Last year, The NATIVE created our ‘Songs of the Day’ column as an avenue to curate some of the best and biggest songs from around the continent. In the time since its creation, the column has served as a means to discover music from niche, rising acts, while also spotlighting releases from the biggest artists on the continent. As artists continue to share their music with us, this year, it’s only right that we return to pointing you towards as much great music as we can.

Though the pandemic has denied us live shows, where the magical bond between artists and fans unfolds in real-time, artists have remained committed to sharing music with fans, so we continue to honour their art and create space and visibility for them. During the week, we brought you a selection including new music from KiDi’s new collaborative single with Kuami Eugene and Patoranking, Medikal’s latest drop, Ogranya’s hopeful song, and more. To start off the Valentine weekend, we’re bringing you a new selection of music from Teni the Entertainer and Davido, Prettyboy D-O, CKay who just released his EP ‘Boyfriend’, Headie one and Burna Boy, Princess Mami and more. Enjoy.

Teni – “For You” featuring Davido

Teni is gearing up for her long-awaited debut album ‘Wondaland‘ which is slated for release in March. Ahead of the upcoming drop, she has shared the project’s lead singles “Jo”, which was released last year, and now “For You”, a romantic number featuring Davido, which came out today. The new single, produced by Pheelz, is a percussive, mid-tempo number that finds the singer providing gooey, vulnerable lyrics to a love interest. “All my ego na for you/all my rabba for you,” she sings over the hook, before being joined by Davido whose presence brings the track to life.

In the Dammy Twitch-directed video, Teni can be seen in a correction facility for women, singing and reminiscing on her lover whose thoughts keep her going while she’s behind bars. We find out that Davido is her love interest as he visits her in jail and shares his romantic intentions for when she’s free from prison. Both Teni and Davido manage to jailbreak but months down the line, we see Teni arraigned a second time, choosing love and loyalty over ratting out her lover. See, love does conquer all.

Headie One – “Siberia” featuring Burna Boy

This is not a drill – Rap Burna is back in full swing and we have Headie One to thank for that. The UK rapper’s latest single “Siberia”, which appears on the deluxe edition of Headie One’s debut album ‘Edna’, features the Afropop giant, and the title certainly matches the hard bars that both emcees trade on the song.

Burna Boy joins on the song’s second verse as he raps, “I’m just a crazy Nigerian/I make you sick like malaria/I do not fuck with no niggas,” sending a message that he doesn’t want the drama from the opps. Burna also ends the song by singing, “Don’t pull up in here acting goofy, you could get shot like a movie,” showing he’s still able to switch up flows effortlessly. “Siberia” arrives with a music video directed by KC Locke.

Prettyboy D-O – “Police n Teef”

Prettyboy D-O takes up an interesting space in the music scene in these parts. His slick-winded rap style and his penchant for vocal trickery has consistently ensured that the rapper operates in a lane of his own making – and he certainly revels in this. His latest single “Police n Teef” is an anti-love anthem that would undoubtedly give Shaggy’s 2000 hit “It Wasn’t Me” a run for its money. Produced by Higo, D-O’s latest single is the perfect fuckboy anthem that offsets all the gooey, vulnerable talk this Valentine’s weekend.

“Say your boyfriend do me like police and thief/when olopa still dey do me like police and thief,” he raps on the song’s hook, addressing the battering he faces at the hands of people holding him accountable for the infidelity of their partners. The rapper sends a lighthearted message that he’s unbothered by all the heat he’s getting, and in fact, he welcomes it: “Pretty fear you, I no be that guy”.

Sekisupervillian – “Faithful”

While we await the imminent release of his sophomore album ‘TECHDRILL’, Seki Supervillain is keeping fans and listeners entertained. His latest single “Faithful” was released this week and in usual Seki fashion, it’s bouncy and upbeat enough to get you on your feet and nodding to the vibrant production, courtesy of Big Sizer, Shwoff and one of 2020’s most exciting rising beatsmith’s in these parts, Tochi Bedford. “My brother down, he was down so bad/but look at us now we living so fuego,” Seki raps on the track, which sets out to highlight how he and his friends have held it down and stayed loyal despite what the opps say. The accompanying music video, put together by Egyptian director, Abanoub Ramsis, shows Seki on his home turf, surrounded by his people. If this doesn’t get you excited for ‘TECHDRILL’ then perhaps you should revisit this post.

Ajebo Hustlers featuring Omah Lay – “Pronto”

After rounding the previous year with the remix to their hit single “Barawo” which featured Davido, the music duo Ajebo Hustlers are back with a new single titled “Pronto”, featuring Omah Lay. The new single is a romantic number that sees the pair expressing their desires. Over the song’s upbeat production, Piego sings “She give me pronto/what I really want is your love,” on the song’s hook, before being joined by Omah Lay on the second verse. Omah Lay certainly makes the song memorable, equally expressing his sexual desires to a love interest. “Panel beat am/when she need am,” he sings, using euphemisms to make his intentions known to his woman.

Stefflon Don – “Can’t Let You Go Remix” featuring Tiwa Savage and Rema

Stefflon Don is tapping into her Afropop bag. For her latest single, she enlists Nigerian singers Tiwa Savage and Rema for the remix of her single, “Can’t Let You Go” to hone the song’s reach and drive its message further. The romantic number sees all three artists expressing their romantic intentions to remain in a committed relationship. Rema begins the song with a pop culture reference that many listeners will remember, singing, “You so icy girl I’m a glacier boy/Girl you know say me I no fit play heart like a toy,” utilising Quavo and Saweetie’s DMs to show how devoted he is to his love interest. This is definitely a song you want to play as the Valentine weekend begins.

Niniola – “Promise”

When we last caught up with Niniola, after the release of her sophomore EP ‘Colours & Sounds’ last year, the singer revealed that she’s constantly finding the balance between the different sonic ranges that she has become known for, Afro-house and R&B. For her first official single of the year, the singer is giving her R&B audience much-needed material just in time for the season of love.

On “Promise”, Niniola confronts a lover who has just betrayed her trust. “You taste sour in my mouth, in my veins/Knew you were lying to my face,” she sings on the song’s first verse, trying to make sense of how her partner has broken promises made to her. She sings with a resigned tone, as she mulls over her disappointment while showing off her amazing vocals and her knack for singing over any beat.

Psycho YP, Tomi Agape, DJT1Z  – “Maria” featuring Jaylon

Psycho YP, Tomi Agape and DJTiz have teamed up for a new romantic single titled “Maria” which deserves a place on your Valentine’s weekend playlist. Over the groovy, bouncy production with delicate strings and hi-hats, Pscyho YP begins the number, taking the song’s first verse. “I could be your Bruce Lee, fucking up your night,” raps Psycho YP expressing his love for a romantic partner. He’s joined by Tomi Agape on the song’s second verse who adds a layer of intrigue to the song, singing, “Baby some people say I’m crazy/I don’t even know where this is going to go but I’m down to roll,” as she wholly embraces her feelings for her love interest. Here we go again, another situationship…

Loti – “90’s Hopeless Romantic” featuring Yinka Oshodi

For his first official offering of the year, Fresh Meat alum Loti is back with a new EP titled ‘Violent Times’ which is an anti-love project featuring only women including Yinka Oshodi, Kasheefah, and Rey Blaque. The project’s standout “90’s Hopeless Romantic” is an affectionate number that explores both artist’s definition of love as millennials and Gen Z. “We were a couple of kids who were babies in the ’90s/Our parents were a couple but it never felt like a family,” he sings, explaining how he plans to do better with his own relationships, despite not having a good example of loving in his formative years. Yinka Oshodi’s buttery-smooth vocals make the song a moment, encapsulating everything modern romance has to offer.

Cruise Gang & Marv OTM – “Alexis Texas” ft. SGaWD

Songs about flexing and getting your shit popping are integral to the Hip-Hop/Rap fabric. For his latest offering, Apec Village rapper and sound engineer Marv OTM delivers a two-pack single titled ‘Cruise Control’ which features the standout SGaWD-assisted single “Alexis Texas”. Both rappers trade bars, with Marv OTM starting off the song with a memorable verse resulting in a hook that ends, “Call that bitch Alexis, ass like she from Texas,” proudly boasting of a woman’s assets. Strutting in with palpable confidence, SGaWD joins the rapper on the song’s second verse, rapping, “Seddy famous now so my famous keep my guns/Disrespect me you should leave a will out for your son.” Her bars are disrespectful and sensual, striking a fine balance between Marv OTM’s speedy delivery.

Princess Mami – “I Got It” featuring Psycho YP

Fresh Meat Alum, Princess Mami is starting the year off with a bang as she shares a new single titled “I Got It”, featuring fellow Abuja rapper, Psycho YP. The braggadocious single sees the rapper trading off boasts and kiss-offs with ease. “Call me a 10, I got it/Baguettes on my neck, I got it,” she raps over the song’s infectious beat, as she proudly boasts about her enviable flow. Packing an onslaught of wordplay in the song’s three minute run-time alongside Psycho YP, Princess Mami more than proves all she’s brings to the table this year.

Samo Ones x Thnkn Aloud – “Show Colour”

As Afropop continues as a mainstay in global music consumption, the sounds of old, that laid the foundations for this globally appealing genre, are now being revisited with nostalgic reverence, honoured for their influence. The Cavemen. are reviving Highlife music here at home, and on their latest single, British-Nigerian duo, Samo Ones x Thnkn Aloud pay homage to the legendary K1, sampling his 1995 “Show Colour”.

“Show Colour Re” opens with the familiar Fuji record, before producer Ransom beats leads us into the more current soundscape of mid-tempo Afroswing, as it has been dubbed in the UK. Over the smooth beat, Samo Ones x Thnkn Aloud fuse their rapping and Afropop-inspired crooning into charming encouragement to their muses to bear all and show their true colours. Reassuring the ladies that they are the ones to b vulnerable with, “Show Colour Re” is a smooth record that will help to reassure your fronting partners that you are the one for them, this Valentine’s Day.

Featured image credits: Instagram

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