Songs of the Day: new music from Josh2Funny, Hermez, Maya Amolo, Bris and more

all the best music to start your week

Written by The Native - 06.Jul.2020

It’s been almost six months of self-isolating to flatten the curve of COVID-19, and things haven’t become any easier. The one constant through these bleak times is the vast array of new music we’re getting from all our favourite artists, which definitely help make the world a bit brighter considering everything. In a bid to constantly highlight the best music from this period, we’ve scoured through the continent and selected our top picks of all the best songs released today.

Our weekend selection comprised of great new songs from DJ Tunez, Spax and Wizkid, Mayorkun and Davido, Fiokee, Simi and Oxlade, MOJO, Cheque and more. To start off the new week, we’re bringing you new music from Kenya’s Maya Amolo who just released a new EP ‘Leave Me At the Pregame’ over the weekend. We also have the latest single from Hermez, AYLØ, and Le Mav, new DJ Tunez, Josh2Funny, Bris, and many more. Enjoy.

Josh2Funny – “Don’t Leave Me”

Josh2Funny is the man of the moment. His viral challenge ‘Don’t Leave’ has gone far beyond the shores of Nigeria and is trending worldwide on TikTok and other social media channels. To capitalise further on this moment, the content creator and comedian has released a new humourous single titled “Don’t Leave Me” which features numerous more hilarious puns.

Over catchy afropop drums, he is egged on by a cheering crowd of fans requesting that he doesn’t leave them because of his talented puns that are almost never-ending. ‘I am all over the web, turn into Spider-Man/I bought my home on loan, call it home it home alone’ he sings humorously, showing just how effortless he is at coming up with these jokes.

BrisB – “2 Girls 1 Cup” featuring Fuji

To celebrate his birthday, BrisB has just released an accompanying video for his latest single “2 Girls 1 Cup”. Produced by San and Nelson, we follow Bris through a video game-like sequence where he and his friends, along with the ‘bad tings’ they encounter, star in a psychedelic universe entirely of their own making.

Over a heavily-syncopated beat, Bris raps ‘same niggas with me from time/marry jane on top, think I’m on to something’ in his signature downbeat and slightly grainy tone. The track’s hypnotic pulse soundtracks an intoxicating swirl into oblivion as Bris spits lyrics that depict his inebriated state.

Hermez – “Waves” featuring AYLØ and Le Mav

The Houston-based artist, Hermez has been on our radar since he released his sophomore project ‘Garden Spirits’ last year and we’ve been excitedly waiting for new music from the talented artist. The wait is now over as he’s just released his latest single for the year titled “Waves” and it’s everything we expected from the budding artist.

The chemistry each artist shows on the track is noteworthy, with Le Mav bringing his airy, infectious production to set the background for AYLØ’s relaxed drawl, and Hermez’ melodious voice. ‘Still with the free smoke/still living free though’ sings Hermez on the hook, as he airs a series of romantic frustrations couched by gentle pianos and a smattering of light hi-hats and percussion.

While it could be interpreted that AYLØ’s verse supported the intoxicating vices Hermez sings about (“shit too wavy/fucking on her won’t save me”), AYLØ insists that his message was one of dependencies and expectations in romantic relationships that leads to its eventual end. So whether you agree with his message or not, it’s still a great song to vibe to.

Maya Amolo – “Crashing”

Kenya’s Maya Amolo released her debut project ‘Leave Me at the Pregame’ over the weekend, and it has definitely been on replay ever since. While the New York-based Kenyan singer is still on the come up, her new single shows her immense promise and undeniable talent. On the airy standout, “Crashing”, Maya talks about overwhelming and lingering sad thoughts that have the capacity to leave you in a funk for days, weeks, and even months on end. Over acoustic strings and a catchy drum-led beat, she sings ‘The overwhelming feelings leave you blind, but give it time’ with a resolve not to drown in misery but instead urging listeners to stay afloat from the landslide of emotions coming their way.

Lous and the Yakuza – “Bon Acteur”

Being featured on a music platform like A COLORS SHOW is a memorable feat for any artist today, and we love to see more and more African artists share their music with the world via the platform. Brussels-based, Belgian-Congolese musician, Lous and the Yakuza is the lastest African artists to grace the colourful stage as she performs her new standout single “Bon Acteur”.

Over a bass-filled beat laced with vivid percussion patterns, Lous and the Yakuza raps about unreciprocated romantic relationships and being misunderstood by someone very dear to you. ‘Je pense que j’ai compris ce qui n’allait pas/
Tu voyais en moi tout ce que je n’étais pas’ (I think I understood what was wrong/You saw in me everything that I was not) she raps, detailing a past crush that has now died because it was not nurtured by her partner. Whether you speak French or not, you can’t deny Lous and the Yakuza’s slick-tongued, gruff rapping style that keeps us coming back for more.