In an ever-evolving industry dominated by mainstream giants, our dedicated monthly column uNder continues to serve as a vital platform for discovering authentic and exciting talents bubbling below the surface. For years, this column has been committed and continues to be dedicated to amplifying these unique voices and untapped potential of niche artists who offer a distinct alternative to the status quo. 

For our October entry, we have a talented cast of inductees that stretch the imagination of what music from the continent and Black diaspora can aspire to. In Moffy, Ossi Grace, mwami, and 1DRAG, there’s a rich tradition of reimagining genres while putting authentic African expression on display. In dreary times like this, when artificial intelligence is increasingly making an incursion into the music-creating process, there is a profound need to celebrate these acts who keep proving that artistic expression is still tethered to the human experience. 

Moffy

For Fans Of: Wizkid, Aylø, and Tay Iwar

Raised in Accra at the dawn of a creative explosion that saw music from West Africa rise to global popularity, Moffy channels the pulse of his home city in ways that many might find explicable. The soft hum of his voice and the depth of soul-inflected music align with the centeredness of the Ghanaian capital. But it’s a mistake to put the singer in one box. In his hands, the barriers between genres like R&B, Bebop, and languid Jazz collapse, presenting a forward-thinking conception of Alternative music that is undoubtedly warm and earnest. As a member of the genre-bridging music collective 99 PHACES, he has already made his mark, but even on his solo cuts, the singer is making a claim as a voice worth respecting. 

He first started his artistic journey with the Afropop-influenced “Slide” in 2022, exploring the parameters of affection and its impact on him over an astral instrumental that hugged his vocals like a warm embrace. He followed up with another release later that year, uniting with Kynglouy and CozyPols, and Freddie Gambini on “Sweet Feeling,” a drawn-out look at the dynamics of a relationship and how it evolves.  “Kiddie Time”—another collab with  Kynglouy and CozyPols, Freddie Gambini, and Insvne Auggie from 2022—dissected the perils and trials of growing up and finding one’s place in the world. 2023 was an equally experimental year for the singer, who explored the motions of romance on “Patience,” emphasizing the need for understanding and shared interest. 

Since then, love has continued to play an integral role in Moffy’s career, shaping his artistic output, and that direction comes into focus on 2024’s “Care For Me,” a balmy declaration of love that features fellow rising singer, Loise. Following “Care For Me,” the singer dipped into his collaborative bag, working with Romeo Swag on the Azonto-influenced “Wo” and Notse on the highlife-inflected “Mariana.” That streak for working with others has carried over into 2026: on “COMPANY,” he’s joined by Darkua for a sweeping declaration of romance while September’s “STAY” with  Marince Omario and KOO Junior is a highlife-leaning highlight that sees Moffy come into his own – Wale Oloworekende

Ossi Grace

For Fans Of: Asa, Tracy Chapman, and Sade.

Ossi Grace makes lifting music that blends Soul, R&B, and Alternative Pop with personal songwriting. Her deep and expressive voice moves between stories of romantic attachment, heartbreak, and self-discovery, set against warm, lo-fi synths, subdued guitars, and elastic rhythms. Raised in Lagos, the Nigerian singer-songwriter grew up listening to artists like Tracy Chapman, Rihanna, and Fela Kuti. Rather than conform to expectations of what Nigerian music should sound like, she draws on these varied influences to create music that reflects her experiences.

Ossi’s career began behind the scenes as a songwriter before she stepped into the spotlight. In 2022, she featured on “Crazy” from M.I. Abaga’s album ‘The Guy.’ However, she wasn’t ready to pursue a solo career and spent time figuring out her sound while working other jobs, including as a personal assistant. Encouragement from someone who gave her access to a studio eventually pushed her to take her own music seriously. In 2024, she released “Reason,” her debut solo single, which explores the fear of losing something good when life has made it difficult to find happiness.

Her subsequent releases, including “Ocean” and “FA” in 2025, showed different sides of her songwriting. “Ocean” centres on the gradual growth of love, while “FA” takes a more playful approach, capturing confidence, friendship and the excitement of a night out. Together, the songs offer a glimpse of the different moods and experiences that shape her music. In October 2025, Grace brought these ideas together on her 11-track debut EP, ‘In A Hopeless Place.’ Produced by contributors including PGRSHN, Mojam and Remy Baggins, the project moves between soulful ballads and rhythm-driven tracks, exploring romantic attachment, mistakes and the decision to choose oneself. 

Songs such as “I Remember” look back on relationships and the role pride can play in their breakdown, while “Love Like This” reflects a changing attitude towards love and retaliation. The title also draws on her experiences of living in Nigeria, where everyday difficulties can make it hard to remain hopeful. Its blue-toned visual identity draws on Lagos nightlife, which Ossi describes with characteristic candour: “I’m a moody girl, I like to have a good time, but in Lagos, sometimes a good time isn’t bright,” she told DEEDS. 

The EP earned her a place on Apple Music’s Africa Rising programme in late 2025, followed by inclusion in Record of the Day’s Ones To Watch 2026. In August 2026, she appeared alongside British artist DC on “Halo’s Fade,” a UK garage-influenced track on his mixtape, ‘All Things Can Be True.’ After years of developing her craft behind the scenes, Ossi is building a catalogue that combines soulful production, personal storytelling and a sound shaped by her own experiences. – Naomi Kuete

mwami

For Fans Of: tg.blk, Nia Archives, and Kaytranada

mwami is one of those rare artists who feels like they’re working five minutes ahead of everyone else. Hailing from Kampala, they first blew open the doors with “Rektless” and their 2019 EP ‘protean,’ introducing a sound that was immediately difficult to pin down. One minute, you’re listening to Alternative Rap; the next, it’s hypnotic Afro-Electro, all held together by a curiosity that runs through everything they make. What makes mwami so magnetic is the entire universe they build around their music, one that exists somewhere between film and visual art. They do it all. The Ugandan artist is completely dialled into their own frequency, approaching creativity with an open mind and pulling from different corners of culture to create a sound and aesthetic that feel entirely their own. 

Growing up in Kampala, mwami was exposed to a wide range of music. Their father worked in broadcasting, their mother introduced them to ’90s classics, while their older brother opened the door to Hip-Hop. These influences gave them an expansive musical vocabulary, which they have continued to develop through their own experiments. They have also spoken about South African rapper Riky Rick as an important influence, particularly his ability to move between music and visual storytelling.

That interest in world-building also informs their collaborative work. On ‘EA OPEN,’ their 2024 EP with Tai Dai and Agent Mgumbe, mwami brought together different creative perspectives from East Africa, reflecting a wider interest in the connections between artists across the region. They’re not trying to fit into a genre; they’re simply documenting their world, and it sounds incredible. For mwami, music is a starting point for something much bigger. There is an evident interest in the possibilities of creative expression, and they seem just as invested in the world surrounding their songs as the songs themselves. This creative ambition makes them a brilliant figure and one of the most vital forces in East Africa’s underground creative surge. – Melony Akpoghene

1DRAG

For Fans of: Zaylevelten

More often than not, all it takes is one drag to know if something is good shit. 1DRAG seems to understand this, adopting a stage name that promises listeners a little of his music is enough to get them hooked. With just a handful of releases to his name, the Lagos-based singer and rapper is already turning heads with his eccentric take on Afropop, twisting words and bending flows in ways that give his music a truly one-of-a-kind feel.

Take “Sit Down,” for example, his second official single. Yxrrboyy’s bouncy, skeletal beat sets the stage for the self-christened gbedunacho, whose unconventional flow initially seems at odds with the production before its offbeat cadences begin to settle into a rhythm of their own. It’s this knack for finding a groove in seemingly awkward pockets that gives his music much of its appeal.

Released in late 2025, his debut single, “Camera Roll,” offered an early glimpse of this unconventional approach to rhythm. Since then, he’s picked up the pace, releasing the aforementioned “Sit Down” alongside other singles like “Yanga,” “Red Bottom Freestyle,” featuring Bigg Bobbyy, and the two-pack ‘1dragnot2.’ His latest single, “Dearly,” featuring fellow emerging act pa1n, offers another glimpse of his developing sound. By bringing his eccentric style into conversation with other artists, 1DRAG is beginning to explore its possibilities, making him an intriguing artist to watch as his catalogue grows. – Boluwatife Adeyemi