rests fully on melody and structure. He rejects the notion that instrumental music is subordinate to vocals. To him, the human voice can be too specific or limiting. A trumpet line, by contrast, can carry ten different meanings for ten listeners, allowing for a universality that words often constrain.

“When I start a song, it already has an emotional direction,” he says. “Then I ask myself, as an instrumentalist, what I actually want to say. I’m very intentional about that. Do I want people to feel uplifted? Reflective? Intimate? Do I want them to escape and forget their troubles? Because I don’t have lyrics, I have to be even more intentional. Everything has to come through the music itself.”

As a core member of the Mercury Prize–winning Ezra Collective, Ife Ogunjobi’s sound has travelled across global stages, forming part of the melodic backbone of a movement that has reshaped the aesthetics of 21st-century Jazz. Raised in South East London by Nigerian parents, his home was saturated with Fuji, Highlife, Afrobeat, and Jazz, where he first encountered foundational figures like Miles Davis, Fela Kuti, King Sunny Adé, and Ebenezer Obey.

While his training at the Royal Academy of Music furnished him with a formidable technical foundation, his musical instincts were forged in London’s Saturday music schools and youth centres. He recalls seeing Hugh Masekela perform at the Royal Festival Hall when he was just ten years old. That performance reoriented his sense of what was possible.

Contemporary African Jazz currently sits at the centre of global experimentation. On the continent and across its diaspora, the music is shaping the avant-garde. In South Africa, Nduduzo Makhathini frames Jazz as ritual, drawing on Zulu cosmology to guide modern improvisation. Groups like Kokoroko and SuperJazzClub channel West African lineage into groove-forward, dancefloor-ready forms. Across cities like Lagos, Paris, and London, artists like Lia Butler, Etuk Ubong, Ami Taf Ra, and Hervé Samb are building a borderless instrumental movement grounded in cultural memory and forward momentum. Ogunjobi agrees that the scene today is at a high point. “I think that Jazz and just generally the instrumental scene right now is one of its strongest,” he says. “I look at artists like Venna, who’s doing so well, and it’s very inspiring. There’s also Kokoroko; even though their music has lyrics, it is very instrumentally driven. And then artists like Masego, who sings but also plays the saxophone. There are so many pockets of people doing different things, all using instruments to tell their story as part of their craft.”

Ogunjobi’s work also intersects with Afropop’s global expansion, though it enters through a different door. He uses the trumpet to navigate the same grooves that have made West African artists global icons, adding a layer of virtuosic musicianship that feels fresh and historically literate. He remains unmoved by the industry’s bias towards vocalists. “I think the industry lost its way for a bit, treating instrumental music as a service for vocals. It doesn’t have to be that. I’ve always felt like music can speak a thousand words, even when there are no actual words.”

Looking forward, Ogunjobi is already scanning the horizon. “Even though the EP only came out, I’m already excited for what’s next and the new avenues that might open up from releasing it,” he shares. The future is an open field, and the creative restlessness that birthed ‘Tell Them, I’m Here’ is already nudging him towards new terrain, including a deeper dive into Dance music. “I want to make music you can dance to that still possesses depth,” he muses. “I want people to be in the club, dancing their problems away, while realising there’s a whole other level of nuance happening.” He isn’t sweating the journey, though. Whatever direction he takes, he remains untroubled by uncertainty. “Good music lasts,” he concludes. “It always finds its way to the surface.”

Listen to ‘Tell Them, I’m Here’ here. 

scottyolorin’s  debut mixtape, ‘OLORIN PACK,’ is here

Posted on by Boluwatife Adeyemi

scottyolorin has released his official debut mixtape, ‘OLORIN PACK.’ The project arrived with little fanfare, having been announced only a few hours before its midnight release. Despite the swift and low-key rollout, it’s a timely release that culminates a period of significant buzz and momentum for the rising singer. The late announcement was met with instant excitement from fans, signalling the hype and engagement he managed to garner over the last few months. 

This time last year, scottyolorin had only two official credits to his name, slowly biding his time as he transitioned from a graphic designer to a musician. The release of “TRABAYE” and “LIKE ASHERKINE” in the middle of the year gave him some much-needed momentum, but it was his late-year collab with Egertton, “MOLADE”, and a standout verse on Straffitti’s “TE WO” that truly announced him as a star in the making. 

 

Since then, he’s been incredibly active, performing at various live shows and releasing new singles like “DEELA” and the R33NZO-assisted “FL STUDIO.” Both tracks make it onto this new mixtape, along with 10 other tracks that put on display the young singer’s artistic vision and unique take on a range of styles. 

 

‘OLORIN PACK’ includes guest appearances from ARTSALGHUL, ytboutthataction, R33NZO and a couple others. The production, which features pounding 808s, electronic guitar riffs, and heavy synths, is handled by a host of producers like Semzi, JoeyXcv, Elemen3, and a few others whose collaborative efforts result in a cohesive and varied sonic experience. 

With the singer’s first headline show only a few days away, this new mixtape serves as the perfect precursor for his dedicated fans looking to attend the show and for new listeners eager to delve into the sound of one of the scene’s most promising new voices.

Listen to ‘OLORIN PACK’ here. 

Mowalola, Soldier Boyfriend, And Obongjayar Discuss The Significance Of Nigerian Modernism 

Posted on by The Native

In November 2025, Tate Modern opened its doors to the Nigerian Modernism exhibition, an important survey of the people and the work that changed the face of Nigerian art from the 1940s until the 1990s. The exhibition traces how over 50 artists, from Ben Enwonwu and Ladi Kwali to Nike Okundaye-Davies, forged a bold new visual language that documented the country’s independence from the status quo of colonial and military rule.

NATIVE and Tate invited art historian Alayo Akinkugbe to host a conversation with three Nigerian artists: Soldier Boyfriend, Mowalola and Obongjayar, key figures exporting their Nigerian talent across music, art and fashion to the rest of the world. Throughout the conversation, Soldier Boyfriend, Mowalola and Obongjayar explored how their respective pasts influence their work today.

Curated by Osei Bonsu, the ongoing exhibition is open to the public at Tate Modern until May 10th, 2026. Nigerian Modernism takes us on a visual journey through the state of the country in real time, from the sacred groves of Osun in Oshogbo to the pre-independence rebellion of the Zaria Art Society and the Nsukka Art School, which created the intellectual backbone for what we know as Modernism today.

The conversation started with an assessment of what modernism means to each artist, and made its way through the roots of their creations, how various established systems help or hinder one’s creative expressions, and how the creative exchange between Nigeria and the UK is inseparable from the painful history that established a relationship between the two countries.

“It’s easier to go into the past first before you take into the future.” – Soldier Boyfriend

Alayo kicked off the conversation with a simple question: What does modernism even mean now? For Soldier Boyfriend, Mowalola and Obongjayar, Modernism is not an art-historical category that’s easily identifiable by what you see. For them, it’s more about what one breathes, lives and inherits. Soldierboyfriend believes that today’s art world is in a neo-modern condition, where artists get to see what has been and use that as the starting point, whether consciously or not, within their art. Following careful consideration of how the country’s civil war in 1967 shaped the world and the people around him, from his parents’ beliefs to the school rules he had to follow, he sums it up by saying, “It’s easier to go into the past first before you take into the future.” These past experiences, whether his own or the collective Nigerian youth population’s, always inform the art he creates.

Mowalola’s proximity to the fashion industry growing up gave her a very clear sense of what being modern looked like in Lagos, Nigeria. “When I actually grew up in Nigeria, and then we were just seeing more like made in Nigeria promotional things, when before it was very much like a lot of white people on the billboards and adverts,” she said. “And I felt like there was just a new push of being proudly Nigerian,” identifying how Nigerians shifted away from colonial societal standards.

Obongjayar, more sceptical about the word itself, confesses that his resistance is sharpened by the absence of history being properly documented in Nigeria. “I feel like those things need to be cataloged a lot better,” he explained. “I don’t think there are a lot of people that take the time to actually find those things and put them in a place where you can actually discover them easily.” 

The conversation turns quickly to what was taught, what was not taught, and how the pieces they could see throughout the exhibition enlightened their contextual knowledge of their own country. In the Tate’s exhibition, works like “Woman In Grief”, a post-cubist painting by Uzo Egonu, created soon after the Biafran War, depict a distressed, bent figure whose pose and fractured space have been interpreted as a visual embodiment of the anguish and trauma of the 1967–70 conflict.

Nigerian Modernism traces art from colonial rule to independence and beyond, and the Biafran War marks a dramatic turning point in that national and artistic story. While the country in the 1960s responded to independence with optimism, the Civil War forced a reckoning with violence and division very soon after.

“Growing up in Nigeria, we didn’t really learn any of our history for some reason.” – Mowalola says.

Born across the 1990s and 2000s, Mowalola, Soldier Boyfriend and Obongjayar only know life in its aftermath. The effects of the country’s conflict reach them through family stories, history textbooks, inherited tensions and freedoms. Without their own direct experience of it, this generational distance complicates their relationship to history, meaning they must rely on what they are told, or not told. The absence of institutionalised history in Nigeria for this generation means that it becomes both omnipresent and opaque in their lives.

In the context of their conversation, Soldier Boyfriend’s relationship to the war is especially resonant. Growing up in an Eastern family directly affected by Biafra, he expresses a closer proximity to its residue. His chosen name becomes an artistic gesture shaped by that inheritance. “I took the moniker up, not to embrace war, but to embrace the rebelliousness of it, because I feel like the world we live in is kind of built on the foundation of war and violence.” This choice does not romanticise war, but instead reveals his recognition of it as a structural condition that defines global systems of power. His adoption of “Soldier” reframes militaristic symbolism as a critique of how contemporary establishments, often through military force, were forged through violence and still operate within those frameworks.

Across the conversation, what becomes clear is that each artist’s creative instinct did not emerge in isolation. It formed in response to structures that existed in their realities: school systems shaped by colonial residue, homes shaped by religious fear, and socio-political authorities structured around hierarchy and control. As adults now holding authority over themselves, the work they produce is not simply an aesthetic choice; it is also a reaction to what has been, and sometimes a defiance of the set norms.

School is examined as an arena where structure collides with instinct. For Soldier Boyfriend, secondary school carried the lingering weight of colonial aesthetics and discipline. He recalls attending St Gregory’s College, Obalende, “an all-boys Catholic school” where the uniform, to this day, mirrors English formality in tropical heat. “They used to make us wear sweaters and blazers and I was confused because it’s so hot,” he starts, “And I’m wearing this blazer.” His imposed school uniform becomes a metaphor for inherited systems that do not fit the lived realities of being in Nigeria, and that friction feeds directly into his later resistance to aesthetic prescription.

Mowalola’s schooling experience shaped her differently, but just as profoundly. For her, the educational tension was less about colonial uniformity and more about her instincts being dismissed in a formal school setting. Before moving to the UK, she was already serious about art in school in Lagos. More serious, in fact, than the art teacher who would label her as an “ITK” (I too know, a common Nigerian jab referring to someone who is seen as doing too much). That early indifference sharpened her drive to rebel and take autonomy over herself and her art. It made it clear that if she wanted her work to matter, she would have to insist on it mattering.

Later, while studying in the UK, she encountered a different kind of structural narrowing, within a framework that erased her and people who looked like her. “I felt like when I went to the UK to actually study art, it was very much in a whole white context.” Even the tools reinforced it. “I was getting like white people’s skin colour pencils.”

In Lagos, her ambition was not taken seriously enough. In London, it was taken seriously within a framework she was expected to abide by, even though it did not consider her roots. Both of these experiences shaped the rebelliousness we see in her designs today. Where some see controversy, she presents self-validation, reminding herself that she has never needed to wait for institutional permission. Where, for previous generations, freedom often had to be earned, for this generation, freedom is assumed.

When Obongjayar declared his ambition to be a musician to his family, they all laughed at him. “I walked into the living room, I was like, ‘Yo, I just had a dream. I know exactly what I’m gonna be when I grow up… I’m gonna be a musician,” he recalls. The response immediately placed him within a framework he had no interest in. In early-2000s Nigeria, music was not seen as a lucrative or stable career path, and was considered unserious, which would have informed his family’s response. Today, as the musician he once dreamed of being, he reflects on that story with vindication.

Mowalola’s home, by contrast, contained both repression and unexpected freedom. She describes Nigerian culture’s silence around sexuality, yet notes that within her household, the shame that was ascribed did not really exist. The clash between domestic freedom and public taboo sharpened her curiosity to push boundaries in fashion. “I was always very interested in the topic of sex in Nigeria because I felt like no one really spoke about it,” she says. Her later provocative designs respond to the policing of bodies she witnessed throughout her life, and the instinct to rebel against a reality that felt contradictory to her lived experience.

“We’re fighting for new air.” – Obongjayar

Socio-political authority forms the third layer. All three artists describe Nigeria as structured by hierarchy and power imbalance. Obongjayar articulates it starkly: “There’s a hierarchy… It’s the government, there’s the army of the police… civilians literally bottom of the food chain.” Soldier echoes this sense of constant struggle. From the Nigerian military’s visible presence during his adolescence (including being stopped for wearing camouflage) to his father’s strict religious rules, this reinforces the feeling of surveillance and control. Creative rebellion becomes a refusal of imposed authority.

When he says, “Everything,” in response to what young Nigerians are rebelling against, he is not speaking hyperbolically. It reflects layered pressures: familial expectation, educational conformity, and state violence.

As a generation, some Nigerian millennials and Gen Z experienced a countrywide and large-scale political reckoning in October 2020 during the #EndSARS protests. Mowalola remembers the tollgate protests as communal and hopeful. “Everyone was playing music, people were performing… it was really beautiful.” Before the subsequent violence shattered that hope for her and for many Nigerian youth who had taken on the responsibility to stand up against police brutality. For Obongjayar, the heartbreak lay not only in the shootings of innocent Nigerians but in the system that enabled them. “To see that our government… willing to kill its own people… is hard.”

Taken together, school, home and socio-political authority do not simply influence these artists. They generate the tensions their work addresses. Obongjayar describes their role succinctly: “We’re fighting for new air.”

For much of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the relationship between Britain and Nigeria was marked by extraction. The most infamous example remains the Benin Expedition of 1897, when thousands of bronzes and royal artefacts were looted from the Kingdom of Benin and dispersed across European museums. Sacred objects, ancestral heads, plaques and regalia were removed from their ritual and political contexts and reclassified as ethnographic curiosities. 

In recent years, those objects have begun to return, and institutions across Europe have initiated repatriation processes, acknowledging both the violence of acquisition and the need for restitution. Against that backdrop, the Tate’s Nigerian Modernism exhibition feels like a world with new air. Here, Nigerian art is not displayed as plunder, but presented with consent, collaboration and curatorial leadership by Nigerians. The works of the 1940s and 1960s, born from a need to synthesise and assert, sit in London decades later as proof that the synthesis succeeded. The post-modern breakthrough has brought about a generational confidence, where Nigerian artists no longer ask permission to belong to global conversations.

Soldier Boyfriend speaks about Western influence on his work in a way that already assumes hybridity. “It’s just me taking things I kind of learned from Europe or from the UK and just adding my own little twist.” For him, European techniques are materials for his art, not masters. And that is where the post-modern condition quietly hums beneath the conversation. Obongjayar’s journey maps this shift clearly. Growing up in Nigeria, Western culture arrived aspirationally, but migration showed him the depth of what existed back home. 

In a moment thick with irony, he recalls discovering Fela Kuti properly in Norwich: “My white friends were playing Fela Kuti, and I was like, ‘Hold on, this is where I’m from.’” This experience challenged the way society had taught him to view traditionally Nigerian things, and led to a breakthrough about owning his Nigerian attributes, as they are. 

Mowalola, entering a design world that assumed whiteness as baseline, has never felt the need to define her work by existing “African” aesthetics. “I’ve never really felt like I have to make this look very African… Because I’m Nigerian. So anything I make is Nigerian.” This sums up the state of the post-modern creative exchange between Nigeria and the UK, which has produced music, art and fashion that is globally legible and understood by all.

Best New Music: Egertton Is Channelling Ancestral Rage On “Obokhian”

Posted on by Boluwatife Adeyemi

Even though the origin of Rage Rap is widely contested, one clear thing is that it’s been the definitive Hip-Hop subgenre of the 2020s. The sound didn’t materialise in a vacuum. The autotune and synthetic, digital-driven production that Kanye West popularised in mainstream Rap post-‘Yeezus’ was a foundational influence on the progressive SoundCloud Rap movement of the 2010s, which became a crucial incubator for the artists and sounds that would lead directly to the emergence of Rage Rap.

Playboi Carti’s landmark 2020 album ‘Whole Lotta Red’ catapulted the subgenre to mainstream consciousness, creating a definitive blueprint that inspired countless artists worldwide to adopt and adapt its high-octane formula. This fluid style has been reimagined within Afropop in the last couple of years, with Rema’s critically acclaimed sophomore release, ‘HEIS,’ serving as a prime example. Another Benin singer, Egertton, has also been exploring this sound, experimenting with a more restrained approach by scaling back on some of the heavy synth loops while retaining its riotous energy.

His debut project, ‘KARNAGE,’ which includes moshpit-ready cuts like “RAGE” and “CRAZE,” demonstrated his ability to harness the subgenre’s intensity while injecting it with his unique melodic sensibilities and cultural context. His latest release, ‘EGER,’ a two-pack single, features “Obokhian,” his most thrilling and fully realised fusion of the Rage Rap template with his personal artistic vision to date. He had initially teased the song a couple of weeks ago, receiving mixed reactions from fans hailing it as a masterpiece to more cautious listeners, unsure what to make of its polarising energy. 

Singing primarily in his native Bini, the singer has dubbed the new track “incantation music,” rooting the song in his Benin heritage. The description is significant, as it repositions the chaos of Rage music within a lineage of ancestral and spiritual storytelling, showcasing Egertton’s freewheeling vision and unique ability to bridge disparate influences to create a fresh and captivating sound. 

He repeatedly screams the words “Obokhian” and “Tota,” which translates to “welcome” and “sit down” in his native language, over DJ Primeau’s skittering production, inviting listeners into his dynamic and energetic world. The song’s official music video, which was directed by Cruel Santino, features symbolic imagery like a dancing masquerade and recurrent images of bats that further add depth to the song’s overall message and atmosphere. 

Egertton is not alone when it comes to experimenting with this dynamic subgenre, positioning himself among a new wave of artists who are slowly reshaping the landscape of contemporary African music. His unique cultural grounding, however, sets him apart, helping him earn co-signs from fellow Benin stars like Shallipopi and Cruel Santino, which signal his status as a rising figure to watch in the evolution of Afropop and its splintering subgenres.

Similar to a couple of his peers’ inventive interpretations of the subgenre, the existence of “Obokhian” existence signals a future in which Rage music from these parts will be intrinsically localised and possess a unique cultural resonance. Music that will borrow in structure and energy but will transform in spirit and subject matter. 

Listen to “Obokhian” here. 

Interview: Champz Wants To Make A Statement 

Posted on by The Native

African music is going through a reset right now, and that evolution is being led by young stars tapping into inventive styles without losing touch with their African roots and identity. Rising star, Champz, exemplifies that approach, merging the word-bending grit of grime with the melodic undertone of Afropop. Last year, he introduced himself with his five-track EP, ‘Champion’s Arrival,’ hybridising UK rap influences with a distinctive Nigerian identity. 

Less than five months after ‘Champion’s Arrival,’ the 14-year-old is back with his new project, ‘Young Poet,’ expanding on his origin story with standout tracks like “Bad Guyz” and “Shut The Block Down.” Across the 10-minute runtime of the project, the youngster affirms his origins, lays down a gauntlet for challengers, and situates himself in the future of Afropop. By his own telling on “War Lord,” he was made to make music and ‘Young Poet’ is his statement of intent. 

His conversation with Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio has been edited below for length and clarity. 

 

How does it feel to inspire people?

It feels really good. Someone my age doing stuff like this and inspiring my peers, people older than me, people younger than me, people who want to make music, and people who don’t believe they can do it. I just want to be the one to tell you that you can do it anytime. Once you push for your goals, you can pick your goals at any time you want. You always want to keep on going.

What does this new EP, ‘Young Poet,’ mean to you?

This new EP is like I’m solidifying my place, you feel me? I’m dropping this EP to let everyone know that I’m really doing this. I’m not playing any games around anymore. I’m doing this for real, so I want to let everyone know that, “Yo, this is what I’m trying to do for real.” With this whole EP, it’s kind of like a statement piece for me. Not everyone can do what I do, and I want everyone to know that. But doesn’t mean I don’t want to inspire people; I don’t want to demotivate. I’m open to competition, but it doesn’t mean I don’t think I’m the best, you feel me? As I said, this is like my statement piece, so I want to show everyone that I can do anything I want to do, and I want to do it. So, I did a bit of Afrobeats, Afroswing, Amapiano, everything is in there. Rap, everything.

How did you make “Bad Guyz?”

“Bad Guyz” is Amapiano, and there’s Rap in it, there’s Dance. I want everyone to be able to dance when they hear the song, and, you know, I don’t want to stray too far away from Rap because, you feel me, I’m a rapper. I don’t want anyone to forget that I’m a rapper for real, so that’s why I still had to show everyone that I still got that on me. So, the whole Rap is in the build of the song, the Amapiano, everything is like a combination of African and Western elements all in one song. It’s like versatility to push Africa forward. That was the goal: to push Africa forward and to push Champz forward. 

What’s your favourite track on the project?

“Shut The Block Down” was one of the songs [I really liked], it’s like my personal favorite song because it tells my story and how I feel about certain things. I don’t really speak much; I use music to express myself. So, when I rap about these things, it’s like, it’s me for real.  I’m speaking to you and letting you know how I feel and how I want to feel. So, “Shut The Block Down” was kind of like fully Rap, with emotional additions and everything just to make a statement. 

 

What’s your message to your fans?

To all the supporters of Champz, everyone who’s going to listen to ‘Young Poet,’ I pray for you. I pray you can find meaning in my music. I pray you can dance to my music. If you want to go to the gym, I pray you can work to my music, you feel me? I just want everyone to be able to enjoy my music at any time, anyplace, any day.  I want to give a big shoutout to Olaolu Slawn for designing the cover as well. Big up Slawn and everyone who put this together. The producers and Paranormal, as well. Shoutout to Paranormal and everyone on the EP and everything. Shoutout to my mom, my manager, and everyone. Big shoutout to everyone who made ‘Young Poet’ happen for me. I love you all to everyone and to my fans as well. Don’t let anyone hold you back. Wherever you get to in life, don’t leave your roots behind. Always push with your roots, push Africa because, you know, we’re really changing up the game. 

Listen to ‘Young Poet’ here.

Best New Music: Kayode’s “Aimoye” Is A Collage Of Old And New Influences

Posted on by Wale Oloworekende

For the best part of the last 18 months, we’ve been living through a new age of creativity in the wider Afropop soundscape. In many respects, there are no rules for what a banger can–or should–sound like, as artists dexterously pay homage to what has come before them, while fastening their gaze on the future of music. The bulk of this innovative charge has, of course, come courtesy of the radically imaginative vision of rising artists like Zaylevlten, Indi, Egertton, Danpapa GTA, and Deela, who are making artistic leaps without diluting their identities as their audiences grow. 

Given the recalibration of our music, it’s no surprise that rising rapper, Kayode got a roaring response when he posted a clip of himself rapping over a sample of King Saheed Osupa’s “Reliable Pt.5” late in February 2026. The snippet showed him working his  fluid Trap flow around a vocal chop of the Fuji legend saying, “Aimoye awon eniyan tan ti lo nile aye,” roughly translating to “Countless people have left this world.” 

The messaging on “Aimoye” is in keeping with some of Kayode’s best work. In November 2021, he released a drill-adjacent hit, “Live Forever,” that garnered some mainstream attention, hinting at the rapper’s promise. He’s since continued to sharpen his skills, releasing a series of singles as well as projects like  2023’s ‘STILL FIGURING LIFE’ and 2024’s ‘KAY KAY,’ which displayed the surgical flows and assured delivery that make “Aimoye” an instant highlight. 

 

For all the instant adulation that “Aimoye” has received, it’s the culmination of a journey that began with February’s “OWO LO BA OMO JE,” a balmy Trap offering that saw Kayode experiment with Yoruba heavily across the length of the song while manifesting more success and breakthroughs for himself and his loved ones. In some ways, the mid-March arrival of “Aimoye” is a natural progression of “OWO LO BA OMO JE,” signifying the convergence of a modern music style with a storied oral genre that is as dense as it is ever-evolving. 

Originally released in 2020, King Saheed Osupa’s “Reliable Pt.5,” taken from ‘Reliable,’ features the Ibadan native’s characteristic wit and mastery of the Yoruba language while admonishing his listeners to try and lead positive lives with a reminder that death is a human constant. 

 

Less concerned with the moral framings of right and wrong, Kayode’s “Aimoye” filters its reference material for that looming specter of mortality as a motivation to live life to the fullest and do one’s best. Death is a sobering reality, but in Kayode’s hands, that reminder is a rousing invocation to be fly and engage with life without regrets while the sample of King Saheed Osupa’s voice provides thematic rigour. 

For all his playful edge, Kayode is still deeply reverential of what has come before him, sharing his admiration for Yoruba oral genres and, specifically, King Saheed Osupa on social media. Even on “Aimoye,” he makes time to shout out the legend, saying, “Saidon P lo gbemi debe, enemies o le gbemi wale.” More interestingly, the instrumental for “Aimoye” rises to the occasion, groovily blending ominous percussion, gnarly 808s, and faint shakers for a worthy accompaniment that allows Kayode’s voice to soar without encumbrance. 

Lyrically, “Aimoye” is grounded but confident, positioning Kayode as a young baller who is living his life while mindful of jealous eyes seeking his downfall. Regardless, he’s assured thar no harm will come to him, confidently rapping, “Ko sin te ma she, on god,” in the song’s first verse. That line is delivered with an uber-confidence and air of invicibility that’s sure to steer Kayode’s career as he continues to position himself to be a Nigerian mainstream fixture. 

Too often, we get poor attempts at tracks paying homage to storied African genres where the musician is just not rooted in the terrain they attempt to plant their flag. On “Aimoye,” Kayode bucks that trend, displaying an intuitive appreciation of Fuji’s dynamism and King Saheed Osupa’s work and how best it can supplements his Trap work, perfecting a delicate blend of tradition and modern sonics that’s euphoric and contemplative in equal parts. 

With “Aimoye” already popping off, it will be fascinating to see what Kayode goes next. Another X post hinted at another single built on a sample of Musiliu Haruna Ishola’s Apala classic “Ise Oluwa Ko Seni Toye.” Still, for now, “Aimoye” is a triumph of old and new influences that place Kayode at an interesting crossroad in his burgeoning career.

Listen to “Aimoye” here. 

Beats and Nike Collaborate On Powerbeats Pro 2 – Nike Special Edition With LeBron James

Posted on by Melony Akpoghene

Beats and Nike have announced their first hardware collaboration: the Powerbeats Pro 2 – Nike Special Edition. The release marks a shift for Beats, introducing a new logo on the earbuds: the Nike Swoosh on the right bud and the Beats “b” on the left. To launch it, the brands turned to global basketball icon LeBron James, who steps in as the face of a short campaign that keeps things light.

In Keep Your Head in the Game, James takes to a golf course with a swing that’s intentionally mid; but he plays through it, his Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds helping him tune out reactions from pro golfer Tom Kim and actors Lionel Boyce and Travis “Taco” Bennett who also star in the campaign video.

 

The design takes cues from Nike’s style, with volt green accents on the earbuds and a speckled matte black case, and “JUST DO IT” stamped under the lid. Nothing major has changed on the feature side. You still get Adaptive Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency mode.

There is heart rate tracking that connects to Nike Run Club and the Fitness app, and battery life can stretch to 45 hours. They are built to handle sweat and water, with earhooks that keep them in place whether you’re working out or just on the move.

Beats has built its reputation on sound and design that are considered and consistent. That approach carries into this release, with Nike’s influence shaping the look without altering the core product. This collaboration with Nike is just another way both global brands are staying ahead of the curve, strategically merging their audiences to give them the best of both worlds and future-proofing their position at the intersection of sport and lifestyle.

Chris Thorne, Beats’ Chief Marketing Officer, described the collaboration as “a collision of two brands that define performance, culture, and sports, the attributes of today’s athlete.” For LeBron James, it is a full-circle moment, as two brands he has long worked with have come together in a way that aligns with how he trains and lives.

A Quick Primer On Yoruba Oral Genres

Posted on by The Jide Taiwo

Sampling Apala and Fuji for Trap? Nobody quite knows what it means, but it gets the people going! And it’s not that far-fetched, when rappers like Kayode make these experimental sounds, they’re only following in the legacy of the very genres being sampled.

 

Many styles of Yoruba music did not make it to being recorded for mass audiences. The ones that did include Jùjú, Sákárà, Àpàlà, Ajiwére, Wákà, and of course, Fújì. So, here’s a primer on what each of the sounds means and represents.

First, a crash course on Yoruba music. Many styles of music did not make it to being recorded for mass audiences. The ones that did include Jùjú,  Sákárà, Àpàlà, Ajiwére, Wákà, and of course, Fújì. So, here’s a primer on what each of the sounds means and represents. 

Jújù

Juju was the first commercially successful genre of Yoruba extraction, having been recorded the earliest by Tunde King in 1935. It was inspired by the minstrel activities of 1900s Lagos, mixed with the influence of the tambourine (brought by the missionaries), the box guitar, and the samba drums popular among Brazilian returnees. Guitars would become the dominant instrument a few decades later.

Musical Style: Call and response, praise poetry, and might include church hymns and choruses.

Principal Proponents: Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, and Sir Shina Peters.

 

Sákárà

This style was created from adapting Yoruba praise singing to Islamic cadences, employing slow and mellow rhythms, as though one was reciting the Holy Quran. Sometimes, the lyrics included moral instructions, but it was mostly for praise poetry. It emerged across Yorubaland in the 1920s.

Musical Style: Call and response, praise poetry, but driven by the clay-frame drum it took its name from. The molo or goje (lute or fiddle) was added by Yusuf Olatunji.

Principal Proponents:  Abibu Oluwa, Lefty Salami, and Yusuf Olatunji (both broke out from Oluwa’s band). Olatunji’s son, Abideen, continues the tradition today.

 

Àpàlà

Similar to the previous two, this too was created by evolving traditional music, and although many of its performers were Muslims who sometimes included their faith, the music itself is more from traditional religious groups and societies. It spread widely across the region, and it’s unclear now which exact town it was first played in.

Musical Style: Heavy percussion rhythms define Apala, along with rattles, shekere, and bells. It is at once recognizable by the deep, hoarse, almost guttural voice of its singers.

Principal Proponents: Haruna Ishola, Kasunmu Adio, and Ayinla Omowura.

 

Ajiwére

Born directly from Islamic tradition, Ajiwére was an activity carried out mostly by young boys who went around to rouse Muslims faithfuls during Ramadan mornings. It was a widespread activity across the region, from Ibadan to Abeokuta to Ilorin, and Lagos. In time, it became highly anticipated, and competitions were organized to discover talented youngsters. Its biggest legacy was giving birth to Fuji.

Musical Style: Fast and pacy with small drums and gongs. Performers had to sing and walk through the neighbourhoods, interspersing Quranic verses with playful tunes they made up as they went along.

Principal Proponents: Taiwo & Kehinde Oru, Dauda Epo Akara, and Sikiru Ayinde

 

Wákà

Wákà is similar to Wéré in the sense that it was Islamic, but it was performed exclusively by women. In any case, young girls didn’t go out with the Ajiwere boys in the predawn hours. But Wáká was sung all year round, at gatherings, services, events, and anywhere that Muslim women were gathered.

Musical Style: Call and response, led by a single vocalist. It started with no accompanying instruments but soon incorporated Sẹ́lí, a pair of metal discs with looping rings that was played by rhythmically clapping them together. This was easy for women to play. But as it became a successful genre, Wáká singers employed male drummers.

Principal Proponents: Batile Alake, Salawa Abeni, and Kuburatu Alaragbo.

 

Fújì

Much like Afrobeats, Fuji is a fusion of many things–most notably, preceding genres of Yoruba music and contemporary sounds that change by eras (Funk and Afrobeat in Barrister’s time and Hip-Hop in Pasuma’s). Its most dominant progenitor is Ajiwere music, as it was what Barrister excelled at and evolved into a new type of sound that was not limited by time of year (Ajiwére only came out during the annual Ramadan) or audience (non-Muslims could participate as well). 

It is the most enduring traditional Yoruba music genre as it has dominated for four decades and counting. Perhaps Fuji’s superpower is its ability to evolve, embrace other genres, and always come back to its core.

Musical Style: It started out slow like Sákárà, then it sped up as Barrister tinkered with it. Kollington introduced the Bàtá drum to it. K1 De Ultimate made it “Funky”, and then “Classical”. Obesere made it risqué. Ayuba made it crossover, followed by Pasuma. Saheed Osupa oscillates between purist-type lyricism and contemporary Dance. Its most identifiable factor is the drums, and the singers’ vocal structure that constricts the vocal cords to a high pitch.

Principal Proponents: The question is, who can we leave out? Barrister, Kollington, Iyanda Sawaba, Wasiu Ayinde, Adewale Ayuba, Obesere, Pasuma Wonder, Sefiu Alao,  Saheed Osupa, Remi Aluko, Taye Currency, Tiri Leather, and easily five hundred others.

 

Sony Music West Africa Is Celebrating Women’s Month With ‘Bloom & Bloom’

Posted on by The Native

To mark International Women’s Day 2026, Sony Music West Africa is rolling out its Women’s Month flagship programme, ‘Bloom & Bloom,’ a platform built to spotlight and support women who are shaping Africa’s creative and business spaces.

Guided by this year’s IWD theme, “Give to Gain,” ‘Bloom & Bloom’ presents success as something collectively built. The programme focuses on collaboration and long-range thinking with the principle idea that when women actively support one another, new doors open and lasting influence takes shape.

The experience opens on 19 March with the Greenhouse Panel Sessions, a close-knit forum designed for open and thoughtful conversation. Creators, founders, executives, and cultural voices will gather to talk about issues that influence modern creative careers: from intellectual property and brand ownership to turning creative ideas into lasting businesses and building institutions that stand the test of time.

This year’s lineup includes names like Nigerian actress Mimi Chaka, co-founder of PiggyVest, Odunayo Eweniyi, Victoria Nkong of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA). They will share hands-on insights from their journeys across music, media, entrepreneurship, and culture, offering lessons on how to grow industries while revolutionising the systems that support them.

The programme wraps on 20 March with the Bloom & Bloom Mixer, an invitation-only evening bringing together voices from different sectors. Part celebration, part launchpad, the mixer will spark conversations that can turn into creative collaborations, lasting well beyond Women’s Month.

Sony Music West Africa has made empowering women a consistent focus. In 2024, it launched the two‑day Lagos summit ‘She Is…,’ featuring panels, networking, and career insights. That evolved into 2025’s ‘In Her Element,’ which also introduced a mentorship programme for emerging women in the industry. 

This year, that momentum continues with ‘Bloom & Bloom,’ prioritising the growth of young women across West Africa’s creative scene. As conversations around International Women’s Day move beyond optics, Sony Music West Africa is aiming to build practical platforms that expand its role in the region’s creative ecosystem and support the development of a more sustainable industry.

Best New Music: Ayra Starr Continues Her Compelling Evolution On “Where Do We Go”

Posted on by Boluwatife Adeyemi

Ayra Starr’s journey since her explosive 2021 debut has been remarkably strategic. Of course, it helps that she was incubated at a powerhouse label with a history of nurturing and positioning top talent. Still, she’s also shown a palpable ambition, a desire to evolve, and an astute understanding of her own capabilities that set her apart from many of her peers. 

If her self-titled EP, as well as her brilliant full-length debut, captured an angsty Ayra finding her voice and vision as an artist, her coming-of-age follow-up, ‘The Year I Turned 21,’ showcased a more mature, rounded artist focused on getting the bag on standout cuts like “Goodbye (Warm Up),” “Last Heartbreak Song,” and “Commas.” 

 

That ‘TYIT21’ era, marked by an aesthetic shift that saw her transition from Y2K rebellion to a more mature, sensual elegance, and more sonic adventures, was neatly tied up with the sleek, Wizkid-assisted “Gimmie Dat.” Since then, she’s continued to blend this elegance with further experimentation, releasing sultry singles like “Hot Body” and “Who’s Dat The Girl” that chart the course to her impending next chapter.

“Where Do We Go” is the latest entry in this continuous and compelling evolution. Here, she teams up with six-time Grammy-nominee, ILYA–whose production credits read: Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and several other popstars—to craft a dark, sensual, and groovy record that details the thrill and complications of a spicy, non-committal affair. Her vocal performance is particularly remarkable, especially as she melodiously drags out her “Ooos” and “Ahhs,” adding a layer of tension and longing to an already evocative song.

 

Late last year, the singer made her Substack debut with a post titled “I’m not scared, I promise.” It briefly details her current living situation in New York and her resolve to remain true to her reputation as a “scandalous little rebel who insists she isn’t afraid of risk.” “Where Do We Go” sounds like a result of that resolve to keep taking risks.  

With every new drop, we inch closer to her next album, which she has hinted at on several occasions. While details remain largely under wraps, songs like the summer anthem “Hot Body,” a couple of snippets, and this new release, “Where Do We Go,” already hint at a lustrous and, more significantly, ambitious body of work. If her debut album served as a self-assured introduction to her talent and boundless potential, and ‘TYIT21’ built upon that foundation, then the upcoming project seems poised to take the crucial next step: a decisive bid for world domination. 

Listen to “Where Do We Go” here.

Charles Onyeabor Is Preserving A Generational Legacy

Posted on by Chinonso Ihekire

Charles Onyeabor’s latest release, “You Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” arrives with the urgency of a budding superstar eager to extend a generational legacy. The young troubadour, who is the son of the late electro Afro funk inventor William Onyeabor, continues his fusion-driven journey, which took off in 2020 as a unique exploration of Funk, Afrobeats, and Highlife.

Growing up between Nigeria and Italy, Charles Onyeabor began his music career three years after his father’s passing in 2017. As Williams’ eldest son, Charles had the most intimate exposure to his father’s expansive artistry, an experience that would redefine his music career as a torch carrying a generational flame. Unlike many children of popular music icons, Charles Onyeabor is not shying away from his father’s legacy, despite building his own unique sound. For him, it’s his holy grail of purpose, a paternal instinct to protect his father’s legacy while building his own.

His earliest records, including his 2020 debut, “They Can’t Pull Us Down” featuring Italian songstress Miriam Taylor, and “We All Need More Love” featuring Italian-Nigerian singer Evry, carry the weight of his mission to create expansive but accessible music. Those records introduced Onyeabor to a close-knit community of fans who cherished his inspiring messages and fluid sonics.

Two years later, he clinched the Africa’s Diaspora Artist award at the Scream African Women Award. By 2023, his fanbase kept soaring, especially after key live performances in Germany and Italy. To unite his fanbases in Nigeria and Europe, he released his debut album, Like Father, Like Son, a 23-tracker spin that fully established his sonic identity and heritage-driven artistry in 2023.

He followed up with a 10-tracker LP in 2024, dubbed ‘Onyekachi,’ which gave a more intimate peek into Charles’ paradigms, personal stories, and cultural musings. Then, in 2025, he released his third project, an extended playlist titled ‘Ifenkili,’ which celebrated his Igbo heritage, while boldly showcasing his sonority. Just before the year ended, he released an Amapiano-charged song, “Akanchawa”, which closed curtains on doubts surrounding his sonic fluidity.

 

“I am building a sound that lives at the intersection of heritage and futurism,” he tells Native Mag when asked about the framework of his sonic blueprint. “It carries the spirit of African rhythm and analog warmth, but it’s framed through modern production, global grooves, and storytelling that speaks to today’s world. My goal is for listeners to feel something familiar yet forward-thinking music that honors where we come from while imagining where we can go.” 

Much of Charles’ artistic growth also stems from lessons he gleaned from his father: “My father taught the importance of originality, fearlessness, and building a sonic world of your own,” he says. “I don’t try to recreate his sound. He did his thing his own way. But I carry his spirit of experimentation and independence. Just the same way music listeners are free to listen to any genre of music they want, I am free and independent to create and experiment with any genre I feel like working on.”

With three full-length projects in the last three years, Charles Onyeabor’s catalogue feels like a wholesome musical chapbook of sorts, with love, identity, and legacy central to his storytelling.  “Love is always present, but I’m also drawn to spirituality and purpose,” he says about his music. “I want my songs to feel like mirrors and bridges at the same time. The idea that music can be both personal healing and collective memory.”

Charles’ artistic upbringing witnessed his father channel the best analog recording gear in his time. However, while digital recording tools have somewhat peaked in today’s hyper-innovative tech scene, Charles Onyeabor still believes in the sacredness of live instrumentation to a recording. “Live instrumentation brings humanity into the record,” he explains. “Digital tools are powerful, but live bass, guitars, and keys add imperfections that make music breathe. I see it as a balance. Even when I use DAW software, I aim to preserve that organic feel. Today, live instrumentation is sadly fading away, and with the invention of AI tools, only God knows where we are heading.”

 

While William Onyeabor famously never performed his music during his lifetime and eventually quit his career to become a full-time entrepreneur, Charles actually takes the stage to heart. In fact, he was a contestant at the Uno Voce Per San Marino talent show in Italy in 2022, and he hosted his own sold-out concert at the Hard Rock Cafe in Florence, Italy, last year, a reality that is largely obscure from his late father’s legacy.

Another interesting ripple effect of being Charles Onyeabor is having such a distinctively tuned ear for sounds. “I didn’t even realize it until people started telling me,” he notes. “For me, it was just normal. My producers were also surprised. Early exposure to my father’s music helped me understand groove as a living thing. Not just timing, but emotion, space, and movement. You learn to feel rhythm before you analyze it, and harmony becomes instinctive rather than theoretical.”

With his still-unfolding career defined by a soundscape that feels generational yet genuine, Charles Onyeabor’s sojourn continues with his most pristine quests. “I’m excited to push my music further into experimental territories,” he says, admittedly. “I’m interested in projects that challenge expectations and expand what African-rooted music can sound like in the future.”

That eye on the future is largely trained by what has come before but Onyeabor is determined to stretch its scope effortlessly. “I see my music as part of the bridge between generations,” he says. “There’s a renaissance happening where African sounds are no longer seen as niche; they’re shaping global music. I aim to contribute to that evolution by honoring traditional textures while presenting them in ways that resonate with the rest of the world.”  

Listen to “You Can’t Tell Me Nothing” here. 

Ayra Starr Wants Women To Own Their Power 

Posted on by The Native

If Ayra Starr isn’t the hardest-working popstar right now, she is easily one of the most distinctive. Since her breakout introduced a young star with an intangible “it” factor, the singer has moved at a pace that keeps her at the centre of the culture. Less than two years after her sophomore album, The Year I Turned 21, the Sabi Girl is already hinting at another turn. Fame has shifted the terrain beneath her, and her recent moves suggest an artist paying closer attention to growth and the rhythm of her own life. That mood carries into “Where Do We Go,” her latest single that she has been anticipated for weeks.

One of Ayra Starr’s greatest strengths is her ability to capture the inner voice of young women. Over time, she has built a catalogue that feels made with them in mind—songs you play while getting ready, for the ride across town, and for stepping out into a room like you own it. By her own telling, “Where Do We Go” began as a personal favourite, the kind of track she and her friends would play while getting ready for a night out. The record gestures to a fresh era while holding on to the feeling that has always lived at the centre of her sound.

 

How do you feel about the reaction to your online videos?

You know, I’ve been whining my waist back to back. I don’t even know which video you’re talking about because I’ve just been going back and forth. 

What do you think about “Hot Body” not getting its flowers yet?

To be honest, it’s still doing amazing, and I expect more. Like, there’s still more that’s going to be done to the song. The song has just taken over, and it’s doing what I needed it to do, you know? It’s just that song that I know girls can get ready to, go out to, want to hear at the club, and it’s going to be that song for a long time, I’m sure.

How did your new single “Where Do We Go,” come about?

I’m obsessed with this track. Like it has been my track for a while, a long time, and it’s just the track that I would get ready to, like me and my friends. And it was just like our like get ready song, and it was a very funny situation that inspired the song.

What’s your message for Women’s History Month?

To be honest, like everybody has their own experiences, but I would say to all the girls, don’t let anybody have power over you. Don’t give anybody power over you. Have your own autonomy, have your own say, and don’t allow people’s dreams or people’s limitations predict your limitations. So, just do you and never give anybody that power, girl.

Listen to the full interview here.

uNder: Best New Artists (February, 2026)

Posted on by The Native

A new year, more often than not, presents an opportunity for fresh opportunities and starts across the board, and music is not an exception to the rule. While we experienced a thrilling renaissance of rising acts in 2025, eyes are already turned towards what’s coming next in our music, and uNder remains the perfect medium to acquaint oneself with the musicians who are set to have a definitive impact on African music in the coming months and years.

Whether it’s Ayjay bobo who’s already turning heads with his work on “HOW FAR,” or Sandro, who’s rebooting his career, the central promise of this column remains to provide visibility for our next creative class of musicians. We hope you enjoy discovering their music and continue to root for them as they figure out their paths. Welcome back to uNder. 

Ayjay bobo

For Fans of Nonso Amadi, Victony, and Ruger

The Nigerian music scene moves at breakneck speed, and few have caught the wind quite like Ayjay bobo. Emerging from Abuja’s underground circuit, where a new strain of sound often referred to as Nepopiano has been taking shape, he has grown into one of the most talked-about names in the country’s new wave. It is a space filled with young tastemakers and self-starters, and Ayjay fits right in.

He began by releasing his own songs and small projects, building a following online and across streaming platforms. The groundwork paid off. His breakthrough came with “HOW FAR,” a collaboration with NO11 and Monochrome that travelled swiftly across TikTok before spilling into the wider streaming world. Driven by tight percussion and a sticky hook, the track invited replay after replay and placed Ayjay at the centre of the Nepopiano conversation.

The 19-year-old  moves between rapping and singing with ease, a fluidity he credits to the influence of Wizkid. That range runs through his growing catalogue. Time spent in the United Kingdom has shaped his cadence, giving his delivery a crisp, cross-continental swing. His records double as a showcase of vocal control; there is an airy tone to his voice that easily glides with the soul reminiscent of the golden era of Alté, calling to mind artists such as Gabzy, Nonso Amadi and BOJ.

A defining thread in Ayjay bobo’s come-up has been his fierce optimism about where he is headed. The young star has long predicted his own superstardom, and that conviction is clear on ‘Lost Files.’ Across the EP, he speaks about his rise with certainty on tracks like “Superstar” and “Feels,” settling into melodic pockets that have become his hallmark. He strengthens that stance on last year’s ‘Bobo Dey Hot,’ a project that zones in on him at his most self-assured.  He coolly delivers jams like the Zaylevelten-assisted “Kwanta” and “Aktiv” featuring Khameel, but he stays true to form, manifesting on the cocksure “Lystyle,” “Cause I know it’s gone come and my time is near.”

So far, that faith has held firm. With talent this great and an artistic skill this sharp, Ayjay bobo is standing at the precipice of something bigger, and the timing feels aligned. – M.A.

 

Sandro

 

For Fans of: Fireboy DML, Justin Bieber, and Wizkid.

Sandro might only be at the start of his career but the Paris-based singer has a overarching vision of what he’s working his way towards, delivering soul-inflected interrogations on live filtered through a Pop framework. He was born in Clamart, France with Beninese origins, and is blessed with the sort of textured, honeyed delivery that’s quickly making him a voice for the moment amongst Francophone audience, taking inspiration from American acts like Jason Derulo, Justin Bieber as well as major figures from the French music scene such as Ronisia, RSKO, Aya Nakamura, and Ninho.

Like many rising artists, Sandro took his first steps on the internet, finding an audience through freestyles and tracks shared on Snapchat that helped build his profile during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Encouraged by his friend Fatou Manda and his younger brother Sema, he released a series of singles that marked the beginning of his career. Some of those songs like the buttery “Donne-moi Tout” and “In Fine” bear the mark of a precocious talent finding his voice in real time as he explored the depth of attraction and duty with a high level of precision. 

Sandro’s initial foray into music, marked by experimentation, led him to make a decision to take a three-and-a-half-year break. This period was dedicated to a deep search for his voice, his artistic identity, and the building of a strong new team to service his music. He made a return in January 2026 with “FAMOUS,” a sensual R&B cut that finds him emoting about romance like he never stepped away. As always, his dulcet vocals are a highlight, rising above the minimalist instrumental to express his interest in showing his love interest the best things of life. Close to six years after he initially started his musical journey, Sandro is back in the mix of things and he’s hunkered down for the long haul. – W.O.

 

jaykatana

For fans of: BrotherKupa, Nasty C, and Lil Wayne

jaykatana has assembled one of the most interesting catalogues in South Africa’s underground rap scene, wittingly fusing indigenous South African elements with Trap music.  His name is the first clue to who he is. Not borrowed from a street alias or a childhood nickname as most artists would, but pulled straight from the world of anime, he imbues the same sensibility of distinct storytelling into his music.  He was shaped by the music his uncles played, mirroring artists like Lil Wayne and Young Thug before ingeniously expanding his tone and delivery.  

When his debut single, “Pain,” arrived a decade ago,  he already had a clear sense of direction. But it all didn’t come together until he scored his first viral hit, “Eish!,”  inviting listeners to the multiverse of a rapper who understood that the underground rewards authenticity above everything else. From there, his catalogue began to take shape. His 2024 debut album, ‘The world is yours: reloaded,’ was an audacious statement of ambition. 

However, his sophomore album, ‘Mad Max,’ was a more natural extension of everything jaykatana had been building towards. Themes of survival, self-reliance, and moving through the world with a certain grit have always been present in his music, and the project solidified it. What makes jaykatana’s growth compelling is that it has never felt forced. Each project unfurled a new layer while retaining the core of his story, and it is the reason why, when jaykatana does break through to a wider audience, it will feel completely earned. – M.E.

 

Lali X Lola

For fans of: Ayra Starr, Chloe x Halle, Oiza & Meyi

Over the past few years, identical sisters Lali X Lola, who hail from Cape Coast, have been steadily working to redefine Ghana’s Pop and R&B music scene on their own terms. Initially starting as dancers, the sisters arrived on the scene with a wealth of entertainment experience that has been instrumental in their transition to recording artists and continues to stand them in good stead as they build their reputation as one of Ghana’s most promising musical acts. Their official debut single, “Not The Same,” a self-assured duet that served as a decent introduction to their style, arrived in late 2021. 

A succession of singles, most notably the playful dance bop “Johnny,” which is reminiscent of Yemi Alade’s 2014 hit, and the slinky “Picture Us,” followed, culminating in their debut EP ‘From Words to Magic.’ Produced largely by Rapidd, the sisters stack intricate vocal arrangements and showcase their decent songwriting skills over their close collaborator’s lush instrumentation. They accelerated their output from that point on, refining and expanding the scope of their music over the course of two additional 6-track EPs released within a year, a run that helped them secure the Emerging Woman of the Year award at the 2024 3Music Awards. 

One of their biggest singles yet, “Pepper Demm,” a groovy affair that excels thanks to the sisters’ sultry delivery and Rapidd’s rhythmic drums, arrived in early 2025, giving them sufficient momentum to release their debut album ‘Pepper Soup’ a few months later. Across highlights like the warm R&B-inspired opener “Could It Be,” “What It Was,” the steamy high-octane banger “Soso,” and “Pepper Demm” remix, which features Kojo Manuel and a standout verse from rapper Elestee, who injects new energy into the track,  Lali X Lola show a much more mature and varied artistic vision. 

The sisters continue to be relentless in their output, following up their album with recent singles like “I See You” and “Don Do.” Their latest “Kamikaze,” another groovy number fit for the dancefloor, has already started gaining some traction online, underscoring their growing influence as one of Ghana’s most promising rising stars and their unwavering dedication to their craft. – B.A.

LYRXX Wants You To Feel Things 

Posted on by The Native

While Lagos has traditionally held a place of prominence in Afropop, much of the city’s artistic gravitas has been defined by its communion with other cities in its orbit, like Accra and Port Harcourt. Ibadan, situated roughly 118km away from Lagos, has long served as a creative foil of sorts for Lagos, inspiring in spades while carrying its own distinct proud musical tradition with pride.  There are glimpses of that dynastic legacy in the way that rising singer, LYRXX, approaches his music, bending references from genres like Apala, Soul, R&B, and Hip-Hop with a deft touch without sacrificing lyrical rigour. 

Despite only debuting in 2025 with “Balenciaga,” the singer has gradually built a strong profile with a series of drops that blend a deeply surgical Pop execution with a sprawling linguistic ingenuity that shines through on his debut project, ‘MYSTERY RIDER.’ From the heartfelt crooning of ‘OAU Fine Girl” to the linguistic showcase of the title track, LYRXX traverses a world of emotions, affirming himself and examining the parameters of his quest for a better life. 

As part of a new partnership with Apple Music, we are publishing transcripts of interviews from their popular Africa Now Radio show hosted by Nandi Madida, and LYRXX is up first, discussing the influence of his grandmother on his artistic approach and the experiences that shaped ‘MYSTERY RIDER.’ 

What are your musical inspirations?

I grew up listening more to traditional sounds. I emulated so many people that did the traditional music because I could envision myself doing a lot of their sounds, infusing it into my own personal freestyles and stuff. So I looked up to people like Batile Alake, people like Barrister, people like King Sunny Ade. So a lot of them like that and their sound actually blended my own sound very well.

How do you navigate being reserved and channeling it into your music

Because I’m a very quiet person, I don’t really talk much. I try to make sure that my deep thoughts have been communicated through my music. If you listen to the project you will see that it talks about so many things that people do day to day. But instead of having a conversation like sitting down to talk to people about it, I just like to make it artistic, turn it into music. That way, people will understand better because when I’m talking to somebody one-on-one, I feel like they don’t get me like I want them to get me. So I just try to make sure that every single bit of the information is there so I won’t have to repeat myself in person. Anytime you want to hear the information again, you can always go back to it.

Tell us about your grandma’s influence?

One thing that I’m grateful for that my grandma taught me is teaching me early that life is all about ups and downs. It’s not always going to be rosy. There are seasons to everything. You will experience love, you will experience heart. Even the most trusted person will disappoint at some point. I’m just very grateful because she was real with me while she was still alive all through and I’ve been able to see what she has said to be true because I’ve mixed with a lot of people, understood different people’s mindset, how people think, how people go about their lives and just like a part in the song where I said I’m never disappointed, I know how people behave or people act. So I’m just grateful that she’s very real with me and I’ve learned a lot.

What themes did you explore on ‘MYSTERY RIDER’?

When I started this project, I just wanted to make sure that I’m communicating something that my fans will want to go back to many years to come. It’s not just about my story alone, it’s about what everybody feels. I started with a track that resonates with love, fantasies, and I moved on to optimism, I moved on to just like how a normal human being would want to dream, what they would expect from life, what they would want from life, the ups and downs, the disappointment they will face and all. So, let me just say I was given the opportunity to feel everything at once. I went through the phases of love, the phase of disappointment, the phase of being accepted and you know, neglected at some point. So I just brought everything together to make this masterpiece.

Who is “OAU Fine Girl” written about?

The song came when I went to a school, there’s a school in Nigeria here, the name is OAU, Obafemi Awolowo University. So I’ve been frequent in the school for a while and there’s this particular beautiful melanin popping that I’ve been eyeing, you know and she’s a very interesting person, a music person as well. So I just, like I said, I’m not much of a talker. The best way I just wanted to communicate my feelings to her was to sing it in a song. You know, I’m quite confident that the song is going to get her.

How did you approach writing “Honeymoon in Paris”?

“Honeymoon in Paris” happened during the course of the project. I just was expressing, this one is just me projecting things that I feel towards this particular lady and my hopes as regarding the relationship. I just wanted to make sure that she’s understanding what I’m saying and at the same time I’m giving her a piece of myself in the song. Also I tried to make sure that she’s not feeling left out because nowadays, the way people show love, the way people project love now, sometimes when you come to real life you don’t meet it that way. So I’m letting her know what I can offer and they are real. So that’s basically about the song. So they are not empty promises. They are real-time talks.

How about “Safer”?

“Safer” for me is, the people that have heard the song, they perceive it more from the romance aspect, but it’s absolutely more than that. It has so many spiritual touches to it, so many realistic touches to it as well. There are some times in relationships where when it starts at first, it looks like if you both leave each other, that’s going to be the end. But at some point you begin to realize that there is much more. Also I tend to touch the spiritual aspect where I said “oro mi o ni su olorun, ohun ti mo fe ni mo ba n so”, which means what I intend in my heart, what I want in my heart, I tell it to God and my situations will not be tiring, will not be bothersome to God, you know. It’s just me being vulnerable, you know, and at the same time expressing that I have so much love in my heart to give.

What do you want people to takeaway from the EP?

I just hope they feel a sense of realism, love, passion, because every single track on the EP was passionately done. I want them to pay attention to it and understand that life is in perspective too, because you cannot be thinking that everybody thinks the same way you think. You have to be ready to have a taste of almost everything if not all, when it comes to you, just own it and make sure that you bring out the best of yourself in it. So I just want them to have a sense of security, love and just keep living, you know. So that’s it.

Listen to the full interview here.