Tay Iwar, one of the most prolific acts from Nigeria’s burgeoning alternate music scene, has just released his first single of the year, “BAD4U,” a glistening ballad which sees him starkly pull apart an unwieldy situation with a love interest, against the backdrop of a luxuriantly serene R&B production. 

 

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“Bad4u” sees the 25-year-old outré singer-songwriter lean into the quintessential sultry melodies that typically colour his work, as he conjures a sparkling R&B ode to the forbidden love trope. Over erupting guitar riffs and shimmering keys, Tay Iwar delivers a poignant melodic monologue, juxtaposing the prevailing notion that he’s bad for his love interest with his unflinching devotion to her. “They say that I’m bad for you, I could die right now for you, say something,” he sings wistfully over the hook.

This new single comes off the back of his acclaimed 2021 5-track EP, Love & Isolation, which saw him lean into a quaint, velvety blend of R&B and Afropop, as he explored the twin conundrums of love and loneliness with sombre angst. In the last year, he was also tapped extensively by Afropop behemoth Wizkid, for “Steady” off the deluxe edition of his critically acclaimed Made in Lagos album. As his first headline song in over a year, “Bad4u” is blistering return that reinforces Tay Iwar as a master of his preferred musical form and thematic function, exploring the jagged edges of romance over stunning production, as he’s done several times to great effect.

Listen to “Bad4u” here.

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