2022 is no longer a new year, and Afropop knows that very well. As much as the previous year was packed with scene-defining achievements, especially within the context of global growth, the only way to keep the momentum from falling off is for artists to keep reaching into their bag for great music that holds the ears and captures the hearts of millions of listeners across the continent and well beyond. That’s exactly what’s been happening, so much so that there’s hundreds of new singles, at-least one new must-hear album and a new smash hit every week.

Amidst this torrent of new music, The NATIVE is committed to highlighting the best releases you need to hear, and possibly add to your playlists. That’s the essence of our ‘Songs of the Day’ column. Earlier this week, we brought you highlight selections from Timaya, Ms Banks, Iyanya, Tia and more. For our Friday installment, here are recent releases from Falz, Goodgirl LA, NSG, Terri and more.

Oxlade – “Want You”

Fresh off his signing with Columbia UK, Nigerian vocalist Oxlade has released his first single of the year. “Want You” continues in the direction of Oxlade’s soul-wrenching stories about unrequited love. Here, he finds the sweet middle ground between wistfulness and groove, colouring every second of this delightful record with his famed falsetto.

Terri – “Danger”

Music from Terri hasn’t been forthcoming as his burgeoning fan base would like but every new drop is usually well received. With “Danger,” the singer has scored himself another remarkable record, a prospective hit in every sense of the word. Flowing over Krizbeatz’s mellow production, there’s a tender quality to Terri’s lyrics about staying loyal to his lover. “I know some kind love money cannot buy, the type you no fit say bye bye,” he warmly sings on the opening lines, setting the song’s mood.

Falz – “Ice Cream” ft. BNXN

Among Falz’s greatest strengths as a hitmaker is combining his rap skills with smooth pop-esque beats, and that’s the route he takes on new song “Ice Cream”. Layering bad boy punchlines over Yung Willis’s bouncing bass lines, he’s joined by BNXN who delivers the catchy hook in his trademark saccharine vocals. “All hits, no misses; I feel like Tyson,” sings BNXN on either side of Falz’s vivid verses, a narrative that fits perfect in the hedonistic allure of cities like Lagos.

T’NEEYA — “COMING”

Singing over Hip Hop-inspired beats encouraged the rise of neo-soul in the nineties, a genre otherwise termed progressive soul. On her new record, the Cameroonian-born artist T’neeya taps from those sensibilities, with an electric bassline and horns infusing more gravitas. She sings of being in love, employing over-the-top metaphors to depict the thrill of being swept up in someone else’s goodness. “All the feels I feel right now, you don’t even know how much I want it,” she sings, expressively leaning into the sultry quality of the record.

NSG — “SUZANNA” ft. Patoranking

The six-man Afroswing group NSG have roots in West Africa, and their music have often tapped from the region’s sonic energies. Their captivating records usually feature sing-along choruses and individually distinct verses, making them a group you’d want to chill over the weekend listening to. Earlier this year they released “Suzanna”, a JAE5-produced collaboration with Dancehall scion Patoranking. Their contributions humorously straddle the line between romantic interest and hedonistic trappings, qualities which are conveyed with pomp on the recently-released visual.

Nu Fvnk – “Just Say It”

Famed for his innovative production and insightful raps, the multidisciplinary creative Nu Fvnk has been the pride of East Africa (and his home country of Kenya particularly) for a while now. Inspired by similarly eccentric creators like Pharell Williams and Tyler, The Creator, Fvnk’s sound has flitted between sounds and eras, but with foundations on Hip Hop. “Just Say” progresses with the brooding prescience of a film score, carried along by Fvnk’s bassy voice and lyrics packed with dare. “Say what you wanna say,” he repeatedly sings, building the song’s atmosphere from dusty drums and vintage-styled keys.

ANYTHING WITH YUSEF — “EYE TO EYE”

Anything with Yusef has an amazing presence on records. He’s typically self-aware on his new song “Eye To Eye”. A trippy record with allusions to desolation and revenge, his vocal strength brings alive the vision of a lovelorn ballad. ”I hear my ex has a new best friend, her and I don’t see eye to eye,” he sings matter-of-factly on the hook, channeling the bluntly introspective vibe that comes with hitting play on this song.

Good Girl LA – “Goodbye”

Boasting one of the most captivating voices in Nigerian music, Goodgirl LA is highly sought after, both by listeners and other musicians. “Early Momo” was released over a year ago, but the duet still remains a sonic pleasure, LA’s husky vocals still as effective. Her new song “Goodbye” uses the psychedelic feel of emo-rap to explore heartbreak, possessing its range of associated emotions from anger to catharsis and eventual acceptance. “I was a loner when you met me, and you took all my energy for free/ like a thief in the night,” she sings, going back memory lane as we all do when these situations unfold.

Kay Slice – “Takin’ It Home” ft. Reynolds the Gentleman

The range of afro pop is no doubt influenced by African musicians in the diaspora who channel from their roots even as they navigate the world around them. Based in Netherlands, Kay Slice stands on the verge of mainstream acclaim, loved for pairing Ghana’s colourful rhythms with rap. Off his latest album Back To Back, those qualities are on display, especially on “Takin It Home”, a record that sounds like Kay’s manifesto for his hybrid experiments.

The lyrics echoes different shades of proud, from expressing his love of Ghana (“back it up, back it up right now, baby we’re taking it home,” he sings on the chorus”) to proving his mettle as an MC (“they be using my song as a reference”). The Edward Pappoe visual understands the assignment, incorporating strong elements of the Ghanaian culture into his video, mirroring the song’s cherry outlook with its intimate shots of Black people being happy and in love.

QUAMINA MP — “DADA BA”

The artist and producer has excited fans since his breakout in 2017, melding the signature Hiplife sound of his native Ghana with other contemporary sounds. New record, “Dada Ba” bounces with urgent percussions famous among African listeners, but Quamina’s voice will entrance anyone in the world. Gliding authoritatively across the bubbly beat, “Dada Ba” is the kind of love record that turns up a party, seamlessly soundtracking the night’s activities until it is over and everyone’s eager to know whose song just played.

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