Since the release of his hit single, “Peru” earlier this year, Fireboy DML has been on a roll. Its near residency atop the Nigerian charts, since its release, has been more than enough proof of the song’s commercial viability and its growing reach in these parts.
Now, it seems that the song is getting a remix, just in time for the Christmas period with a surprising feature from British singer, Ed Sheeran. In a conversation with Elton John’s Rocket Hour on Apple Music 1 last weekend, Ed Sheeran teased details of his guest verse. Speaking about the new remix, the singer shared that he got sent the Fireboy DML single by a friend of his who runs SBTV. On hearing the track, Sheeran was instantly compelled to record a verse for the song and sent it over to the “Peru” artist.
“So I’ve done the remix for this song, but this is the original and it’s just, it’s an earworm, and it’s addictive, and I’m obsessed with it. I mean, Cherry will tell you, I’ve had this song on repeat constantly in the house for the last week.”
Sheeran’s “Peru” Remix will join a long line of recent cross-continental hits including Wizkid’s chart-topping Tems-assisted single “Essence” which caught the soulful ears of Justin Bieber and CKay’s “Love Nwantiti,” which has garnered several remixes since its viral moment earlier this summer. While there is no known release date for the “Peru” remix, fans can expect it any moment now as we currently enjoy the detty December szn. Watch this space!
Around this time last year, The NATIVE editorial team put out its inaugural list of the best rap artists on the continent for the calendar year. Of course, it generated its fair share of controversy, chief of which was our pick for the top spot. Beyond the virtual brouhaha, and the fact that it’s really, really difficult to select the ten best rappers even if the criteria—output, skill, and commercial impact—is clear, it highlighted something irrefutable: rap music is very much alive, diverse, and well across Africa.
We’re back again with the same list, pretty much the same criteria, and a fresher outlook. That doesn’t mean there won’t be any complaints or grievances, partly because lists are meant to stir chatter. While this year’s list has been expanded to twelve rap artists, it’s still not enough to fully convey the breadth of the rap artists who’ve made 2021 a wondrous year for rap music in Africa.
In fact, in the spirit of self-awareness, I’ll give a short rundown of rappers who could’ve made this list: Blaqbonez, whose 2021 momentum is nothing to scoff at; 25k, who dropped one of the hardest street rap albums in years; Breeder LW, a dynamic rap artist with a formidable album; Black Sheriff, for delivering a quintessential Ghanaian Drill anthem; Madumane and Focalistic, both championing the fusion of Amapiano and rap; DETO BLACK, whose debut EP is a sneering masterclass… I could go on. But none of this is a cop-out, especially as this eventual list was thoroughly debated. You might have gripes, you might not; whatever the case, this is The NATIVE’s ranked list of the best African rap artists of 2021.
12. Zilla Oaks
On his sophomore album, ‘NO ZZZ’, Abuja-based rapper, Zilla Oak puts together a musically versatile affair that culminates in one of the best-rounded rap projects of this year. Where his first full-length mostly leaned into the exuberant bounce of Trap, ‘NO ZZZ 2′ is far more varied in approach, showcasing Zilla’s wider delivery range and his much tighter pen game, as he explores even more relatable themes.
“‘Still up’ definitely hits the hardest,” Zilla says of one of the songs he resonates with personally the most. “It’s one of those songs I was like, ‘let me just rap from the beginning to the end with no chorus and still not have a boring record’,” he adds. “Another track would be ‘Yuu’ cus it was an emotional side of me talking about my last relationship and how things went sour, just me being more vulnerable in my music so I could have a lot more people relate with it.” He constantly tried to prove himself and entertain his listeners with his elevated bars alone and not just with his chorus. When making music, Zilla is clearly inspired by whatever he is feeling at the moment, painting his reality in some of the most impressive rap music from this year.
Ada Nwakor
11. Buruklyn Boyz
There’s a strong case to be made for Kenya being one of the strongest hubs for Drill music in Africa—it’s perhaps the second most vibrant behind Ghana’s Asakaa movement. At the very centre of Kenyan Drill’s emergence is Buruklyn Boyz, a creative collective with rappers Mr Right and Ajay as its leading names. The pair initially came up as rap artists with versatile palettes, but it was the authenticity with which they reaped their Buruburu locale that was the main draw. It’s fitting, then, that their name-making, viral single from late last year is named after their country’s capital city.
A few months after Ajay released the first set of Drill tracks, “Psycho” and “Trapping,” the pair decided to fully hone in on the rap subgenre, debuting “Nairobi” to rave reactions. Together, they meld effortlessly, whether it’s sharing joyful aspirations on “Dream Ya Kutoka Kwa Block” or tagging each other in on the reverential “Location 58.” Tapping into the influence of Chicago Drill more than any of their African peers, Buruklyn Boyz’ brand of Drill is lyrically vibrant and musically haunting. The rappers’ lingual mix of Sheng, Kiswahili, and English sprinkles is always matched by phenomenal production marked by eccentric melodic samples that lend their work a bluesy yet explosive feel. Throughout this year, and at this moment, it’s impossible to claim any other artists made more exciting Drill music than Buruklyn Boyz.
Dennis Ade Peter
10. SGawD
2021 was undoubtedly the year for female rappers across the continent. From artists such as Daisy Firecracker to Somadina, we’ve seen female rappers prove themselves over and over. SGaWD is not left out of this conversation. The newcomer and Fresh Meat alum, SGaWD has shaped her sound in such a way that’s ever so fearless and unapologetic, taking full control of her artistry and owning it.
Because her aim is to change the rap game one verse at a time, SGaWD brought to our ears her debut EP ‘Savage Bitch Juice’, a 6-tracker that found her spitting heavy bars. Some standout tracks such as “Rude” & “Ain’t No Way” find SGaWD reminding listeners why she deserves to be heard and setting a vast tone for where she can go in her career. SGaWD is known for spitting out the most disrespectful bars to anyone who doesn’t respect her prerogative to live life on her terms and she’s managed to show off her skills even in the most subtle ways possible.
Wonu Osikoya
9. Ish Kevin
Like many of his peers around the continent, Pop Smoke is the obvious reference point for the Drill explorations of Rwandan rap superstar, Ish Kevin. In his earlier work, Ish Kevin predominantly dealt in the localised variant of Trap music—KinyaTrap—before switching things up following the untimely passing of Brooklyn Drill’s totem figure. In 2021, it’s absolutely spot-on to refer to Ish Kevin as one of the best and biggest Drill artists in Africa—and by extension, one of the best and biggest rap artists in Africa.
Even though he was slightly less prolific than his previous two calendar years, every output from the artist felt definitive. He opened the year with his biggest song yet, “Amakosi,” an insanely catchy anthem with the conceited hallmarks of Brooklyn Drill, but with a distinctly Rwandan pulse via Ish Kevin’s lingual choice, his titanic presence and limber flow over the groovy beat. Drill Movement I followed soon after, a freewheeling EP of solo and collaborative Drill thumpers with a self-anointing verve. By summer, he sealed his place as Rwandan Drill’s frontrunner with “No Cap,” a sturdy banger acclaimed as one of the hardest Drill songs of the year by GRM Daily. His gift as a formidable rap artist is undeniable, as is his star power, and the success of his recent Stadium-size headlining concert is overwhelming evidence.
Dennis
8. Show Dem Camp
This year, the most potent piece of socio-political commentary in Nigerian music is “Big Dreams,” a short skit on Show Dem Camp’s ‘Clone Wars V: The Alogrhythm.’ On it, a vocal parody of a typical Nigerian politician in office wakes up in the morning and relishes making life harder for its young population of dreamers. It’s funny, it’s real, it’s uncomfortable, it’s heartbreaking, and most importantly, it’s a show of solidarity from two rap artists whose work has always been defined by the constant perils and fleeting joys of the Nigerian reality.
Through the functional dichotomy of their two project series—Palmwine Music being the other—the duo have been in a groove for about half-a-decade now, allowing familiarity to colour their music without remotely coming off as uninspired. On SDC’s latest, they both find a balance between offering personal perspective and musing on societal conditions. The drive to remain original in an industry filled with clones continues to be an effective talking point, while they address the pandemic and the fatal fallout from last year’s protests with nuance, empathy, and hopeful vim. The project is packed with dazzling moments from both rappers that emphasise why they’ve consistently been the best out, whether it’s Tec’s swaggering opening verse on the minor hit “Big Tycoon,” or Ghost effortlessly blacking out on lead single “Rise of the Underdogs 2.” In a year without their primary commercial gambit, Show Dem Camp let the more cerebral aspect of their craft speak for them, and it was always going to pay dividends.
Dennis
7. Yaw Tog
It’s not every day that an artist’s debut single makes them the de-facto leader of a music scene, but that’s what happened when Yaw Tog’s anthemic “Sore” trickled out of Kumasi. Boasting production by Chris Rich, “Sore” united the best and brightest of Asakaa and established Tog as the golden boy of the scene. 2021 has seen the young rapper continue to show proof of why he’s so highly regarded. The most obvious showing is his cross-continental remix of “Sore,” featuring British-Ghanaian rapper Stormzy and Ghanaian sing-rap hybrid Kwesi Arthur, at the top of the year.
With specific references to his come-up and the Kumasi streets that had comforted him, the remix lived up to its predecessor. Released less than a month later, ‘Time’ showed layers to the high-schoolers abilities. The drill songs on ‘Time’ are bursting with slick rhythmicity. On “Boyz,” he tries a Trap flow that rides on top of a gritty Drill instrumental while leaning on soulful melodies on “Fake Ex” to offset uncomfortable emotions. All of this said, Yaw Tog’s greatest achievement this year is how he has thoroughly energised his scene with his youthful zest while wearing his crown with a calm swagger.
Wale Oloworekende
6. Ladipoe
Since Ladipoe’s introduction into the Nigerian rap scene through Show Dem Camp’s “Victoria Island of Broken Hearts,” his consistency has earned him a title as one of Nigerian rap’s most prolific front runners. A year after soundtracking our lockdown blues with the Headies-winning smash hit, “Know You,” Ladipoe ran the summer of post-lockdown reopening with his Buju-assisted banger, “Feeling,” before rounding out the year with ‘Providence,’ an impressive EP that doubled as a victory lap and statement of self-assurance.
On the 6-song set, he flexes his powers as a versatile rap artist, curating a set of songs with varying vibes, all tied together by a new sense of clarity. Pulling in Rema and Amaarae for guest moments on ‘Providence’ underlines Ladipoe’s knack for honing the right artist to assist and bring out the essence of what he tries to portray with his music. Despite this, he’s more than capable of holding his own while going solo on the title track and “LOTR II,” where he showcases his advanced and unique level of lyricism and creativity. Ladipoe’s calm raps and catchy melodies have continued to put him on the highest pedestal of rap music on the continent, and there seems to be no sign of him stopping anytime soon.
Ada
5. Jay Bahd
Possessing a booming voice and magnetic presence much like the late Pop Smoke, Jay Bahd’s menacing, brawling flow and his unabashed embrace of Akata (urban Kumasi culture) on songs like “Suzzy” and Kawabanga’s “Akatafoc” always earmarked him as a talent to watch out for, while his mob-leading, chaos-inducing helming of “Condemn” confirmed Jay as one of his city’s leading light.
In 2021, Jay Bahd’s voice extended far beyond Kumasi when his love for high fashion and the drippy lifestyle birthed “Go Get,” a single that mentioned Virgil Abloh and led to a shoutout from the American-Ghanaian designer. Months later, as Jay Bahd’s profile ascended beyond Ghana, he released “U CAN’T SHOW ME NATTIN,” a rare solo cut where he defiantly announced that he was going to be in the streets for life. All that set the pace for his debut project, the mysticism-embracing ‘The Return Of Okomfo Anokye’ where the singer dissected crime, love, and hope in Kumasi over maximal drill beats. For all the grit of Jay Bahd’s bars, there’s also a poetic stream of consciousness on display on songs like “247” with O’Kenneth and Sean Lifer, and “Summer Vibes” with Sean Lifer and City Boy. The success of ‘The Return Of Okomfo Anokye’ has catapulted the rapper to the fore of continental conversations, ensuring that Jay is one of the biggest rappers this year.
Wale
4. A-Reece
In 2020, A-Reece mostly kept to himself after the creative triumph of 2019’s ‘Reece Effect.’ On rare dispatches from 2020 like the Ayanda Jiya-featuring “Re$idual $elf Image,” the rapper leaned into the story of his life via conversation samples and a soft-speaking flow that hinted at an artistic evolution. The actualisation of that evolution was presented on his 13-song, March-released mixtape, ‘Today’s Tragedy, Tomorrow’s Memory.’ Grappling with the death of his dad and the effect that had on his mental health and his music-making abilities, A-Reece turned to the project format for some aural healing.
On the opener, “MARK 15:35,” he softly whispers potent lines like, “God gives and he takes/ Sometimes it feels like he made a mistake,” with the emotional clarity of a tortured soul. Regret colours “THE SAME THING” where A-Reece juxtaposes loss with love and paints a picture that visualises the loss of a loved one but by the time ‘Today’s Tragedy, Tomorrow’s Memory’ slinks to “MORNING PEACE,” the rapper is dealing with his pain with a forward-looking acceptance that teeters between toxicity and intense attraction. Not many rappers operating this year dived into the exploration of self with the purposefulness that A-Reece does here; relying primarily on a dreamy fusion of soul and jazzy instrumental for his work, the rapper makes a powerful dedication to grief, pain, growing up, and the eternal self.
Wale
3. Sarkodie
Sarkodie has been defying the law of gravity for over a decade now. The Ghanaian rap artist is the living, breathing representation of longevity in a terrain with zero assurances for rappers in general, remaining a dynamic force, both as a clever lyricist and effortless hit-maker. In 2021, he’s still very much in contention for being the best rapper roaming the continent, all factors considered. The best part is, he’s still doing it in some artistic style, dropping one of the best full-length projects of his career, yet.
Released in the summer, ‘No Pressure’ is the latest flex of apotheosis from Sarkodie, an album made by an artist with a deserved, boulder-sized chip on his shoulder. “Don’t call me the best/Point of correction, there’s no competition,” he casually quips on “Rollies & Cigars.” The 16-track set is a potent reminder of all the things that make Sarkodie irrefutably great, including throwing down boastful one-liners, spinning dance-ready bangers with intoxicating raps (“No Fugazy”), and memorable Afropop-inflected bops (“Non-Living Thing”). Twelve years after his debut album, Sarkodie’s run as the rapper’s rapper and people’s rapper is still ongoing—and it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down now or anytime soon.
Dennis
2. Blxckie
Although Blxckie’s rise to fame seemed fast-paced, the South African rapper had been working on his craft years before becoming a breakout act during last year’s lockdown, when he scored his first viral hit with the Lucasraps-assisted “Big Time Sh’lappa.” In the time since then, Blxckie has proven to be one of the most prominent rap voices in Africa and for all the right reasons. This year alone, the 21-year old released his debut album ‘B4NOW,’ one of the best LPs of 2021, and he followed up with a deluxe edition shortly after the success of the original version.
‘B4NOW’ is a strong statement by the South African rapper letting listeners and fans know he is exactly who he says he is: a rap prodigy with no musical boundaries. On a track like “Hut,” Blxckie is found gassing himself and making braggadocious quips such as, “I don’t got enemies, just a couple niggas hating ‘cause I’m moving fast and they moving like centipedes,” reminding himself and listeners that he’s his only competition. Shortly after the deluxe edition release of ‘B4NOW,’ Blxckie followed up with the melodic “Kwenzekile,” another hit single in time for the festive season. This year has been a banner year for Blxckie, as he’s managed to make a mark in the industry in just a matter of months, shipping out hit after hit along with some of SA’s finest rap artists, while remaining in tune with a cult-like fanbase that has driven the speedy growth of both his music. Blxckie is indeed the man of the moment.
Wonu
1. PsychoYP
At 23, PsychoYP might be one of the most charismatic rap artists in Africa. Even though it was apparent in the half-a-decade since debuting his first EP, his great 2021 run made it impossible to notice. Crafting his style in such a way that’s consistently striking and driven by a restless versatility, the Abuja-bred rap artist is a standout voice in Africa’s rap terrain, boasting a discography with remarkable projects. He continued that streak this year with the release of his latest project, ‘Euphoria,’ again proving to listeners his enigmatic abilities at merging pristine beat selection and exuberant themes as his calling card.
The body of work is a statement by the artist, reinforcing and intensifying the reason he’s at the forefront of the hip-hop uprising in this part of the world. When he’s not speaking on feeling at his best and wanting to always feel that way on tracks like “Euphoria,” he’s making it clear to his opps and haters on “Smoke 4 Free” that they can certainly get the heat if they seem to cross his path in any way. The entire body of work has YP putting his opps in check, spitting out braggadocious bars over melodiously produced beats, fusing trap, hip-hop & Afropop all into an imposing and addictive 9-track run.
What’s most interesting about the young talent is his creative ability to walk his way through any genre he finds himself working with whilst still showcasing his strength one way or the other. On standout single, “Big Moves,” he gets imperial: “For all upcoming artists, rappers, let me give you an advice, the best thing you can do is to go hustle for a YP feature because that nigga?,” a clear reaffirmation of his position as one of the best rappers on the continent. With the self-confidence and braggadocious he emits through his music, PsychoYP’s star power shined the brightest in 2021.
Wonu
Featured image credits/NATIVE
Written by Ada Nwakor, Wonu Osikoya, Wale Oloworekende and Dennis Ade-Peter
Six years after her well-received debut album, ‘Seyi or Shay’, British-born Nigerian singer and songwriter Seyi Shay has returned with her awaited sophomore LP, ‘BIG GIRL’. Coming in three years after her last project, the ‘Electric Package’ EP, the new full-length has been two years in the making. It’s the latest marquee point for Seyi Shay, following previous years of establishing herself as an accomplished, independent, and evidently talented artist.
For over a decade Seyi Shay has brought us hits including “Murda” with Shaydee and Patoranking, the Wizkid-assisted “Crazy,”“Yolo Yolo,” and “Gimme Love (Remix),” which featured American R&B star, Teyana Taylor. She continues to push the envelope with the release of ‘Big Girl,’ her latest effort which features Wande Coal, Yemi Alade, Backroad Gee, and more. The project embodies all that Seyi Shay is, her deep appreciation for music and her use of sound to intimately capture experiences and moments.
While still going for an eclectic musical palette, on ‘Big Girl’, Seyi Shay leans into cohesion by expressing herself through a recurring sound and vibe. The album traffics in heavy doses of the nostalgic 90’s R&B sound, unlike previous projects with heavy emphasis on current trends in Nigerian pop. Her music is for everyone and anyone out there who is just like her. It’s all for her fans and new audiences who are yet to discover her. Seyi Shay curates music intentionally for females and males who are hard workers, hustlers, and those who have experienced heartbreak but haven’t been able to express it because they are seen as hard or alphas.
Seyi Shay’s love and fascination for music date back to the age of 15. Being born and raised in England, she found her love for music while singing in the high school choir. Her big break came when her high school choir was flown out for a Christmas tour in Japan which was also featured as her first paid gig. As the youngest in the choir and being constantly pursued by Japanese fans for their autographs, she soon fell in love with the rush of being famous
Although her mum never approved her urge to become a musician, Seyi shay went ahead to nurture her skills by pursuing music in her free time. She later met Harmony Samuels, a multi-Grammy Award-winning producer who has produced for the likes of Chris Brown and Brandy. Fast forward a year later and Seyi Shay was already attracting the ears of some big-ticket names including Matthew Knowles, father to the legendary Beyoncé who eventually scouted Seyi Shay and signed her to a girl group called ‘From Above’.
From there on, Shay’s dreams were becoming a reality. She was immediately whisked from the UK to Houston Texas and for the next three years of her life, she worked hard as part of the all-female musical collective, which famously led to her starring on the reality show called ‘Breaking From Above.’ After touring from Beyoncé and making it big with her girl group, Seyi Shay was enticed by her friend Sound Sultan to come back to Nigeria and pursue her singing career further. The rest, as they say, is history.
On ‘Big Girl’ Seyi Shay makes it a priority to show all sides of herself and dive deeper with her messaging. She explains that it’s important for her to show her fans how much she has grown as a woman in this project.
She was also able to put all her heart and soul into the album by channeling her inner self. She explains that artists thrive off of tragedy. So she was able to put her heart and soul into the work because she was given the freedom to. For the first time in a long time since Mathew Knowles’s days, she was able to just be an artist while her team handled the business side of things. She didn’t have to worry about the other technical and business areas that didn’t involve the actual creation of the music and that gave her so much peace and satisfaction. It also helped centre all her mind and focus on perfecting the project.
“It’s important because I want my fans and people who wanna know me more to see that I’m actually making moves and evolving and not stagnant or just a pretty face. I wanna send a message to young women and men that I’m growing and hopefully it Inspires”.
According to her, she’s never been the one to be a follower and it is extremely important for her to be a role model for younger women “I think the main message is to work hard, grow and You’ll be happy. Being happy in itself is a message” says Seyi Shay. After speaking to Seyi Shay, I was able to understand her in a way that was different from what was portrayed in the media. Women in the industry are always seen and treated harshly when we try to show a little strength or sexual liberation especially knowing that we live in a man’s world. Since moving back to Nigeria, the culture shock she faced was overwhelming, but even with that, she still powered through and became a ‘Big Girl’ right in front of our eyes.
Following the album’s release, we caught up with the singer to discuss her journey, her ups and downs in the industry and how to succeed in a male-dominated space. Our conversation which follows below has been lightly edited for clarity.
NATIVE: What fed into your decision to release a project now? How was the process of recording and putting it all together?
SEYI SHAY: So the process was quite strange cause I don’t know who takes 2 years to record an album but Corona stopped a lot of things. The album that I had early last year after working on the songs for a whole year wasn’t reflecting my true state of mind at the time. Early last year, I also teamed up with a company called Jones Worldwide and they came to the project as A&R’s, heard the album and they thought it was okay but wanted me to dig deeper and bring more of myself. So they brought in a new team of producers and writers.
NATIVE: What message were you trying to pass across on this album?
SEYI SHAY: The key message I’m trying to pass across is that growth is good. I have grown into the woman I am today and I have learned from so many mistakes. Being yourself and embracing yourself makes you feel like a superhero.
NATIVE: Growing up in England and moving to Nigeria to pursue your music career must have been such a change. Would you still say that was a good idea and would you make any changes if you could?
SEYI SHAY: Honestly, I made the best decision for myself because when the group was at its end, I had to decide whether I wanted to continue with the group and work with Mathew Knowles. Then I met Sound Sultan that year who spoke to me for 6 months about coming back to Nigeria as a Nigerian Yoruba girl. He encouraged me that there was room for my talent and I could blow. He introduced me to Cecil Hammond who owns the promotional company, Flytime Music. He signed me and felt I could be successful. Then I moved to Nigeria and here I am. I think I made the best decision.
NATIVE: How would you describe your songwriting and creative process? What sort of topics or themes inspire your songwriting and music?
SEYI SHAY: I’m a lover girl and I love love. I love to romanticise everything and as an artist, we constantly live in this world of romanticism and we create things in our minds, whether true or not. In this album, I speak a lot about relationships. When I have issues with my boyfriend, the best way to get through it is to put it in a song. When I hear a track, I start freestyling about some guy or a situation I’m in and sometimes I flex about the money I make and the kind of woman I am.
NATIVE: Now that you’ve finished the album, What song(s) in the album took the longest to put together and mean the most to you?
SEYI SHAY: It’s a double-edged question cause speaking on a technical point, some of these songs were not complete until the features came on but from a personal standpoint I would say “Glowana” because I wrote the song from scratch. “Glowana” was a very real and true situation about the glow you get when you get out of a bad relationship or situation. For most women when we let go of the baggage, after a few months we just have this glow up and start looking and feeling a lot better. That is what happened to me, I got out of this bad relationship and it was bad from the start because it was not for love but personal interest, and when I got out, I started feeling like things were working out for the good. The song took three days to write and it never takes me that long.
NATIVE: I watched ‘Lara and the Beat’ when it premiered on Netflix and I must say you did a fantastic job. When did you discover your talent for acting? Is this something that you’d like to pursue more?
SEYI SHAY: I did a bit of acting in high school and I studied performing arts during my A levels. I’ve always been a bit of a drama queen but I never expected myself to be in cinemas. It was an honor and a nice gesture for Biola Alabi to reach out to ask me to be a part of the movie. I was typecast but did a lot of acting in the movie. I’m not Lara but I had to put Seyi Shay’s personality into Lara. I would love to do it again
NATIVE: What was the whole filming and acting process like and what would you say were your challenges?
SEYI SHAY: It was hard memorising the lines, being on set for 18 hours, filming for 3 months although it was meant to be 6 weeks because the crew we used were flown in from LA and they love to be thorough and specific. It was a real crew of 180 people and a real movie set. It was tiring as hell. Looking back now, I wanna do more movies. My agent should put it at the top of the list for next year.
NATIVE: Let’s switch gears a little bit and get more personal. So something I’ve always admired about you is that you’re unapologetically you regardless of what others may think. What’s your secret ingredient to staying self-confident and assured?
SEYI SHAY: I don’t think anyone should be apologetic for who they are. I will never advocate for playing yourself down and I’ll tell my girl child that you’re perfect just the way you are and love yourself. I had to fight a lot of demons and rejection and I am still fighting these demons whether from family, from my dad or friends or exes, and even myself on whether I’m good enough. I’ve been put in some grueling experiences being managed by such a militant man like Mathew Knowles. My worth has been questioned being the only back girl in an all-white girl group. The minute you rise above those experiences and give everything you’ve learned and been through you’ll become stronger and don’t be sorry for them and know that you’ve been through those things for a reason.
NATIVE: You’ve been a big advocate of loving your body just the way it is, why is it important for you to own your autonomy and sexuality in this way?
SEYI SHAY: My thing is, I love myself, my scars, and my wounds but not in a pompous way. I’ve been a size 14 and a size 8 and as I get older, I’ve realised that there are ways I can get my ass bigger and if I wanted to get my boobs bigger I could simply get surgery but if I do all this and it then goes out of fashion I would feel very stupid. In the 90’s it was a trend to have short hair, a small waist, little boobs, and be supermodel looking. I’m a big fashion head and I know that in that world your body is your temple and time changes, now people are getting surgeries and injections. When the slender body comes back into fashion I don’t wanna be caught slipping and everyone else is gonna be looking big. I look at the fact that people see me as a timeless person that stays relevant. I just stay in the gym and eat high-protein meals.
NATIVE: Have you faced any particular hurdles to get to this stage in your career?
SEYI SHAY: The Nigerian music industry has always been difficult, especially the disparity between the male and the female artists, and when I came into the scene there were only a few of us and many of the guys. Women got a fraction of the pay compared to what guys got. Everyone wants to sleep with you as well. I’m from London where a lot of this stuff isn’t in your face and you’re rewarded for your talent. The culture shock of moving back was so massive and I was set back a lot cause it took me time to adapt and catch up to what was acceptable in my culture and industry.
NATIVE: You’ve been in the music industry for over 10 years, what have you learned so far about getting ahead in the game? What advice would you give to other women starting out in the music industry?
SEYI SHAY: You have to think and move like a man. Always be a woman and a bad bitch but you have to also think like a man. This industry is a man’s world. Thankfully times are changing and more women are becoming more instrumental and taking seats of power but we haven’t fully moved out of that it’s a man’s world phase yet. We are still fighting for our rights not to be sexualized or scrutinized or judged because you’re a single mum or want to be sexy in your videos. Men are still favoured in the music industry. You have to think like a man to get ahead in the industry but always remember to be kind.
NATIVE: If you weren’t a singer, what career path would you see yourself venturing into?
SEYI SHAY: Could have been a lawyer because I love to win arguments, could be a teacher because I also love to share knowledge, and could be a chef because I love to cook.
NATIVE: Are we expecting anything else from Seyi Shay soon?
SEYI SHAY: You have to wait for the big girl video and lots of surprises coming. Headlining two shows in Central London in February and the tickets will go on sale from the 20th of December.
As the year winds down, the sheer number of music we receive at The NATIVE keeps growing at an exponential rate. With live shows back in full swing and Afropop hits such as Wizkid’s “Essence” and CKay’s “Love Nwantiti”climbing the charts both home and abroad, there has never been a more exciting time than the present for the ever-evolving sonic landscape. Through it all, we remain committed to the ideal of music discovery and sharing that is a big part of what we stand for. Our goal is still the same as always: we don’t want exciting music to be slept on.
That’s where our Songs of the Day column comes in. We’re doing the work to stay on pulse with all the music coming out from across the continent and beyond, bringing you exciting songs of tomorrow: today. On Monday, we had exciting music from Zlatan, Spinal, Adekunle Gold, Ckay, and more. Today, we bring to you new music from Black Sherif, Burna Boy, NSG, Seyi Shay, Mohbad and many more.
Black Sherif – “Second sermon” (feat. Burna Boy)
In July, Ghanaian rapper Black Sherif brought to our ears the hit single “Second Sermon”, a Drill banger tune that finds the rapper speaking on his life so far and a follow-up to the two installments of Sermon freestyle series he did earlier in the year. To further sweeten the track, Black Sherif has collaborated with Nigerian singer and songwriter, Burna Boy for a befitting remix that certainly boosts the song’s popularity. The African Giant co-sign further proves that Ghanaian Drill is here to stay.
Seyi Shay – “Ride For You” (feat. Wande Coal)
Afropop singer and songwriter, Seyi Shay is here with her sophomore album ‘Big Girl’. Since taking a long break from releasing and projects, Seyi Shay is back with her 12-track LP which cuts across topics such as growth, self-elevation, love, romance, and more. Assisted by Wande Coal is the Kel P-produced track “Ride For You”, a dancehall/reggae track that sees the artist speaking to her love interest and promising to always be there for him. On the chorus, she sings “Baby imma ride for you till the wheels fall off/Baby imma die for you till the early morn,” offering her devotion to her love interest. Wande Coal steps in shortly and spins the track in a different direction as they both display great chemistry.
Mohbad – “Backside”
This time last year, Mohbad and Rexxie teamed up and brought to our ears the hit single “KPK”, the Amapiano infused track that took over the clubs last Christmas. Now, the Marlian Records signee is back with another party tune set to have the same lasting impact. On the newly released track “Backside”, Mohbad is found praising the body of his muse, serenading her in a. mixture of Yoruba and English over the rhythmic production of the Niphkeys produced track.
Simi – “So Bad” (feat. Joeboy)
A week ago, singer and songwriter Simi released the Joeboy-assisted track titled “So Bad”. Arriving today is the Adasa Cookey-directed video for the track which makes the song an even more enjoyable listen. The colourful and vibrant video of the track captures both artists delivering their verses while set against colourful backdrops that visualise the intensity of their feelings for their love interests.
Bryann – “Kerewa” ft Blaqbonez
For his latest single, singer and songwriter and fresh meat Aum, Bryann has teamed up with rapper Blaqbonez to deliver the new tune titled “Kerewa”. Over the song’s bouncy production, the artist quips, “She dey eye me like she wants to follow/baby girl say she wants to follow,” on the pre-hook, addressing a love interest who he can’t seem to get off his mind due to her beautiful appearance. Blaqbonez comes in shortly after and makes the song a more memorable affair, proving once again his ability to sustain a return of investment on his music.
For his first release of the year, HarrySong has teamed up with YBNL label boss Olamide and his talented signee, FireboyDML to deliver the love song titled “She Knows”. Fireboy opens the track, singing “She knows that I love her, she knows/She too bad oh, she knows,” as he addresses a muse who is beautiful beyond his imagination.
Eugy – “Down” (feat. Efya)
After a series of solo releases and a handful of features, Ghanaian-British artist Eugy is here with his third EP ‘Home Run’. The 6-track features artists such as Jay Bahd, Efya, Kuame Eugene, and more. The Efya-assisted “Down” is a mid-tempo tune that finds both artists airing out their romantic desires. On the track Eugy sings, “This kind of love, forever is the status/teach me patience I’ll never doubt you”, serenading his muse and expressing his deepest feelings to her.
Azana – “Higher”
Fresh Meat Alum, Azana has just released a new single titled “Higher.” As the song’s title will imply, the new single is an airy number that finds the singer performing on her best form and showing off her impeccable vocal range. In typical Azana fashion, she uses her powerful voice to conjure awe-inspiring moods and feelings as she sings passionately about transcending the current realm and experiencing life free from worry.
Crayon – “Excuse Me (Rock You)”
Crayon has had a great year. After releasing his debut EP ‘Twelve A.M,’earlier this year, the singer has just released a new single titled “Excuse Me (Rock You,” in time for the December festive season. Produced by Killertunez, Crayon’s latest single finds the young singer melding witty lines and sharp cadence over an Amapiano-infused track. The groovy new number is tailor-made for the festive season with references to nightlife in Lagos however, the highlight is Crayon’s delectable singing which effortlessly glides over the catchy new beat.
This December, all roads lead back to Ghana. As the detty December festivities kick off around the continent, Ghana has positioned itself as one of the leading hubs for live music experiences which is why Guaranteed Trust Holding company (GTCO), the parent company for Guaranteed Trust Bank, is taking the celebration to Ghana as they host their first-ever Music concert.
Slated for the 17th of December 2021, the music concert is set to bring together a spate of talented artists and entertainers from all acorss West Africa. Asides from this concert, GTCO is known to curate other events such GTBank Fashion week and the GT Food and Drink Festival, which are some of African biggest events in the year.
The event is set to hold in the Main Bowl of Accra Sports Stadium and it enlists some of the biggest names in music from across Nigeria and Ghana. The line-up includes Davido, Stonebwoy, Tems, Wande Coal, Gyakie, Adina, Buju, Adekunle Gold, and more. Unlike many other concerts happening this season, this event will be free for all to attend, but everyone is urged to follow COVID-19 guidelines, in the wake of a new variant.
GTCO aims to utilise the concert to bring awareness to the deep-rooted talent we Africans possess and place it on a worldwide stage whilst also promoting our individuality and uniqueness as beautiful, colourful, and energetic people. Authentic sounds, resounding afro-beats, and hard-hitting rhythm will surround every inch of the effervescent concert crowd and live-streamed to millions worldwide! There are so many creative minds all around Africa, so why not celebrate that in all its beauty.
Last Wednesday, along Miami’s picturesque cargo harbours, Louis Vuitton showcased the final collection of Virgil Abloh, paying tribute to the visionary who devastatingly passed away two days prior. Unbeknown to us all, Virgil—at the height of his success in the past few years—had privately been battling an aggressive form of cancer. Abloh was only 41.
Perhaps, an article alone is not enough to express how impactful Virgil Abloh was to our culture. It’s no easy feat honouring a man who achieved so much, at home and abroad, in record time. The palpable sadness and endless personal stories all across social media are a testament to how much he shook up the world, touched lives, and broke barriers in such a short time.
Virgil was a multifaceted creative, without limits. Though he graduated with an architecture masters degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, his work transcended any single career or trade. He designed clothing, buildings, cars, curated art exhibitions and wrote books. What’s even more impressive is that he excelled and became successful in each discipline he took on. This is almost unheard of unless you go back to the days of renaissance men like Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo, who dabbled in all art forms from science, poetry & architecture. Virgil was our Black African renaissance man.
Virgil Abloh is, of course, best known for his creative and unorthodox take on fashion, using his brand Off-White to collaborate with a variety of brands: from Nike to Jordan, Moet champagne and Mercedes Benz. From Serena Williams to French footballer Kylian Mbappe, Virgil also collaborated with the best of our sportsmen and women to re-imagine sportswear.
In his true creator form and element, Virgil’s final days were spent planning every detail of the LV Spring/Summer 2022 show, texting and direct messaging his guests, inviting musicians, new and old, from Pharrell to upcoming UK drill artist Central Cee. As guests mourned the passing of one of our generation’s cultural tastemakers, Abloh’s innovative imprint was also palpable throughout the show—this speaks volumes to the character of the man. The show began with a clip of a young Black boy, riding his bike, before flying high in a red “LV” hot air balloon.
That same hot air balloon blazed and floated in the background of the show, as the models walked through the industrial style runway. A towering multicoloured statue of Virgil Abloh overlooked the runway, a metaphoric expression of the creative he was. The night sky was lit up with fireworks and a 3-D light display dancing to spell out “VA” with paper plane outlines that shone through the sky and make paper-plane shaped outlines. The show fittingly titled “Virgil was Here” was the perfect send-off for Abloh, who, like the young black boy, was a dreamer through and through.
Abloh’s passing is felt greatly across the African creative community for many reasons. It wasn’t too long ago that we all were celebrating the remarkable news that the Ghanaian-American had taken the role of menswear designer at the prestigious fashion house. The announcement would make him the first black designer to hold the position, a monumental feat to say the least. Like a dream come true, his first Vuitton show in June 2018 took over the Palais-Royale park in Paris and featured a rainbow coloured catwalk while paying homage to the imaginative storyline from L. Frank Baum’s ‘Wizard of Oz.’ The show ended with a touching full-circle moment: Virgil Abloh tearfully hugging his good friend Kanye West, with who he had started his fashion journey back in the late 2000s.
Abloh designed from the position of an observer; he was reluctant to call himself a designer or an expert. By living out his “wildest dreams,” achieving things that seemed impossible to younger Black kids, being in places he—according to society—shouldn’t be, he inadvertently expressed through his work that he was just like any of us. And in his own words, we could “do it too”. He was positively obsessed with all forms of product, and how we bought and consumed things. He would take simple, everyday things from Evian water bottles, Ikea clocks and rugs, and reconstruct them in ways one would think to design and appreciate a sculpture or artwork.
For Virgil, it was all about leaving a mark. Abloh made it clear from the get-go that he was serving Black culture, hoping to open the door for those behind him. After all, that was his testimony. He, too, was once an intern trying to navigate the world of fashion. He most famously interned with Kanye at Fendi in 2009 and before that, he was blogging and documenting things that inspired him, like all young creatives.
It wasn’t uncommon to see Abloh selflessly supporting and mentoring up and coming designers. One of which hailed from his place of birth, Ghana. Virgil championed many creatives back at home including Joey Lit, the founder of an alternative streetwear brand, ‘Free The Youth.’ Earlier this week, Joey shared the personal messages with the designer revealing how Virgil took time to encourage the team, share potential ideas and partnerships, and discuss plans for pop-up shows and events in Ghana. Parallels can be drawn between him and Joey, as “PYREX vision”—Virgil’s first streetwear brand in 2012—started with only T-shirts with screen-printed designs. It soon became the uniform for the free-spirited, do-it-yourself creative movement Virgil and his team of creative friends were spearheading.
Virgil Abloh did the same with leaders of the new wave of Afrocentric streetwear: Norwegian-Based, Daily Paper. Together, they were able to create a collection that would fund the construction of Ghana’s Freedom Skate Park. The designs paid homage to Ghana’s rich reserves of cocoa, with all proceeds going to the Skate Park’s funding.
Outside his service to the creative community back home and in the diaspora, Abloh also had his hand in several pots. As a DJ, it was clear that Virgil stayed inspired and was continually tapped into music culture from Africa. He was the go-to DJ for rappers who needed that social seal of approval. Skepta famously rapped, “I’m wearing Louis, can’t you see Virgil’s in the office?” He’s not the only one who’s waxed similar lyrics about the icon. Burna Boy hailed Virgil in a similar way on his Polo G-assisted single, “Want It All”. In recent times, he collaborated with Nigerian superstar, Wizkid and British-Ghanaian rapper Headie One, creating each artist a custom pair of Louis Vuitton tracksuits.
Why did his designs resonate with us so much? Using tags, street-sign markings, arrows, and ironic quotes as his design signature, Virgil’s ideas spoke for themselves…literally. At Louis Vuitton, Virgil designed first and foremost, from the perspective of a Black man. It made luxury fashion relatable, whilst at the same time, retaining its air of high fashion. Abloh designed things that were not just good to look at, they were also highly functional and sometimes even bizarre. He would also sprinkle little hints of his Ghanaian heritage, with traditional highlife soundtracks for his LV Hong Kong SS21 show, and wrap style designs paying respects to Ghanaian Kente and Ntoma, worn by royals. Nothing was ever amiss when Virgil designed it, yet, the ineggable legacy he leaves behind does not make his passing any easier to swallow.
It’s safe to say, Virgil was one of a kind. Wasting no time, he lived with urgency and gave his all while on earth, and in turn inspired a whole generation of Black artists and creatives. Wednesday’s Louis Vuitton show ended with Virgil’s distinctive voice, and his fast-thinking, witty way of speaking, booming around the resplendent location. It was taken from a short clip from one of his online talks he gave to young creatives. Show guests were left with a quote that best encapsulates his inspirational career and represents all that the man and icon was.
A quote he should be remembered by, and a quote that encourages us all to continue his legacy in our own ways:
“There’s no limits, and young people […] life is so short that you can’t even waste a day subscribing to what someone thinks you can do versus knowing what you can do, and that’s like the switch in your head, if you can get to a place where you can act on that in the next hour after I’m done speaking, I guarantee you it’s a domino effect…”
When Omah Lay’s “Godly” set the record for most weeks at the top spot of the TurnTable Top 50, it was tough to envision another song surpassing its eleven-week streak. Well, Afropop’s resident lover-boy Joeboy is pressing for a new record. The singer’s latest smash hit, “Sip (Alcohol),” has just logged its ninth week at No. 1, leaving it just two weeks shy of the current milestone and three weeks away from setting an entirely new one. As the focus is now on end-of-year live events, and new music releases are tapering off, Joeboy has a very real chance of closing out this year’s TurnTable Top 50 charts on a historic note.
Coming in at the second spot of this week’s chart edition is Fave’s “Baby Riddim,” and is possibly the main threat to “Sip” setting a new record. In the tracking week, Fave’s mainstream breakout hit tallied increased numbers in radio reach (36.5 million impressions) and equivalent streams (2.36 million). “Baby Riddim” was published by Empawa Africa, the same label services company responsible for Joeboy’s releases, making it the first time that the top two songs on the TurnTable Top 50 are released by the same publisher. However the next few weeks shake out, the Mr Eazi-founded company is closing out the year with massive dubs.
The next two spots are filled by Amapiano-infused hit songs, Reekado Banks’ “Ozumba Mbadiwe” (No. 3), and Adekunle Gold’s Davido-assisted “High” (No. 4), while Timaya and Buju’s “Cold Outside” rounds out the top ten. Kizz Daniel makes the only new entry into the top ten with “Eh God (Barnabas)”; the pseudo-title track from his latest EP leaps seven spots from last week into No. 6. Mayorkun and Victony’s “Holy Father” slips one place from its previous position into No. 7, while Davido and Focalistic’s “Champion Sound” moves up one spot to No. 8. Fireboy DML occupies the final places in the top ten, with his Ladipoe collaboration, “Running,” coming in at No. 9. “Peru” rounds the top fifth out and also equals the longest stint in the top ten, which is nineteen weeks—a record that’s certain to be broken.
You can check out this week’s full rundown of this week’s TurnTable Top 50 here.
For the first time ever, the top two songs in 🇳🇬 by different artistes are released under the same publisher 💫@joeboyofficial’s “Sip (Alcohol)” and @faveszn’s “Baby Riddim” lead this week’s chart— both released under @emPawaAfrica
Asa’s ability to tell stories in the most creative ways possible is her superpower. Her ability to continually whisk listeners into riveting, lived-in narratives is beyond exceptional, considering how incredibly successfully she’s been at it since debuting over a decade-and-a-half ago.
In that timeframe, she’s been able to make music that not only inspires but also helps listeners feel deeply, creating their own meaning in relation to her music and proving to be the soundtrack for an entire generation. Of course, her bristling new song and first release of the year, “Mayana,” is no different.
Produced by recent Grammy-nominated producer P.Priime, “Mayana” is a soulful and bubbly Afropop cut, and it serves as the lead single off her forthcoming body of work, an album inspired by Asa’s passion for other things even outside music. The new single is a fusion of Asa’s Soulful and Folksy sensibilities with the familiar groovy bounce of contemporary Nigerian pop music. On it, the Nigerian singer is at her most joyful and carefree. It is a soothing, dance-inducing track that will have you swaying according to the beat as well as causing a beautiful listening experience. With her trademark lithe voice, Asa remains as captivating as ever, reeling you in even from the melodic opening of the track.
“Mayana,” which means “Tomorrow,” is for a love interest with who she sees herself running away with and remaining with for as long as forever may be. The romantic number sees the artist singing lyrics such as, “You and I, we will live here together, you will be my forever/Plenty fish and banana, I will be your Mayana” on the hook of the soulful track. Accompanied by Meji Alabi-directed visuals is the video which shows black people in our vibrant and colourful form, being exactly what we are: Beautiful.
It is evident that after a long hiatus from making music, Asa is back and refreshed, ready to deliver better than ever. She has found a way to create music that presents her in a natural light. “Mayana” is proof that she has delved into a more creative and vulnerable space which sees her drawing influences from things around her, including her home waterfront view which inspires her writing, riding around anonymously in her VanVan which allows her to properly see the beauty of her city, and other mundane experiences, distilling all of it into her music.
If this is any indication of what’s to come on her forthcoming project, then we’re more than ready to accompany the singer into this new phase of her career and personhood.
As we are headed into the festive season it’s always great to enjoy movies that fill your belly with laughter and humor, which is why EbonyLife, in partnership with Netflix, has announced the sequel to its 2018 box office hit “Chief Daddy.” Production for the film began back in May, completed a few months later and is set to debut on 1st of January 2022 exclusively on Netflix.
Gaining widespread viewership as one of the first Nollywood films to make its way to Netflix, the upcoming sequel comes with the typical anticipation Nigerian audiences have for comedy drama films. Filmed between Lagos and Dubai, “Chief Daddy 2” is directed by Niki Akinmolayan, and the star-studded cast is filled with top notch Nollywood actors such as Nkem Owoh, Patience Ozokwo, Shaffy Bello, Joke Silva, Funke Akindele, Beverly Osi,Falz, Broda Shaggi, Ini Edo, Dakore Egbuson and many more.
Sharing the announcement for “Chief Daddy 2” and promotional images via social media, EbonyLife CEO Mo Abudu thanked everyone involved in bringing the film to life. In the caption for the Instagram post, she shared: “Well it’s now officially a wrap on Chief Daddy 2, from Lagos to Dubai with love ❤️❤️💃💃. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has been involved in the making of Chief Daddy 2 – our writers, our super star studded cast, our darling of a director, our producers, our DOP, our super duper crew in Lagos and Dubai and last but not least, my thanks and appreciation to Dubai Tourism for partnering with us on the Dubai leg of Chief Daddy 2.”
The first film was centred around a wealthy billionaire, Chief Beecroft, who goes by the nickname Chief Daddy. With his lavish lifestyle and good natured attributes, he is known to be generous with his wealth among his overwhelmingly large family, but as soon as he faces his deathbed things take a 180 and turn awry in the family. With the release of Chief Daddy 2, viewers can’t wait to see the new twists and turns tailored to keep us engaged.
On a mission to create a love letter to the inner child within Black people, director and innovator Tobi Onabolu, in collaboration with Rooted by Design, a social design and change studio, centering on the experiences of UK Black communities has released a new short film titled, ‘Dear Black Child.’
Shot in Hackney Wick, London, the film tells a fantasy story of a Black child on a quest for joy, who encounters a mysterious spirit, and a high priestess with her merrymakers in an enchanted forest. ‘Dear Black Child’ captures some of the many ways Black people can develop practices to reconnect with joy, exploring themes including mindfulness, alchemy, and African spirituality.
In the film, we come across the seeker, who is played by the talented Ayo Babatope, a talented dancer, voice actor, and movement artist. The seeker arises from meditation and journeys into the forest using movement and breathwork to reconnect with self, where he eventually manifests this energy to one they call “Wanderlust,” played by the multi-disciplinary artist, Kane Horn. As they both connect, so does their joy within.
The film is also a rendition of the well-known gospel number “Joyful Joyful” which is based on Rooted by Design’s sister organisation known as the “JoyfulProject,” an apt response to COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on Black communities around the world. The film also features an original score which was brilliantly composed by the talented Ejiro “4stringsz” Sowole-James. The South London electric violinist, multi-instrumentalist, and music producer has honed his unique technique for sound and captivating performances when performing all across major stages and that is no different in his work on Dear Black Child.
Speaking about the film, Onabolu shares:
“As Black people, we have so many different ways of expressing and defining “Black joy”, so in ‘Dear Black Child’, I wanted to emphasise the practise of returning to that state of joy. I see joy as somewhat of a frequency, like love. The more we tune into ourselves, nourishing our lives with love, practising self-care, mindfulness, and connecting with God, the more easily we can raise our vibrations and connect to the infinite joy that exists abundantly in the universe.
With this philosophy in mind, telling this story through movement was an intuitive decision, as it allowed us to use dance as a dynamic and expressive language for depicting the journey of returning to joy.”
Following the film’s premiere in London and its scheduled Lagos premiere this week at the Surreal 16 Film Festival, hosted by Abba T. Makama and the directors of the film collective, we sat down with Tobi Onabolu to discuss his influences, the film’s creation process and the importance of Black joy.
His answers which follow below have been lightly edited for clarity.
NATIVE: Hi Tobi, what inspired the film’s title, ‘Dear Black Child’?
TOBI: I was commissioned to tell a story about Black joy, and as individuals, we are all entitled to our own definitions and unique understandings of what this means. I wanted this story to depict what that journey of returning to joy can look like. So the film is designed to be a love letter to the inner child within Black people.
NATIVE: Alongside the lush visuals, the film is also replete with interpretative and contemporary dance. What was the importance of dance and movement to the overall plot of the film?
TOBI: I’m fascinated by the idea that everything is a frequency or vibration. Doubt, fear, guilt, shame, loneliness, and more, are all things that we face within the human experience, and they are frequencies. And on top of these life challenges that we face, as Black people we are confronted by things such as systemic racism, so I’m very intrigued by the accumulative effect this can have on the body. Which then beckons the question – what frequency are we vibrating on?
Whilst doubt, fear, shame etc. might be seen as low frequencies, I see joy, along with love, bliss, and peace, as higher frequencies. Therefore, in depicting the journey of raising our bodily vibrations to joy, it made the most sense to show that journey through dance and movement. Moving the body, through dance, exercise, yoga, etc. is also widely acknowledged as being helpful for reducing anxiety. Essentially, I wanted to show the body journeying from a lower to a higher frequency. Black joy also seems to be incredibly topical right now, so rather than just talking about it, it felt quite appropriate to show joy.
NATIVE: Were there any challenges when filming and bringing the ideas to life?
TOBI: Without a doubt – we had many, but the main one was time. From the date I received the brief from the Rooted team, to the shoot date, was literally one month, so we were sprinting from the get go. We also had to shoot the whole film in one day, and faced some technical difficulties on the day, so that really tested our resolve, as we were grossly delayed on set! Kudos to an incredible cast and crew for so elegantly navigating these challenges.
NATIVE: The music is a big part of the film as it features a score created by 4Stringsz. Explain the process of working together on this. What inspired the music used to pass across messages in the film?
TOBI: When I got the brief for this project, time for R&D was super limited, so I had to dive into the concept pretty quickly. As I took myself into the space of conceptualising the film, I ended up hearing the film before seeing the film, and I heard that it was going to be a reimagination of the gospel hymn “Joyful Joyful”. I called 4Stringsz, who is like my brother, we’ve known each other for about 20 years. We began properly cooking up the score during the post-production process and knowing that the “Joyful Joyful” theme would anchor the score helped massively, allowing for so much experimentation.
4Stringsz pushed us to work with minor chords and atonal ambient sounds and cadences, to create this ongoing tension in the film. Our ears are used to associating “joyful joyful” with being a very happy and uplifting song, yet we wanted to explore what connecting with joy can feel like, especially when there are a lot of obstacles and challenges in our lives. It was the score that helped to bring this idea to life and the tension in the score was central to this. And then back to the inner child – I had initially wanted the hymn to be sung by a child, but at the last minute, we decided to use a violin to play the theme. As the film starts, the violin plays the theme tentatively, but as the piece goes on, the violin grows in confidence. We were playing with the idea of inner child healing.
NATIVE: ‘Dear Black Child’ is also your directorial debut. Why was it important for this to be your first film?
TOBI: Interestingly, Dear Black Child is my third film, but the first one I’m releasing. My first, from 2018, remains unreleased, and my second, ‘ALAAFIA NI’, which I shot in Lagos this year, is due for release at the end of this year/start of 2022. I’m definitely grateful for this as my first release, as I was able to incorporate a lot of the lessons from the first two films into this piece. It was an honour to be commissioned too, and a good opportunity to practice negotiating a creative vision with the Rooted team.
NATIVE: What message do you want viewers to take away when watching it?
TOBI: There are a few, and I hope that we’ve also created enough space within the film for each viewer to take away their own interpretation. That said, I think the fundamental message is that the journey of returning to joy is a practice and that whatever our individual practice may look like, we should be intentional about it.
NATIVE: You’ve screened in both Lagos and London. Are they any other ways you are looking to distribute or screen the film?
TOBI: We’ll be screening at the inaugural edition of the S16 Film Festival in Lagos this December, and we are also submitting to a number of international film festivals, so we are hopeful to have good success on the film festival circuit. In 2022, I’m looking to screen in Accra and Abidjan too, and it would be an honour to screen in the States, as I find conversations around Blackness and Black healing to be incredibly rich in that part of the world. And who knows where else, but there’s definitely more to follow!
In 2021, making an end-of-year list is a complicated act for any newsroom. It can be hard to keep up with the rapid pace of events in today’s system of hype and overexposure, particularly in light of the tumultuous change of the past year. With notable advancements in social media over the past decade, the worth of a song has now come to mean how many likes, views, clicks, and shares it generates.
Nevertheless, good music doesn’t deserve to be slept on. In the past year, we’ve seen the beginning of a monumental shift towards artists on the continent releasing full bodies of work. This year is no different. In the past eleven months, we’ve seen artists such as Mavin’s Ayra Starr and Magixx release debut albums and EPs, Wizkid release the deluxe version to his magnum opus‘Made In Lagos’, and even Phyno release his eight studio album ‘Something To Live For.’
With the sheer amount of projects in circulation, it’s easy to miss out on good music that’s not typically on your radar. That’s why we’ve done the job of sifting through the chaff and sourcing out some of the best projects that may have missed your new music rotation. From Victoria Kimani’s daring effort ‘Spirit Animal’ to Lil5ive’s experimental offering ‘Dreams and Imaginations’, here are 11 projects we believe you may have missed this year. Enjoy.
11. Reggie – ‘Two Times A Guy’
Without Reggie, the gnarling, explosive but hyper vivid interpretation of Drill music that has come to be known as Asakaa would not exist as we know it. According to Life Living Records head honcho, Sean Lifer, hearing Reggies’s trappy flow layered over Drill beats on his 2020 single “Akata Gang Gang” was a turning point for the Kumasi-based label. It inspired a pivot to the Drill-based production styles and cadence that catapulted the scene to global attention. On ‘2 Times A Guy,’ Reggie gives a concise introduction to his fluid style, spitting mellow but urgent bars over the brooding beats. Across the 18-minute runtime of the tape, Reggie keeps his Soul and Trap essence, as he exorcises his insecurities and demons on melody-led drill cuts like “Riches,” as well setting the scene for scuttling posse cut as he does effectively on the maximal remix of “Akata Gang Gang. ”
Wale O.
10. Ibejii – ‘Intermission’
On ‘Intermission,’ all the feelings that have been explored in Ibejii’s prior works– pride, joy, anger, and frustration–bubble to the surface accompanied by narrative-driven folklore and poetic mastery of language. “Gonto” is a candid but soulful rebuke of the casual insensitivity of governments across the world in the wake of the tragedies of 2020 as well as a celebration of a new age of awakening. Still, ‘Intermission’ is a project about finding hope and exhilaration in even the strangest of places, and the beaming lights of “Happy Me” scream radical joy like very few songs have this year.
Wale O.
9. Victoria Kimani – ‘Spirit Animal’
“Addis to Freetown, I shut down every town/Rihanna in the summer,” coos Victoria Kimani in the opening seconds of “Born Stunna,” the first track on her fourth studio album ‘Spirit Animal.’ As boastful as these lyrics may seem on first listen, they lay bare the reality of Kimani’s place in the current musical zeitgeist. Regarded as one of the leading female voices in East Africa’s Afropop scene, Kimani has spent the past few years satisfying a legion of grassroots audiences in her hometown. With the release of ‘Spirit Animal,’ the singer meticulously crafts a body of work that allows her to traverse beyond familiar shores. Here, she employs the help of a strong cast of cross-continental acts including street poet, Bella Shmurda, West African romantic crooner, KiDi, Bella Alubo, Lady Du and more, for a refreshingly unfiltered, multi-genre body of work that deserves to be heard.
Tami
8. Serena Isioma – ‘Crying In The Club’
Fast emerging Chicago-based, Nigeria-born newcomer, Serena Isioma is moving the needle on their creative output yet again. Pairing experimental production with timeless, silky vocals, the non-binary singer rounded off the year with the release of their third EP titled ‘Crying In The Club.’ While their bubbly high-spirited productions may have masked melancholic lyrics, they still navigate the typical markers of nascent adulthood in America as Serena weaves poignant, intimate stories about love, life, becoming, racism, and more. As they continues to examine their own complex wiring and that of their listeners, Serena Isioma is inching towards the Pop powerhouse they are capable of becoming.
Tami
7. Tshego – ‘3 Piece’
Tshego’s ‘3 Piece’ is a humble offering that clocks in at barely under 10 minutes yet, its spot on this list remains irrefutable. As a producer-artist, Tshego’s ear for melodies is always on the beat as he brings the warmth of lush soundscapes and dreamy vocals to South Africa’s Trap scene. Covering topics such as love, sex, becoming, and more, ‘3 Piece’ finds the rapper running a span of moods as fires off lines that fits perfectly within his futuristic production. With help from other hometown heroes such as Shekhinah, Blxckie, and more, the rapper delivers a fine showcase of his versatility and technical writing ability.
Wonu
6. KDDO – ‘Too Late Too Lit’
On the 8-song set ‘TOO LATE TOO LIT’, producer-artist, KDDO – as he goes by these days – delivers a musically varied project, dabbling into Amapiano, Gqom, Nigerian Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B, and Highlife. He’s joined by a diverse cast of guests, including Davido, Jidenna, Mayorkun, and The Cavemen, each fitting into the particular style of these songs. For the musical broadness and all the featured artists, ‘TOO LATE TOO LIT’ is defined by KDDO’s powers as a songwriter and elite Pop music arranger. The songs on the project are supercharged for catchiness, with KDDO leading the way with memorable hooks and earworm melodies. As much as there are recruited guests to compliment him, he’s at the centre of everything, self-producing the entire tape and generally shaping it to mirror his consistent willingness to create hyper pop slappers made for listeners to enjoy and get lit to.
Dennis
5. King Lutendo – ‘Zwi Dziki’
King Lutendo is undoubtedly one of the most prolific rap artists on the continent. In the two-plus years since his debut full-length, MAVU, he’s shared eight projects, including five (!) this year alone. ‘ZWI DZIKI’, his second project this year, fits into his overall impulse for unbridled personal expression. The 11-track tape is the rapper at his most honest. Here, he expels his demons and shores up his confidence with a clearer understanding of how much control he really has over his life. Also exclusively self-produced, like the rest of his projects, ‘ZWI DZIKI’ consolidates on his go-to experimental fusion of Electronic music and Afro-Soul, adding flourishes of Rock and R&B for an inventive, widescreen but ultimately unified sound palette. In his brimming catalogue, ‘ZWI DZIKI’ is arguably the most complete front-to-back representation of King Lutendo as one of the best indie rap auteurs in Africa.
Dennis
4. Jake Doe – ‘Terms and Conditions’
In Jake Doe’s dusky world, pleasure and pain collide into each other with an alarming velocity. His 2021 project, ‘Terms and Conditions II,’ is a return to the thematic pluralism of his earliest music while possessing an invincible aura that comes from maturing as a person and singer. Employing his nasal vocal delivery, and a savant-like knack for story-telling, the singer is both unbothered and attentive across the eight songs that form ‘Terms and Conditions II.’ When guests like Deji Abdul and Dreylo join, Jake Doe opens up space for their unique sounds to propel the listening experience to greater heights while aligning their work within his world. In many ways, Jake Doe continues on the path of alternative music that ‘Terms and Conditions I’ showed he was capable of, only he’s more sure-footed here.
Wale
3. Turunesh – ‘Satin Cassette’
Tanzanian singer, Turunesh’s ‘Satin Cassette’ is one of the year’s best-kept secrets. Released back in September, the project is a well-rounded piece of work that showcases the singer’s ability to meld various genres to her own will. On the 12 track EP, the Fresh Meat alum delivers otherwordly melodies about the beauty of one’s first love, woven and delivered through euphoric sounds that the singer terms as ‘fabric music’, a moniker for music inspired by satin fabric and its similarities to her silky voice. On standout “Rum & Butter,” she sings about the beauty of Black love weaving in other familiar themes such as sex and intimacy into its poignant storytelling while on other tracks like “Tinga Tinga” and “Zanzibar Spice”, she adopts her native tongue Kiswahili into her lyrics. While the music is emotionally layered and beautifully written, each song seems to reaffirm her beliefs and stance on the sexual freedom and expression of African women.
Ada
2. Suté Iwar – ‘199X’
Since the release of ‘Bantu Collective,’ it’s been clear to most that Abuja-based artist, Suté Iwar possesses one of the most remarkable and unique voices of our generation. Earlier in June, he further proved this with the release of his latest album titled ‘199x’. Here, he melds his knack for groovy Alternative Hip-Hop with the enthralling sounds of R&B, Afropop, Soul, and more to weave relatable stories about love and loss. On ‘199x,’ Suté places less emphasis on featured artists and more focus on his solo material, toeing a similar line to his earlier works such as 2019’s ‘Paradise.’ Nonetheless, those who he invites into his world, his talented brother, Tay Iwar and fierce newcomer, SGaWD are given ample space to showcase their enviable flow without detracting from Suté’s brilliance.
Ada
1. Lil5ive – ‘Dreams & Imaginations’
Fresh meat alum, Lil5ive captured the hearts of many with his 2019 hit single “Omo Ologo,” a daring tale about life on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria. Since then, he’s only doubled down on showcasing his artistry with the release of his debut EP, a riveting tape that serves as an amalgam of his eclectic preferences, from moody, piano-rife beats to enthralling Afropop melodies, contemporary R&B ticks and Trap cadences. The 6-track tape finds the rapper running a span of moods and themes, whether it’s detailing his demons (“Drugs”), shrugging off the opps (“Where”), or simply speaking on romantic love as a young man in these romantically complicated times (“Feelings”). Showcasing a mixture of clear-cut delivery, style and fierce rhyming skills, Lil5ive’s ‘Dreams & Imaginations,’ is an unmissable body of work from an artist still defining themselves in certain terms.
Wonu
Featured image credits/NATIVE
Written by Ada Nwakor, Dennis Ade-Peter, Wale Oloworekende, Wonu Osikoya and Tami Makinde
MOONGA K. refuses to put himself in a box. Whether it’s his eclectic music or his vibrant sartorial choices, the singer is constantly redefining himself and pushing the boundaries of his artistry to gain new levels of recognition. Everything listeners see and hear is not by chance. MOONGA K. is assertive and intentional with his art, he knows exactly what he wants to do and is unapologetic in carrying his vision out.
With hits off his new EP like “black, free & beautiful”, listeners are instantly drawn into his world where he is unafraid to directly point fingers at Western colonisers. “I wrote that song from a place of anger and rage. I did not intend for it to be a funky song but it came out that way, beautifully. It’s something I’m excited for people who look like me to connect with,” MOONGA K. reveals over our phone conversation, weeks after the project’s release.
It’s during the midst of a busy day that I speak with the singer who just released his sophomore EP ‘Candid.’ Donning a vintage shirt and beret, and peering at me from the other end of the screen, the first thing I notice is the album art for Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’ framed and carefully placed on the wall. He later reveals to me that the singer served as a catalyst for his own journey into songwriting. “I was inspired to write songs the way he wrote music like American Wedding from the mixtape, ‘Nostalgia, Ultra’” says MOONGA K.
MOONGA K. also accords the title of ‘[faux] birth parents’ to Janelle Monae and Moses Sumney, both of who were prime examples of the kind of artist he wanted to be. The inspiration of his stylistic forefathers is palpable in his music which he describes as alternative soul, an amalgamation of jazz, rock, pop, funk and everything in between. His varied tastes in music partly come from his real parents as his father was a part-time reggae musician and his mother fanatically played Gospel music in their home.
Born in Zambia, brought up in Botswana, and now settled in South Africa, this confluence of cultures has contributed significantly to concocting the artist we see today. These different places allowed him to think more critically about the music he shared with the world. While growing up in a small country with very limited and patriarchal views on gender, it was difficult for the young artist to exist in such an environment. “I was a very sensitive and emotional kid, I was also dealing with depression and trying to find my place in society because I knew I wasn’t a very violent or aggressive boy, unlike those around me. I was bullied for not fitting into that realm and so my view on masculinity was very painful,” says MOONGA K.
Moving to South Africa expanded MOONGA K.’s worldview and it was here that he learnt to be more comfortable in his body and how to deal with his feelings in a healthy manner. He did not have access to these spaces while growing up so he took it upon himself to create them wherever he goes. “I identify as a basic cisgender male and that may be attributed to my social conditioning. I am not opposed to exploring gender fluidity and nor am I afraid,” he shares on the phone. MOONGA K. believes that gender is a colonised construct enforced on our ancestors.
With his melodies, he takes us to a place entirely of his own making. On ‘CANDID,’ he pushes that further by delivering raw and honest stories about his evolution as a person and an artist. “The reason I called it CANDID is because I just got to a point in my life where I want to be completely honest and speak the truth,” he admits. It’s clear that this EP was used as a vessel to heal and grow through confession and lyricism.
Admittedly he tells me that “honeybee” was the probably hardest track to develop because it is still very difficult for him to talk about unrequited love due to the shame he felt at the time. “I never really thought I’d write love songs, I always thought that writing love songs was giving power to the person you loved or fooled around with. It is a very explicit song about me saying that I can give them the love that they deserve,” says MOONGA K.
As a third-culture kid, identity is still something the artist is learning to navigate through. “What country can I claim? I can’t say I belong to just one because each place contributes to the person I am.” He and Sampa the Great shared similar experiences and while having conversations around their shared struggle, both artists were able to translate their feelings into a song titled “REBEL TIME.”
“To me, being a third-culture kid immediately screamed out being a rebel because being a part of the status quo or being monolithic never resonated with me. I have always felt like I was more than one thing or everything, all at once.”
MOONGA K. holds a bachelor’s and post-graduate degree in Sociology and he engages in conversations on intersectional issues on a daily basis in his personal life, however, he had never tackled it in his music before ‘CANDID.’ “It felt gimmicky and performative and I have always been against performative allyship and faux activism. A lot of people do the reshares or retweets online and I don’t believe in being a hypocrite or being disingenuous.” During the lockdown things began to change, he spent a lot of time on news threads, and being the empath he is, he felt consumed by the media at the time. The result of this inquest was the standout number, “black, free & beautiful” which was inspired by an episode of Lovecraft Country that detailed the Tulsa Massacre in the US.
With his music, the singer hopes that people feel seen and that their experiences are being mirrored, creating and championing the type of music he did not see while growing up. Undoubtedly, his defying of the norms in both music and fashion has come to mean that MOONGA K. now represents the type of musical figure he once wished to see as a young boy. As he advances towards the powerhouse he is capable of becoming, MOONGA K. continues to typify a wanted evolution in the sonic landscape across Africa, pushing beyond the boundaries of music from these parts and crafting nuanced and poignant stories about universal themes for young people just like him.
While his music takes over DJ sets and playlists from Johannesburg to Brooklyn City, MOONGA K. still belives he is still a while off from the artist and person he wishes to be. As we round up our call, the singer shares “I’m still very far from achieving my goals. I wanna tour, travel and write songs for other artists and myself and perform in every country in the world and still do that in my 70s and 80s. I don’t want to stop music, I remember how painful the two years that I did felt like self-inflicting misery.”
As the year winds down, the sheer number of music we receive at The NATIVE keeps growing at an exponential rate. With live shows back in full swing and Afropop hits such as Wizkid’s “Essence” and CKay’s “Love Nwantiti” climbing the charts both home and abroad, there has never been a more exciting time than the present for the ever-evolving sonic landscape. Through it all, we remain committed to the ideal of music discovery and sharing that is a big part of what we stand for. Our goal is still the same as always: we don’t want exciting music to be slept on.
That’s where our Songs of the Day column comes in. We’re doing the work to stay on pulse with all the music coming out from across the continent and beyond, bringing you exciting songs of tomorrow: today. Last Friday, we had exciting music from Zinoolesky, Joeboy, Simi, Lil Kesh, and more. Today, we bring to you new music from Zlatan, Spinal, Adekunle Gold, Ckay, and many more to begin the new week.
NSG – “Only God Can Judge Me” ft. MIST
Ahead of their first-ever African tour, British Afroswing group NSG have just released a new single titled “Only God Can Judge Me.” The new track finds the boys singing about their career trajectories which have found them defying all odds as a 7-man group from Nigeria and Ghana. Produced by 4Play, the uptempo track serves as the perfect reintroduction to the UK-based group as they bring their catchy music to the motherland this December.
Guchi – “Scatter My Head” ft. Zlatan
Fast-rising Nigerian singer and songwriter, GUCHI taps hitmaker Zlatan Ibile on her latest hit track “Scatter My Head” which was released alongside a music video. The Afropop record is an up-tempo track that highlights the sensual feelings women experience when touched by their love interest. Singing “Bobo don scatter my head, don finish me pata pata,” Guchi sings about her most intimate desires using euphemisms to pass across her message. On Zlatan ‘s verse, he speaks on the beautiful ladies all around the world and what it takes to capture their attention.
DJ Spinall – “Cloud 9” ft. Adekunle Gold
On his latest single “Cloud 9”, DJ Spinall employs the help of talented singer, Adekunle Gold for a colourful Afropop number the euphoric feeling they receive from intimate moments shared with their partners.“Love me, love me well/if you’re gonna love me,” comes a woman’s voice on the song’s catchy hook, as the romantic track speaks on the outer-worldly feeling of being infatuated with your significant other, which feels like you’re on “Cloud 9”.
CKay – “Emiliana”
After witnessing an incredible year due to the huge success of “Love Nwantinti”, Nigerian singer CKay has just released a new single titled “Emiliana”. This song comes after his feature on the Amapiano-inspired track “By Your Side” by South African rapper Blxckie. Over the romantic new single, a love-struck CKay confesses his feelings and asks her to “kiss him through the cellular” as a way for them to connect even though they’re far apart. Romance in COVID-19 times.
Willy Paul – “I Love You”
Kenyan singer and composer, Willy Paul has just released a new 17 track album titled ‘The African Experience’ which includes the standout track, “I Love You” featuring fellow East African artist, Daphne. Singing “Seniorita, I love the way you kiss and caress me,” over the song’s hook, Willy Paul and his collaborator lay down their romantic intentions over a Highlife-inspired beat.
Kwadwo – “Sweet Melanin”
Celebrating Black women and all their beauty is this track titled “Sweet Melanin” by Ghanaian singer Kwadwo.Produced by the Grammy award-winning producer, Kill Beatz, the new track comes with a beautiful and inspiring message for Black women in a world that prioritises Eurocentric ideas of beauty. Kwadwo shows why Black women are the crown jewels of the earth and encourages Black women to continue to show up and take up space in the world.
For years, singer and songwriter, SOLIS has occupied an interesting space in the current musical landscape in West Africa. As one of bedroom pop’s head honchos and an enthralling voice in the underground alternative music scene, she continues to carve a lane for herself with her genre-defying music despite its hard entry into the mainstream Afropop market.
Over the weekend, the young star finally released her long-awaited debut EP titled ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ the follow-up to ‘Ruled By Venus, Unfortunately,’her first mixtape which was released exclusively on Audiomack. On her latest, the singer employs the help of a talented spate of singers, rappers and producers including 44DB producer, KD, newcomer rapper Champs, Jamaican singer, Amindi and DAP the Contract to weave poignant stories about love and loss.
In usual SOLIS fashion, the singer airs her romantic and personal frustrations all out on this breathtaking project. Sharing with her Instagram followers, on its release day, SOLIS says: I can’t believe it. It’s finally here. My debut EP. my tears are as real as the cover, the only difference is these tears are one of undiluted joy and pride. I’m so proud of me, so proud of SOLIS.” The post continues: “I hope this EP makes you feel something. I hope it makes you float and cry, dance and sing, scream. I pray you find yourself in it the way I found my way back to myself. I hope it brings you to your guides, brings out your light.”
With a beautiful voice that evokes the opulence of silk sheets, her latest ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ rings true on her mission to provide listeners with aural healing. The vibe is undeniably hypnotic, although it’s not obviously commercial. However, since its release, the singer has already celebrated some milestones including hitting over 3,000 plays on the Amindi-assisted “Abeg,” alone. To this end, we’re giving the EP a much-deserved spin and putting it through the NATIVE one-listen review test.
In Usual 1-Listen Review Fashion, All Reactions Are In Real-Time While The Music Plays. No Pauses, Rewinds, Fast-Forwards, Or Skip.
“The Lonely Star (Intro)”
The first track builds the vibe for the rest of the project. This piano solo is a solid intro for a project that claims to lead listeners to heaven’s gates. SOLIS’ high-pitched vocals kick in after a moment and I am amazed by how good she songs each time. Then the rain sounds come in taking your mind into a place of inner thought and peace. So angelic and beautifully performed. Just like the title, the song gives off a feeling of loneliness. A perfect start to the project, in my opinion.
“Angel”
“Angel,” is an aptly titled track from a singer like SOLIS and one of the project’s pre-released singles. Within the context of the project, it definitely comes to life a bit more, painting a clearer picture that visualises SOLIS’ personal experiences. “Like maybe I’m angel,” she coos on the hook, a detail that seems more certain which each lyric she sings. I will definitely be revisiting this number.
“Love Games” ft. Champs
This is another one of the EP’s promotional tracks and possibly one of my favourites. Going with the theme of the album so far, “Love Games” is equally a mellow soulful track but here, SOLIS explores more of her vocal range as she delves into matters of the heart. This number features the talented artist Champs who makes the song more memorable with a stellar rap verse. There’s something beautiful but equally sad and solemn about SOLIS’ music.
“Without You”
I get a nostalgic feeling with this beat but can’t seem to place my finger on it. SOLIS’ vocals on this number is quite impressive, her ranges just keep getting better and more engaging. You just can’t help but listen to her and whatever she may be saying with close attention so you don’t miss anything out. “Take me back to when I had no idea what love was,” is an apt lyric that exemplifies how many of us may be feeling at the moment. I would say that the track is quite short, I wish It was longer and her ending is abrupt but nonetheless, I’ll be giving this another spin later.
“Abeg” ft. Amindi
This is definitely one of my favourites as SOLIS’ voice and harmonies fill the whole song in her usual fashion. I mean who else can make a pidgin slang sound smooth and enthralling other than SOLIS. It’s exactly the type of song I’d expect from her. Amindi’s feature on this number is divinely ordained (God bless the A&R’s). Her melody-driven sound just takes you to a realm of pensive thinking. Such a beautiful track.
“No Feelz”
If sensuality and affection was a song, this track embodies all that and more. “I feel it everywhere, I feel it in your touch,” simply explains the song’s entire premise as many would easily recall the feeling of longing for attention and love from someone whose heart can’t be trusted.
“Gloria” ft. DAP The Contract
As we get to the end of the project, we get to experience the brilliance of Daps the Contract on this mid-tempo jazz-inspired track and might I say that he was perfect. His fast and clear rap reminds me of the traditional rappers from the noughties as Daps’ hard-hitting verse compliments the dreary tenor of SOLIS . The pair are just a magical blend so this is already one of my favourite tracks on this project.
Final thoughts
For a debut project, ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ expands our worldview of SOLIS’ universe. Here, she takes on more risks, contorting and shaping her voice in unimaginable ways as she sings about our deepest romantic desires that we don’t say outright. She bounces effortlessly around the futuristic production helmed by SirBastine, Fresh Meat alum Konde Oko, Trill Xoe, Le Mav and more, with catchy verses that will have you running them back to catch all the intricacies.
However, despite all these, ‘Stairway to Heaven’ doesn’t make any further grand statements. The subject matter and themes are wholly familiar to anyone who has been following her career trajectory up till now. Relying on her tried and tested method is no issue, as SOLIS has clearly found new ways to expand her vocal range, however, there were still moments were this thematic formula seemed to fall short. Regardless, SOLIS excels most when she’s in her love bag and this was proven many times on her debut effort. SOLIS represents a wanted evolution in today’s sonic landscape and her persistent visibility in today’s accelerating system of hype and overexposure continuously undeniably proves her superstar abilities which will only earn her new levels of recognition as emo-Afrobeats takes over the world.
Asa has always been known to move to the beat of her own drums and that isn’t any different when it comes to her music, fashion, and sound. “Mayana,” her latest single, was brilliantly produced by the award-winning Nigerian producer P.Priime known to be the genius behind multiple radio hits.
The track is a merge of Afropop and soul music with a rhythmic vibe that will leave you moving effortlessly to the sound, all while aided by the sensual mellow tone of Asa’s voice which elevates the whole number. A song that will definitely be on shuffle on most playlists and airwaves all across the world.
“Usually, when I write a song, I would make melodies with bits of words here and there. ‘Mayana’ stuck. I didn’t know what it meant. The usual thing I’d do is look for another word. I knew I wanted it to mean something good to this person I am singing to, like his forever. So, I Googled the word and voila! It means ‘Healer, tomorrow,” Asa shares explaining the idea behind “Mayana.”
The single is plucked from her much anticipated fifth studio album and was birthed after her return to Nigeria from the Incomplete European tour due to the covid pandemic. ASA began making new music with a sense of ease and a carefree nature as she allows herself to be vulnerable and tap into all her creative juices while working with other brilliant artists from all over Africa.
To bring the energy of “Mayana ” to life, Asa reconnects with Meji Alabi, a Nigerian creative genius, director and photographer renowned for his unique way of bringing visions to the screen. The cinematic film was simply meant to be about the beauty and vibrancy of colours and fashionable black people and what we are all about. Without a doubt, Meji Alabi never fell short of successfully portraying that and more in the “Mayana” visuals. You can’t help but be proud to be black and African
As the year winds down, the sheer number of music we receive at The NATIVE keeps growing at an exponential rate. With live shows back in full swing and Afropop hits such as Wizkid’s “Essence” and CKay’s “Love Nwantiti” climbing the charts both home and abroad, there has never been a more exciting time than the present for the ever-evolving sonic landscape. Through it all, we remain committed to the ideal of music discovery and sharing that is a big part of what we stand for.
That’s where our Songs of the Day column comes in. We’re doing the work to stay on pulse with all the music coming out from across the continent and beyond, bringing you exciting songs of tomorrow: today. Last time out, we had exciting music from Zinoolesky, Alpha P, Bryan The Mensah and more. Today, we bring to you new music from Simi, Lil Kesh, Joeboy, CKay, Blxckie and more
Simi – “So Bad” ft Joeboy
Following the reception of her latest hit, “Woman”, Simi is back to end the year right with the Joeboy-assisted “So Bad”. On the new track, both singers sing their hearts out about how their respective lovers are giving them mixed signals, expressing worry that their boo might be leading them on. Simi and Joeboy show great synergy on the party-ready track, bringing their different strengths together for a potential hit song.
CKay – “By Your Side” ft Blxckie
CKay seems to be the musical equivalent to Midas in these parts, as everything he has touched has turned into some manner of gold. He’s had an amazing past few months atop several charts, thanks to “Love Nwantiti“, released two years ago. Now, to bring us up to speed, and flex his star muscles a bit, he’s released “By Your Side”‘, where he teams with SA’s Blxckie. In his usual fashion, Ckay’s infectious and melodies make the song what it is, coupled with his thoughtful lyrics about wanting to be by his lover’s side.
Lil Kesh & Zinoleesky – Don’t Call Me
Lil Kesh and Zinoleesky, two of Afropop’s most prolific hitmakers have teamed up for “Don’t Call Me”. On the uptempo party track, both artists reminisce on how far they’ve come and the greater heights they still want to attain. On the pre hook of the track, Lil Kesh sings “I no go stop I no go settle, My light is never gonna die/Thunder go fire any devil, my light is forever going to shine”,
Chrystel – “Temptation”
Ivorian Fresh meat alum and singer, Chrystel is back with an uptempo track “Temptation”. On this track which has her speaking to her muse about being attracted to him but not wanting to give into temptation, she quips on the chorus of the track “We really shouldn’t give into temptation, see what we make of the situation/Do it right make it right gyration”.
Blackmagic – “Sorry”
Blackmagic is here with his latest project “Magic Republic (The Invitation)”, a 12-tracker which sees the artist speaking on self growth, self elevation, leveling up and more. On the standout “Sorry”, he lets his love interest know that he is sorry and is working on being a better version of himself; “I’m sorry that i made you cry, fking up all over again/Hoping and wishing that I could start all over again”
Afro B – “Shisha” ft Niniola & Busiswa
Someone on Twitter trolled Afro B about performing Joanna for the past three years, so he’s responded to the troll with a new song featuring two of Afropop’s most important women, Niniola and Busiswa. The amapiano-infused track with heavy kicks on the beat, each artist brings their a-game, delivering a great party-ready track.
Crayon – “Excuse Me (Rock You)” ft Toby Shang
Mavin signee, singer and songwriter Crayon, is here with the single “Excuse Me”. For this track, he teamed up with popular Nigerian hype man Toby Shang to deliver the overly catchy single set to take over the clubs this Christmas. H
Ronehi – “Galactic” ft MOJO AF
For this track, record producer Ronehi has collaborated with rapper, MOJO AF to deliver the uptempo rap tune. Over the bouncy production of the beat, MOJO sings lyrics such as “Never surrender, I dey grind like pepper for blender, I dey pray like MFM member”
Azana – “Higher”
South African singer and Fresh Meat alum, Azana makes beautiful music that sees people at the base of their emotions. On her latest single “Higher,” the singer melds beautiful melodies with thought-provoking lyrics creating a nostalgic, feel-good love song that deserves to be on your playlists. Over the percussive-led beat, she invokes nostalgic memories about peace and happiness, allowing listeners to disconnect from their present sorrows and lose themselves in the song’s propulsive rhythm.
Ladé – “Hustle”
Fast rising newcomer, Ladé is insistent upon making her mark in the industry. Recently sharing her debut EP ‘Olamade The EP,’ the singer introduced listeners to her didactic-style of music making which finds her spinning her personal tales into poignant relatable lyrics. On “Hustle,” one of the standout numbers on her debut, the singer paints a picture that visualises her experiences before she found her footing in the music industry.
‘Now Playing’ is an illuminating playlist series that gives listeners a glimpse into the music that has been of particular importance to our favourite artists during their release campaigns. Populating NATIVE’S streaming platforms, Now Playing is powered in partnership with Platoon – the initials of the series symbolic of both NATIVE and Platoon’s dedication to identifying and championing good, meaningful music.
Last month, after three years of teasing the follow-up to his 2018 debut album, WANI finally released his highly anticipated sophomore album ‘Lagos City Vice 2.’ His debut, which arrived at a pivotal time of change for the Nigerian music industry introduced us to his mixed bag of sounds where he had ample space to interpolate many of our favourites ’90s and ’00s R&B hits with his Afropop-tinged sound. Now, WANI was shifting the needle on his creative output yet again.
In the years since its release, WANI has come to sit firmly in the upper class of Afropop, backed by a string of steady hits including the Buju-assisted “Times Two” and a notorious online persona (he’s a bit of a ladies man). With ‘LCV2’, he’s disarming whatever perception listeners may have previously held of him and stepping into a more mature, developed stage of his career which is fashioned from the growing pains he faced while living in Lagos.
“I am learning more about myself obviously, I’m getting older too, I want the subject matter to reflect my growth and right now I am getting more comfortable.”
For many, witnessing WANI embark on the ‘Road to LCV2’ was a bittersweet moment, made more special by his proximity to his fans and loyal listeners who have been rocking with him from “China Designer” to “Grown Girl.” However, while the music we’re now hearing from the singer has definitely undergone some formative change necessary for its evolution, it never strays too far from WANI’s singular vision as an artist with a keen ear for melodies and crisp lyricism.
Now, as fans and listeners now enjoy the album, they can also listen to WANI’s dedicated new playlist packed with the songs that inspired his sonic world during album mode. Speaking about his latest playlist, released in partnership with Platoon, WANI shares: “It’s everything I’ve been listening to, my faves over time and all my influences leading up to the Lagos City Vice 2 EP.”
Hailing from Botswana, Titose is an incredible singer and songwriter melding R&B and Trapsoul sensibilities into poignant and relatable stories for young African women. After years of releasing loose singles on her Soundcloud page, in 2019, the singer officially released her debut single, an open confessional titled “Drowning,” which set a vast tone for where she could go sonically and lyrically.
Since then, she’s continued to earn her new levels of recognition as she blends the warm melodies of R&B with the gritty production of Trap-Soul and Hip-Hop. From crafting love songs such as “Drowning” to “Put You In Line”, it’s clear that improving her skills is a source of pride for the artist and this effort is most apparent on her debut EP, ‘Was It Something I Said,’ which was released earlier this month.
Titose crafts worlds and lyrics based on her personal experiences and those of her friends, spinning coming-of-age tales that centre around love, friendship, romance, becoming, personhood, self actualisation, and more. Right from the project’s title, Titose invites listeners to question everything they hear and experience through the project’s 20-minute runtime. ‘Was It Something I Said?’ already presupposes that Titose will be doing some soul-searching on the project, questioning her actions and those of people around her.
“I Do” is the perfect project opener. The melodic instrumental which opens the track sets the soothing tone for the project. However, from the onset, while we’re aware that we’re stepping into Titose’s world, it’s clear that there are no set characters and only scenarios where listeners can see themselves. The song tracks the onset of a conversation between two partners from the confrontation on “I Do” where she sings “I was losing focus, got me whipped up with potion/Tell me how did it turn to poison, let me out here in the open,” expressing her lack of understanding towards the change in behaviour by her muse.
Following the two-minute tape opener is the standout lead single off the debut project “Put You In Line”, a slow tempo track with melodious production. The track sees the artist speaking about the hold her lover has on her, singing lyrics such as “I’m a fool for guys like you/”. Titose is clearly in a tough position romantically and can no longer deny this. The Jitotwe Tshombela-produced track also sees the producer laying backup vocals as his deep-pitched voice contrasts with Titose’s, delivering a star performance.
As the project builds, the conversation between the partners evolves moving from her blunt accusations on earlier tracks to the struggle to find a compromise towards the project’s mid-point. On the track “Forest”, Titose explains that while she may not be the best option for her love interest, she still finds herself clinging to their relationship. On the hook, she sings “But I didn’t want you to leave, the truth is I want you to stay but I can’t give you half of what you need so I keep on pulling away”, over the euphonious production. There seems to be an acceptance, a sort of reconcilliation that she can’t be everything to one lover.
Of all the songs on this project, “Summertime With You” stands out the most to me. Titose begins singing immediately as the beat of the track kicks in, following its urgent delivery to sing about her romantic tryst. The track finds her expressing how she wants to be with her lover through all times, especially in the summertime. “I wanna be with you, Summertime with you/I just want you, summertime with you”, she sings morosely, armed with the pained realisation in her voice that their summers together are over.
Titose keeps the guests in her world short and simple. Excluding rapper, The Big Hash who features on the catchy “Best Friends,” the only other obvious collaborator in Titose’s world is Zambian-born producer, AmoBeatz who helms most of the EP’s futuristic production. The EP builds towards the penultimate track “Strangers” where Titose and her partner make the decision to part ways, accepting that the relationship is beyond saving. The final track “Lights Off” represents the final sequence of their relationship. Its apt title gives a little insight to what to expect from the song, making it the perfect closing track for a tape of this nature.
As the project fades out, Titose sings “Had enough of love/Cold as icy,” offering her final remarks on the relationship that she once nurtured. While it’s clear she’s mourning the death of their love, she also finds peace in moving on, singing “please don’t turn the lights off/cause we just tryna vibe out.” Here, Titose admits that she’s going to find love again, but till then, she’ll be partying with her friends. Like many of us who’ve recoiled from the deep pain of a past relationship and headed out into the streets, ready to reclaim our worth and ease the pain, this ones for you.
Since releasing the airy and melodic number, “The Sun (Icarus)” back in the summer of 2020, London-based Nigerian-German singer and songwriter 234jaydaa has not released any solo material—till now. Arriving yesterday, 234jaydaa’s latest single “234” finds the singer exploring the hustle and bustle of Lagos and its nightlife scene.
Using the country’s dialling code (+234) as the song’s title, the new single finds the singer painting a visual picture for listeners who have never travelled to the West African city. “December in Lagos, you know the vibes/It’s up every night, demons of a different kind,” she sings on the song’s mesmerising hook, ushering in the festive December period in a melodious way. “234” also highlights her mental state and thoughts she garnered during her stay at home from the effects of the pandemic. During her time away she experimented with new sounds and vocals thus contributing to the song being different from her usual take.
Speaking about the single, Jaydaa shares: “I had a lot of time in lockdown to create and learn new things, much like everyone else I know, so I decided not to shy away from what I was growing into and indulge in whatever I was diving into,” she says. “Most of it is about me accepting myself and learning how to be better for the people around me but it’s also about the part of me I don’t like and people don’t like as well – I embrace all of it,” says Jayda on “234” and her path to growth.
After many years of championing African women in the music industry, Femme Africa, a women-led organisation run by Ayomide Dokunmu is taking on its most ambitious project yet: its first-ever Femme Fest. Promised to be a day of music, entertainment, fashion, food and more, Femme Africa’s first-ever festival is set to make its debut on the Detty December lineup this year–and we couldn’t be more ecstatic.
Femme Africa has filled a much-needed space in the music and entertainment industry, seeking to bridge the disparate gaps between female artists and their male counterparts in Nigeria’s androcentric society. This has culminated in a dedicated series of workshops, panels, live showcases, of which Femme Africa has previously held four hot-ticket editions since its inception in 2018.
Now, with a new year just days away and women in Afropop making boundless leaps across the music industry, both here in Nigeria and the diaspora, Femme Fest will celebrate the best of the crop inviting artists such as Teni the Entertainer, Liya, Lady Donli, Somadina, SOLIS, SGaWD, Deto Black, Merry-Lynn, Ria Sean, and more, to its inaugural event. Femme Fest will also have an all-female Dj lineup featuring Dj Honeeay, Dj Dayzee, and DJ Sensei Lo.
Currently, the event is scheduled to be held on Sunday 12th, December at Amore Gardens, Lekki, and tickets are on sale at Tix Africa. Let’s support the girls!
With only thirty calendar days left till the end of the year, it’s impossible not to take stock of the leaps that Afropop has made this year. In the last eleven months, Africa to the world has become a popular rallying cry used to champion the continent’s artists, whose diverse work speaks in every mother tongue to the breadth and universality of Africa’s musical gifts. This year alone, Afropop has garnered new levels of recognition, taking the world by storm, thanks in no small part to streaming and direct-to-consumer apps such as TikTok and Thriller.
While many of its frontrunners currently enjoy mainstream success and ubiquity, this watershed moment for African music hasn’t skipped the continent’s newcomers who have spent most of the past year, edging out the competition and making a name for themselves rooted firmly in their genre-defying boundless music. Keeping up with our mission to champion those who are breaking boundaries and adding some value to the music ecosystem, our penultimate installment for the year is no different.
As usual, our selection of artists do not cater to any stringent sonic rules, emboldening the diversity of the music being made by young Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. From British-Nigerian classical act, Klein who is inverting genre norms to South Africa’s gospel-leaning SIPHO., here are the new artists you need to be paying attention to.
SIPHO.
Born and raised in Birmingham, music played a big role in SIPHO.’s life. While growing up with his family, he was introduced to a range of talented musicians as well as organised religions. But while seeking out his own understanding of God, SIPHO.’s view of religion grew darker due to the misplaced focus of modern religion that placed materialism on a pedestal. “Being in this church, you see how headstrong people could be about their beliefs,” SIPHO. told the Guardian earlier this year. “However, a part of a lot of religions is this idea that you should not be prideful or stubborn about things. I came to the conclusion that there might not be one single explanation to it. We all just know that we feel a presence, whatever it is, and we call it God.”
As he retreated from church, SIPHO. found comfort in music, making songs that blended elements of Soul and Electro-pop into a distorted, post-2010 conception of R&B. On 2016’s ‘C R U X,’the singer accescorised his music with parts rooted in Hip-Hop tradition, transforming songs like “Monument” and “The Sinner’s Interlude,” interpolating Kendrick Lamar’s “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe,” into earnest conversations on self and its intersection with the wider community. While studying songwriting at Birmingham’s BIMM Institute, SIPHO.’s music caught the attention of Dirty Hit – home to stars like Beabadoobee, Rina Sawayama and the 1975 – where he released 2017’s ‘I DON’T DESERVE HER.’
The most polished version of SIPHO.’s candid music can be found in 2021’s ‘AND GOD SAID’where the singer imbibes gospel influences on songs like “BODIES” and “WE AIN’T.” Right at the centre of the project is the powerful double track, ‘MOONLIGHT PT. 1+2’, where the singer displays his command of Rap and Soul with astute dexterity; but the real showcase comes later on “ALMOST LOST.” On the self-produced song, Sipho examines his relationship with religion and the divine over fleeting flourishes of piano keys that provide a base for his syrupy voice and display his promising future as a soul-pop star in the making.
Emo Grae
Making a splash in today’s hyper viral music industry is difficult for any artist. However, when you’ve got the backing of one of the biggest names in Afropop, namely one as ubiquitous as Naira Marley, success is pretty much foreseeable in one’s trajectory–all things considered. Officially activated last summer, the singer and songwriter Emo Grae, born Opeyemi Michael Edebie has been inching towards his breakthrough, following in the steady footsteps of labelmates Zinoleeksy and Mohbad who have enjoyed mainstream success.
Born and raised in the streets of Ojodu, Lagos State, Emo Grae nurtured his passion and love for music at a young age. Despite his lack of access to the resources he needed to kick start his career, the young singer would spend many years patiently fine-tuning his craft, awaiting his moment to step into the limelight and showcase his star power. He caught this big break in July, during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic when he signed to Marlian Music, a pivotal moment in his career which consolidated his pop star potential.
So far, Emo Grae has released six official singles including his 2019 debut “Need You,” a romantic track that finds him pining for a lover, the Buju-assisted breakout track “0903”and recent releases such as “Mine,”“Gone”and the balmy new number “Suddenly.” The common denominator in all these tracks lies in Emo Grae’s ability to convey his deepest and most sincere emotions with bleeding sincerity, tracking how we fall in, out of, and back into love. Flaunting a unique tone of voice and positively catchy hooks, Emo Grae sings about romantic dalliances and savouring the genuine rush of a new crush, toeing a similar line to the sea of past heartthrobs, such as Korede Bello and CKay, that have come to permeate Afropop. With only a handful of singles and a debut project on the horizon, we can’t wait to hear what comes next.
Groovy Jo
About half of Groovy Jo’s Instagram feed is dedicated to the low-stakes act of freestyle covers. Beyond her appreciation for the songs, there’s no obvious method to what music she chooses to give this treatment, and that freedom allows her to meld the mellow Afropop of Omah Lay, the energetic Trap of Kahu$h, an Erykah Badu cut here, a Major League DJz cut there, throwback jams by Nicki Minaj and JAY-Z, and much more. While she often finds her way to stay on topic, these freestyle covers have proved to be conveyor belts for her entertaining lyricism and rap versatility.
Beginning her music career in 2018, the rapper’s earliest offerings were rough-hewn tracks that highlighted a talented rap artist finding her voice. By the end of 2019, she’d amassed enough goodwill on the back of her potential to be nominated for Best Female rapper at the Unkut Awards, and in 2020, she consolidated with multiple single releases, several of which made it to her debut mixtape from earlier this year. Even though it’s only her first project, ‘The Groovy Way’is a culmination of Groovy Jo’s early development as a rap artist, powered by an unflappable self-conviction and a widescreen musical approach.
“They say Groovy conceited, I agree sir/Me, myself and I is what I breathe for,” she raps on Shrap—the Kenyan new school variation of Trap—standout “Wykat,” one of the many infectious, aggrandising lyric lines that litter the entire tape. The boasts are complemented by a range of beats that include Reggaeton-infused turns and UK Drill-inspired thumpers. Wholly, ‘The Groovy Way’ is incredibly fun, defined by Groovy Jo’s ability to find a pocket and deliver the hardest, most self-reverential raps she can muster. In the near future, though, we might get more thematic range from Groovy Jo. Her latest single, “Clear Picture,” is a ruminative turn on what it means to be Black and ambitious in a world dominated by whiteness, and on a continent lorded over by inept leaders. Obviously, on her first attempt on wax to offer social commentary, Groovy Jo’s voice isn’t as sharp as when she’s issuing brags and caustic takedowns, but it shows a commitment to artistic growth, which will pay off in terms of longevity and a higher ceiling as she approaches rap stardom.
Klein
You might be wondering why a talented act such as British-Nigerian artist Klein features on our Fresh Meat roundup this month. With accomplishments that include sharing global stages with Björk, Wu Tsang, Mark Leckey and more, the genre-defying classical artist is one that’s far more advanced in her music career than many other Fresh Meat alums. However, as an artist we believe is sorely underestimated on the continent, and one that deserves all the attention for her unique brand of music, her appearance this month is well justified.
Although she grew up in London, Klein spent most of her formative years moving between her home city Lagos, Nigeria, and Los Angeles exposing her to an eclectic mix of sounds from these parts. Klein’s music veers from piano-laden solos to punk-pop guitars and bass drops, to persistent rhythmic displacement, as she seamlessly melds a range of genres from R&B to Hip-Hop to Grime, Reggae, Pop and more, to her will. Her fusion of sounds is due in large part to her unconventional upbringing with a passion for musical theater. Growing up in a Christian Nigerian home, Klein has previously shared in interviews that she wasn’t exposed to circular music until her final year of high school and such, her religious upbringing serves as the cornerstone of the music she makes. “I grew up with music that was essentially the opposite of the music I make,” she once shared with gal-dem.
In 2016, she released her debut EP ‘Langata,’ a collection of songs that put her on the map as one of London’s DIY artists at the time. Klein followed this up across the years with music and hyper-colour visuals that allowed listeners to get a sneak peek into her creative, and oftentimes confusing mind. Recently, she released a new project titled ‘Harmattan,’ a collection of 11-songs named after the West African season and primed to cause epic revolt to beginnings and ends. As one of the disruptors bringing the much-needed change and refinement to classical music genres, Klein is crafting genreless music with a finely-tuned ear while basking in the emotions and situations that make her human, often arriving at a conclusion that offers more clarity than catharsis.
Chrystel
We admit we were a little late to discovering Chrystel–but this doesn’t mean you should be late to the party too. First gaining our attention through her scene-stealing appearance on DND Section’s “Darling”back in 2020, the singer’s alluring and passionate vocals provided a much-needed combination of heartfelt singing and technical songwriting ability unlike most of her peers today.
Digging back into her discography, you’ll discover that Chrystel has been making music since she was nine years old. A first-generation bilingual African who moved to Utah when she was much younger and then later to Atlanta in 2015, Chrystel got her big break in 2019 when she earned songwriting credits on Dreamville’s compilation project ‘Revenge of the Dream III’ and Baby Rose’s debut ‘To Myself.’ However, it’s on her solo work that she seems to thrive the most.
Growing up on a musical diet of genre-bending artists such as Stromae and Rihanna, Chrystel’s music is an amalgam of a range of influences including West African pop, Congolese Rumbas and Country music. She makes beautiful love songs armed with tangible emotion that permeates off our screens. If you’re looking for a place to get into her music, we’d recommend her 3-pack single titled ‘Prey’which was released earlier this year. “Thunder” is an atmospheric number that examines Chrystel’s state of mind with a scalpel-like examination while “Hot Star” is a groovy anthemic number that finds her delivering emotionally layered lyrics and “Good Thang” is an anti-love anthem about realising one’s worth. Her deep understanding of her psyche and those of her peers results in music that is both relatable, universal and pensive, providing listeners with music that sees them at the base of their emotions.
Dai Verse
Making his debut at the start of 2020, newcomer Ifeanyi Chineme Lennon, popularly known as Dai Verse is a singer and songwriter with the right blend of lyrical vulnerability and catchy songwriting. Born and raised in Surulere, Dai Verse’s love for music and performing started at a young age when he began creating freestyling videos on his social media pages. He soon plucked up the courage to share these releases on Soundcloud before releasing his debut single “Love” in 2019. His intriguing vocals earned him our attention but he’s been able to retain this by delivering soothing and sumptuous love songs that sound more bittersweet than outright sad.
Dai Verse first gained traction in 2020 with the release of the Zugo-assisted“Colorado,” an earworm track that weaves relatable stories about young romance, as the singer likens the effect his partner has on him to the effect of a hallucinogenic strain of marijuana known as Colorado. The metaphors have only grown more poignant with each new release. The Soundz-produced “Your Body (Cocaine),” similarly finds the singer drawing parallels between his love interest and the harmful class A drug, cocaine. While he certainly doesn’t hold back from stating his admiration for this woman, Dai Verse also recognises that their relationship is ultimately built on his infatuation with her, a detail that signals their eventual end. Still, he is more concerned with tracking the jovial pursuit of love and loss which characterises many Afropop releases.
Already, “Cocaine” is garnering Dai Verse the attention he needs to enter the next phase of his budding career. Hitting a milestone record of over 20 million streams across all platforms earlier this month, the singer has kept his releases short and sparse over the past few months since he shared “Your Body (Cocaine)” but he’s already gracefully distinguishing himself from the fold with a cryptic online personality (Dai barely reveals his face which is typically clad with a balaclava or trucker hat) that has fans guessing his real identity. Instead, the music does the talking as he recently echoed, “Music is the heartbeat of the universe, and my music is driven by passion and love for the sound.” With a knack for blending catchy Afropop rhythms with soothing R&B melodies, Dai Verse is one to watch before the new year.
Titose
Fast-rising Botswana-born singer and songwriter Titose has a voice that will stop you in your tracks mid-listen. Evoking the warmth of silk sheets and armed with a keen eye for catchy melodies, Titose has been taking several assured steps towards the powerhouse that she is capable of becoming. Her string of releases has provided a protective balm for listeners in search of some aural healing with its polished production and emotion-laden writing.
Titose kicked off her passion for music at a very young age, encouraged by the unwavering support she received from her musical family. While her peers pursued professional careers, there was never a moment of doubt in Titose that she couldn’t forge her own singing career, despite the dearth of success stories in these parts. In a recent interview, the singer shared that this overwhelmingly firm sense of belief comes from years of nurturing at home. “I come from a musical family,” she shared. “I sing, my sister and my brother too. A cousin and an uncle are acclaimed musicians. So I grew with music [being] a part of my life,” she continued during the interview. Ingrained in her DNA from early, Titose would spend most of her formative years forging her own distinct sound, which rests firmly at the intersection of R&B, Afropop, Hip-Hop, Trapsoul and more.
Titose shared her first single on Soundcloud when she was 16. The mid-tempo number titled “Colour Blind” was actually a cover for an original song inspired by a Glee episode she had watched. “Please don’t mind the quality, I was like 16,” she warned listeners at the time, worried that her music would not land the desired impact. However, the song fared better than she expected. Today, “Colour Blind” has over a thousand listens and counting on Soundcloud, a feat worthy of celebration from an artist on the cusp of an explosion. Motivated by these reactions, Titose then officially began releasing music three years ago. Her first official single “Drowning”, a slow R&B fusion track was released in August 2019 and was soon followed this closely with the release of her sophomore single“Lights Off” during the peak of the COVID-19 lockdowns last year. While each new release adds a layer of intrigue to her artistry, a worthy starting point for anyone looking to dig into her discography would be her debut EP ‘Was It Something I Said?’
Over 8 soul-baring tracks, Titose ruminates on relatable topics for young women including tales of love, life, friendship, becoming and more. Each track on the project tells a different story, however, they are mostly driven by personal experiences, creating honest tracks that intimately mimic a late-night conversation with your girlfriends. Across her short but sweet discography, Titose’s personal and artistic growth is crystal clear. This year already, she’s enjoyed notable career highlights such as joining the talented spate of artists on the Platoon roster and reached her first 200,000 streams milestone. With all this and more music planned for 2022, next year may very well bring the big break she desires.
Featured image credits/NATIVE
Words by Ada Nwakor, Dennis Ade-Peter, Wale Oloworekende, Wonu Osikoya and Tami Makinde
