Songs of the Day: New music from Sarkodie, Oxlade, DaRe, Crayon, Ria Boss and more
Your latest dose of great music from across Africa
Music has become increasingly important in the last month, and the constant cycle can mean that you miss some of the new music coming out of Africa. As the music scene grows more and more expansive, we’ve decided to help out, by sorting through all the new songs from across all the sub-genres around the continent to curate a column with all the best “Songs of the Day”, to highlight all the new releases you absolutely Need to hear.
Last week, we had a slew of new releases from Simi, Fave, Mut4y, Minz, Studio Magic and many more from around the continent. Today, the ladies are packing heat as we enjoy new music from Ria Boss and Efya. To start the week, Sarkodie teams up with Oxlade for new single as well as Prettyboy D-O and MOJO who reunite on a DaRe-produced track. We also witness the re-emergence of our favorite boy group, LOS and a new single from Psviv.
Sarkodie – “Overload 2” feat. Oxlade
Following the stunning video for his latest single, “Away”, Oxlade has ventured further into Ghana with his new collaboration with Sarkodie. The two have teamed up for “Overload 2” where Sakordie raps amorously about a love interest in Twi, showering her with compliments about her undeniable good qualities which keep him coming back for me. ‘I want to love you overload/anything you want I’ll give you overload’ Oxlade sings over the song’s hook, expressing his determination to provide the world for his lover.
L.O.S – “Didn’t Know”
Today, we might all know of them as individual artists, however, back in the day, L.O.S were one of the most popular music groups in our secondary school days. After years of releasing music individually, the group have finally reunited for new 3-part project titled ‘Tribe’. One of the standouts from this project is “Didn’t Know” an upbeat cut produced by Smallz and Cubix on which each member trades off bars with Tomi Thomas’ angelic vocals taking center stage and captivating listeners from the very beginning. ‘What you mean affection?/you say it’s love and not obsession’ Zamir raps over the hi-hat heavy beat, as the group collectively muse about love and avoiding distractions if it’s not the real deal.
Crayon – “Mo Bad”
Mavin Records has been setting themselves up as the frontrunners of the scene for a while now, in their camp are some of the most promising names at the moment from Rema & Ladipoe to “Gock Am” singer, Crayon. Crayon is back with a new track “Mo Bad” as a follow up to his earlier release “Kpano” which saw him boasting about his music’s efficiency. For “Mo Bad”, Crayon turns to his more seductive side as he sings about a very attractive woman who has caught his interest while on a night out over the song’s lightweight afropop drums and catchy riffs produced by Babyface and Prestige.
DaRe – “Isolation” featuring MOJO & Prettyboy D-O
During these strange and unprecedented times, we appreciate everyone who is still releasing music and joining forces to give people something to be excited about. This week, we have producer, DaRe to thank for reuniting “Chop Life Crew” crooners Prettyboy D-O and MOJO for new single “Isolation”. Over the reverb-heavy beat, Mojo raps ‘I don tire for isolation I wan go find money/everything don dey finish for house’ about the struggles he and other artists may be facing as there are no funds coming in from shows and live performances. At a time when we’re all looking for something to hold unto, this upbeat track is sure to get anyone bursting their best leg work (indoors of course!)
Ria Boss – “Call Up”
2020 is not all bad, one good thing at least, is that we get to hear new Ria Boss music ahead of her album release later this year. For her first single of the year, “Call Up” Ria Boss offers a reflective number which urges listeners to become better people to those closest to them. ‘Pick up the phone call up your father/pick up the phone call up your sister’ she sings on the song’s hook, calling for her listeners to rise to action and check on their family and loved ones in these highly strange and unsafe times.
Speaking to the NATIVE, Ria shared:
“This song created itself on the evening of December 19th during one of my songwriting sessions. I was free singing and “Call Up” was one of the songs birthed from that. I did not know what it meant at the time or what it would mean for the time now. The song has become so important to me and is really a call of action, to call our loved ones. Interaction is so important right now, if you didn’t have the time then, then I’m sure you have the time now”.
Efya – “Pricelezz” feat. Mugeez
Since the beginning of the year, we’ve got to learn more of Efya’s alter-ego, BIGDRAGON, but now it seems like Efya is back To start off the week. For her latest single, she recruits fellow Ghanaian artist, Mugeez for new single “Pricelezz”, an upbeat new single primed for dance floors. ‘See your body dey causing damage/I go touch I go taste’ Mugeez sings suggestively over the songs hook, as the two artists make their intentions known to charm their way into their love interest arms.
Psiv – “Crazy” feat. Zick
After starting the year off with high energy trap song “Hella Night”, Psiv is back with new single “Crazy” which sees him returning to his signature afroswing persona which clearly draws influence from Kida Kudz. On “Crazy” Psiv delivers some profane boasts over the catchy and highly infectious bouncy beat about his sexual prowess. ‘I climb stage all the girlies go crazy/I ain’t even tryna throw shade’ he raps over the song’s hook, offering a light fun track on his experiences.
Featured image credits/instagram
Tami is a lover of women, music and astrology. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
ICYMI: Here’s all the new music you may have missed last Friday
Maya Amolo Is Committed To Giving You The Sweetest Time
There’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the...
“Sweetest Time,” Maya Amolo’s latest single, is a soothing, lovesick confessional that mixes intimate, heartfelt lyricism with wistful production courtesy of Ugandan musician and producer SOULCHYD aka MAUIMØON. Alongside fellow Kenyan singer Ywaya Tajiri, the self-acclaimed sweetest girl delivers a lustrous duet that sees her soft vocals, which perfectly complement Tajiri’s more robust voice, skip and flit across moody synths, intensifying the spotlight on her wholehearted delivery. “I can feel you rushing through my system / Every single day it’s my religion,” she sings passionately halfway into the record. The whole thing sounds like the aural equivalent of a warm blanket; a truly affectionate record that immerses and envelopes its listeners in its warmth. This is the brand of vulnerable, understated R&B music that has been helping Amolo gain significant attention since she debuted in the pandemic year.
Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Amolo always had an affinity for music. The singer and producer, who took on piano and guitar lessons as a child, has previously credited acts like Brandy, Erykah Badu, Prince, and Kenyan musical icon Eric Wainaina as her early influences – and it’s easy to see how Amolo’s style draws from this strong lineage of musicians whose music is equally expansive, soothing and vulnerable. After years experimenting with different styles, recording covers to beats she ripped from YouTube and posting them on her Soundcloud page, Amolo released her debut project ‘Leave Me At The Pregame’ in 2020.
The EP, which quickly soared up the charts in Kenya, served as a brief but emphatic introduction to Amolo’s minimalistic take on R&B. Standouts like the emotive opener “Puddles,” “Lush Green”, and “Jokes” showcase her clever and poignant lyricism that reflects on themes of love, depression, and self-healing. Along with sparse, melancholic production and the icy sensuality of her voice, Amolo delivered a remarkable debut that made her one of the most promising figures in Nairobi’s alternative music scene. Two years after ‘Leave Me At The Pregame,’ the Kenyan rising star released her debut album, ‘Asali.’
‘Asali,’ which translates to “honey” in her native Kiswahili, showcased Amolo’s progression as both an artist and a human being, as she swapped out the sad-girl tunes that filled her debut EP for more vibrant and intricate records – thanks in part to Sir Bastien and Kenyan producer and rapper Lukorito – that explore themes of growth and the complexities and rich luster of love. The album’s lead singles, “Foundry” and the self-produced “Can’t Get Enough,” found relative success on streaming platforms, placing Amolo as one of the continent’s most exciting new R&B voices. About a year after the release of ‘Asali,’ Amolo updated the album with 8 new songs on a deluxe version that featured Kenyan stars like Bensoul, Xenia Manasseh and Zowie Kengocha.
In August 2024, a few months after she delivered a splendid Colors performance, Amolo released a new project titled ‘What a Feeling.’ The 5-track EP, which essentially serves as an ode to Amolo’s home city, Nairobi, sees her experimenting with an array of dance sub-genres without straying too far from her R&B roots. While the project still retains much of the melancholy and elegance that defined her earlier work, there’s a hypnotic and pulsating energy that courses through ‘What A Feeling,’ that highlights a shift in the singer’s sensibilities. Amolo’s honeyed vocals gently seep through subtle Dancehall, Electronic, R&B and House-inspired production and the accompanying visualizer, a mashup of camcorder footage of her and her friends in Nairobi, also adequately captures the charming and nocturnal vibe of the tape.
The project produced standout tracks like the sensual “Let It Flow,” the title track and “Take It,” which later got remixed by Ugandan singer Soundlykbb and rapper SGawD. With Amolo’s latest release, “Sweetest Girl,” the Kenyan rising star continues her intricate exploration of R&B music, merging it with varying styles to produce her own distinct and refreshing variant. There’s no telling what Amolo might do next, but with only a handful of releases to her name so far, there’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the genre’s most prominent faces across the continent.
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T.I Blaze Updates ‘Shakur’ EP With Deluxe Version
Following the success of “Trenches Luv,” the street-pop star is back with seven new songs on the deluxe...
Over the last few years, street-pop, a guttural version of afropop, has surged to mainstream popularity, birthing stars like Asake, Seyi Vibez, and Shallipopi. On the homefront, a generation of younger stars also put unique spins on the sound. Singer, T.I Blaze, has been a notable star in the sub-genre since his 2021 single, “Sometimes,” and a subsequent remix with icon, Olamide, launched him into a different stratosphere.
Since “Sometimes,” Blaze has established his profile as a reliable source for songs that reflect the pulse of the streets while archiving his come-up story across a debut album (‘El Major’) and three extended plays like ‘The Fresh Prince Of Lagos’ and ‘Dangerous Wavy Baby.’ His 2024 EP, ‘Shakur,’ further underscored his evolution as an artist, featuring slippery numbers about escapism, his thoughts on life in the fast lane, and brotherhood with features from rising stars like Tml Vibez and BhadBoi Oml.
In 2025, the singer has picked up where he left off last year, releasing “Trenches Luv,” a balmy February release that examines the dynamics of romance from his point of view as a young adult moulded by the hard realities of life on the street. The success of “Trenches Luv” has led to a deluxe version of ‘Shakur’ with the singer adding seven new songs to the original version of the project. Impressively, on the new version of the project, TI Blaze taps up Ayo Maff and Ghanaian star Arathejay on “My Brother” and “Mario Remix,” respectively.
Led by a galala-inflected opener, “Track 1,” ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ is both raw and complex with the singer sounding refreshed on songs like “My Brother,” “Dodge,” and “Introduction.” In many ways, this project is an invitation for listeners to explore the many facets of T.I Blaze’s artistry as well as a portent to celebrate his roots and offer a glimpse at his evolution.
Listen to ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ here.
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NATIVE PREMIERE: Rigo Kamp Runs Ahead Of The Pack With The Visuals For “Marathon”
Rigo Kamp’s Marathon video is an intimate Afro-juju revival that pays homage to Sir Shina Peters and stamps...
Last Friday, Rigo Kamp, a NATIVE uNder alum and one of the architects of an equal parts nostalgic and refreshing sound released his self-titled debut EP, delivering a propulsive fusion of Alte, R&B, Funk, and Soul-infused rhythms.
Featuring previously released singles “Morning Sun” and “Summer”, the six-track eponymous EP executively produced by Odunsi The Engine sees Rigo lean heavily into his element as a sonic alchemist, jumping from silky falsettos to gritty grooves without losing an ounce of cohesion, and ultimately stamping the Abuja-born, Lagos-based singer-songwriter as a mad scientist of sound.
Just last November, Apple Music named Rigo Kamp as its Up Next artist, an acknowledgment that underscored his potential and confirmed what the tastemakers and underground scene already knew. Weeks later, he delivered an exhilarating live set for Spotify Fresh Finds in Lagos, proving he’s just as compelling live as he is in the studio.
On “Marathon”, the refreshing opener to the Rigo Kamp EP, Rigo borrows the bounce and swagger of Afro-Juju legend, Sir Shina Peters’ golden-era, fusing nostalgia with re-imagination to birth a vintage performance that feels like a private party for two, where it’s just Rigo, and you.
Get an exclusive first look at the video for Marathon here:
Listen to the Rigo Kamp EP:
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