Listen to ‘Under The Moon’, the debut EP from Chi Virgo
“I really want ‘Under the Moon’ to be an introduction to my style – it’s my way of saying ‘Hi I’m here, I’ve finally arrived!’"
She’s in the pages of Dazed China for Valentino, i-D for Mowalola, she’s one of 1xBlue’s favourite faces and a proud Eytys ambassador. Chi Virgo has always loved modelling – one of her childhood hobbies included parading around in oversized heels (belonging to her mother) – but living out her childhood fantasies doesn’t end with all-day shoots commencing at the crack of dawn. The young Rachel (nicknamed Rachie from which we get ‘Chi’) would be proud and excited to see that her solo singing performances to small but supportive crowd of her mum’s friends would morph into an exciting career as a recording artist. Today, Rachel would be bubbling off the excitement of releasing of her debut body of work, ‘Under The Moon‘.
To those who are familiar with Chi Virgo, the first two tracks on the EP, “Bored” and “Bye Bye” shouldn’t be unfamiliar to you, as these were both released as singles this year. Opening up with the disgruntled fuck-buddy anthem, “Bored”, and followed up by the moodier-toned “Bye Bye“ – where Chi waves goodbye to a toxic ex – ‘Under The Moon‘ explores different stages in a romantic entanglement. On “Trip”, Chi Virgo invites hip hop leaning 808s and whispered adlibs to illustrate the excited hopefulness she finds in the infant stages of the relationship, whilst “Bored” sees Chi toying around with a broken play thing, for no reason other than she has nothing better to do. “Bye Bye” delivers a new, cutting adaptation of the ‘you’re better off’ break up message, as Chi sings, “I’m calling it quits because you need to learn, you need to feel that burn,” and the project closer puts an end to all that childhood folly, as Chi proclaims she’s “On To The Next”.
A soulful singer with a rather glamorous set of pipes, Chi Virgo’s debut EP is a mere four tracks, averaging three minutes each making the extended play less than a quarter of an hour. Given it’s wanting length, “On To The Next” is a hopeful title and song, that Chi Virgo fans, no doubt increasing in number after this project, have more to expect from the rising star. Speaking with NATIVE about the EP, Chi Virgo reveals that the last song she made on the project, “Trip” was completed a year and a half ago and “Bye Bye”, one of the first songs Chi ever wrote, was the only song that was retained on ‘Under The Moon‘ as its tracklist juggled over the years. After the long road, Chi Virgo is mostly excited to get “On To The Next”, she tell us, “I’m excited because it means I can get to releasing more things, and hopefully more people will hear.“
“I really want ‘Under the Moon’ to be an introduction to my style – it’s my way of saying ‘Hi I’m here, I’ve finally arrived!’”
Featured Image Credits: Chi Virgo/Instagram
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Asake Links With Tiakola On Gritty “BADMAN GANSTA”
Another step towards ‘Money,’ his fourth
Street-pop star, Asake, has released a surprise new single titled “BADMAN GANSTA.” Produced by super producer, P.Priime, the single, Asake’s second of the year, arrives with a crisp black and white feature and a stellar guest verse from French rapper and singer Tiakola.
The singer posted the full music video–a monochromatic montage of dazzling shots and scenes of his opulent lifestyle–across his different social media handles on Thursday evening, July 24, with a caption that read, ‘The World Of Money.’
Earlier in June, the ex-YBNL star announced a new album titled ‘Money.’ A few months before that, he released a loosie titled “Military” and then “WHY LOVE,” his first official single under his new imprint Giran Republic. “Military” served as a bookend to the first arc of his impressive career as much as an announcement of a new era, while “WHY LOVE” officially kicked off season two.
Following the release of “WHY LOVE,” Asake has also featured on songs like Olamide’s “99,” J Hus’ “Gold”, and Young Jonn’s “Che Che,” delivering standout verses that favour a melodious, laid-back approach as opposed to the spirited, fast-paced style that earned him success early on. “BADMAN GANSTA” also excels with this approach, as Asake’s melodious musings about his current lifestyle dovetail nicely with Tiakola’s equally sturdy verse over a plush beat that samples Amerie’s 2005 classic “1 Thing.”
With Asake releasing three albums in as many years, it’s not unreasonable to assume ‘Money’ might arrive before the end of the year. There’s also the possibility that he might be willing to take his time a little more now, seeing as he his under his imprint now.
Whatever the case may be, ‘Money’ is likely to arrive sooner rather than later, and it will be fascinating to see what other aces Asake has up his sleeves.
Listen to “BADMAN GANSTA” here.
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Ayra Starr Releases Her Sizzling Anthem, “Hot Body”
An 11th-hour summer anthem for the
Ayra Starr has released her highly anticipated single “Hot Body.”
The Mavin popstar has been teasing the new single for a few weeks now, posting multiple promotional videos across social media that built up significant excitement for her third official release of the year. The release of “Hot Body” comes on the heels of recent reports that confirmed the Grammy-nominated singer had officially joined Roc Nation’s roster, the American music label, entertainment, and sports services company founded by rapper and business mogul JAY-Z.
Earlier in February, Ayra Starr shared “All The Love,” a sumptuous Afropop ballad produced by labelmate Johnny Drille and Teemode, before releasing the sleek and sensual Wizkid-assisted “Gimmie Dat” about months later. In that time period, the singer picked up two awards at the 2025 MOBO Awards for Best African Music Act and Best International Act before also clinching her first BET award for Best International Act in June.
It was recently announced that the pop singer would be joining Coldplay on the UK leg of their Music Of The Spheres World Tour between August to September, and her impressive year continues with the release of “Hot Body.” Once again, teaming up with close collaborator Ragee and UK production duo The Elements, Ayra Starr manages to deliver a sweetly erotic summer jam that’s sure to elicit plenty lip-biting, hip gyrating, and flirty winks. “Look what a hot body can do,” she sings repeatedly, almost like an enchantress performing a magic trick.
With her current deal with Mavin and Universal Music still running and the recent confirmation of her management deal with Roc Nation, it’s safe to assume that “Hot Body” might garner significant momentum both at home and abroad. Outside of her music, the singer recently wrapped up the shooting of the film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone which is reportedly set for release in early 2027.
Listen to “Hot Body” here.
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Zulo Details His Evolution On New ‘Z’ EP
Packed with his reflections on faith, love, and cultural pride, ‘Z’ distills ZULO’s thoughts into a...
ZULO is no stranger to reinvention. Formerly known as Lil Trix, the rapper rose through the ranks with a series of gritty mixtapes that chronicled his upbringing, thrills, and connection to the community. Since his rebrand, he’s steadily grown into a renowned voice in South African Hip-Hop, regarded for his storytelling, cultural homage, and genre fusion.
Three years after the release of ‘Talk To Me Naace,’ his reintroduction to the scene, ZULO has returned with ‘Z,’ a three-track EP that shows a glimpse of his evolution as an artist and human. Packed with his reflections on faith, love, and cultural pride, ‘Z’ distills ZULO’s thoughts into a refined sound that’s bold, emotional, and distinctly South African.
The three-tracker opens with “God’s Armour,” a gospel-inflected protest anthem layered with brass and trap drums. It is followed by “Sweeter Success,” an infectious Afropop-inspired groove built around a nostalgic sample of UPZ’s iconic “Pure Surprise”. Beneath its shine lies a darker message: the emotional cost of ambition, the toll of always pushing for more. ZULO produced the track himself, with additional production from Miglow and SpiceDrums.
‘Z’ closes with “Spaan”, a gritty street anthem that samples Kamazu and confronts addiction, poverty, and the lingering scars of apartheid through the lens of coloured identity. “These songs are battle cries and war journals,” ZULO says. “‘Z’ is everything I’ve fought through to stand where I am. The EP follows a strong run of 2024 singles, including “Adawise,” “JOL,” “Garden,” and “Smaak To Love (Lamza).”
Listen to ‘Z’ here.
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