With the Friday release of her third studio album, ‘Celia‘ just around the corner, Tiwa Savage is refocussing our gaze right back on her, after a quality of New Music Friday. So far, the promotional singles for ‘Celia‘ have been resounding hits, with “Koroba” and its predecessor, “Dangerous Love” making chart history in Nigerian airplay.

Well it looks like her third and, we can assume, final single before the project drops, will follow the same path. With a Sam Smith assist (we might have to adopt them) and a sensational London production, “Temptation” looks like a hit that’ll span nations.

London opens this number with jazzy hints on his production, introducing a sexy bass guitar that sets the sensual tone Tiwa Savage is going for on her opening verse and chorus, co-written by Fireboy DML and herself. Leading with her head voice crooning the repetitive lines, “temptation, that’s all I see when I look at you“, Tiwa Savage is looking for “ginger” from the song’s muse, and taps into more Western-pop proclivities than what we’re used to through her vocal deliveries.

After a typically bouncy instrumental riff, Sam Smith makes their grand entry onto the track, coming with a smooth verse that is both lyrically considered and vocally alluring. A little more wistful than Tiwa Savage – staying right on brand – Sam Smith sings, to their own muse, “the shape of your body replays in my mind”, telling us how they, “crave your attention”, before ending their verse in unison with Tiwa Savage over a duet that confesses they’re both “all fired up with nowhere to go”.

A Sam Smith and Tiwa Savage is a collaboration we never would have imagined, but Sam Smith brings their A-game to Tiwa’s latest, and the dynamic London beat – full of well-placed horns, familiar afropop drum patterns, and jazz inflections from the guitars – fully brings the record home.

Get ready for ‘Celia‘, loves. Pre-add/save here.

Featured Image Credits: Tiwa Savage/Instagram

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ICYMI: TIWA SAVAGE’S “DANGEROUS LOVE” AND “KOROBA” MAKE CHART HISTORY