african music
As artists and fans from across the globe are flocking to the desert for this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, African music is set to make its biggest splash yet. South Africa’s Tyla, Nigeria’s Rema and Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and Ghana’s Amaarae will take over the festival this weekend and next. […]
Rema is ready to get Coachella weekend one started with his new Afro-R&B single “Bout U,” which he released on Thursday (April 10). Produced by Rema and London, the intoxicating track finds Rema infatuated by the one he dubs his favorite girl in the world, with a subtle nod to Megan Thee Stallion‘s 2020 hit […]
Tyla has bars. In her recent Nylon cover story, the South African singer revealed that she’s made “full-on rap songs” and plans to share one with fans someday. When asked if she had a specific pop star she wanted to emulate as a kid, Tyla answered that while she didn’t idolize one specific person, she […]
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Tyla is now the face of of Pandora. The “Push 2 Star” singer has been named Pandora’s newest ambassador and is […]
It’s the end of March, and suddenly it’s already a quarter of the way through 2025. How did that happen? We’re not sure, but there’s been plenty of good music from Africa to get us through so far.
After collaborating with Nigerian superstar Burna Boy and renowned Ghanaian producer GuiltyBeatz, Jorja Smith gets (back) together with South African DJ/producers Major League Djz on the hypnotic Afro house banger “Come With Me.” And alté producer Genio Bambino has been helping rising Nigerian stars from DEELA to Moyoswlrd cultivate their sound — with the latter recently releasing her eclectic eight-track EP First Ep!c.
Not only that, but a couple of veterans return with new albums — particularly Ruger and Joeboy, both of whom have singles that made the cut this month — while now-reliable hitmakers Khaid and Young Jonn also put out new tracks worth hearing.
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We’ve highlighted 10 of our favorite new songs by African acts that have come out roughly within the last month. Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and enjoy some springtime tunes with our Spotify playlist below.
NSG, “A.L.Y.B.H.B.”
British Afroswing collective NSG knows we’re about to be outside bumping “A.L.Y.B.H.B.,” from its latest album The Big 6. The irresistible track’s singalong “hey, ho!” and titular “act like you’ve been here before!” chants, paired with LP producer 4Play’s groovy, sun-soaked rhythm, is sure to become the next go-to banger at day parties this spring and summer.
Efosa & Sparbz, “SKIN”
British-Nigerian singer-songwriter Efosa and his right-hand producer/manager Sparbz heat things up again on their latest sexy number “SKIN.” “Your waistline tells a story/ Whine on me till the night’s complete/ Lemme whisper in your ear/ ‘Baby, leave with me,’” Efosa croons in the second verse. His soothing voice draws listeners dangerously close, while Sparbz’s spine-chilling synth riffs heighten the erotic sensation.
Moyoswrld, Mofe. & Genio Bambino, “Pocket Money”
Alté artist Moyoswrld links with one of the scene’s most esteemed producers, Genio Bambino, and viral “Prince of Egypt” singer Mofe. on the kaleidoscopic “Pocket Money” cut from her latest EP First Ep!c. Moyoswlrd and Mofe. swap verses about being deep in their bag over Genio and Zamir’s frenetic production, characterized by laser beam-like synths and a booming bassline that makes listeners feel like they’re zooming through the track’s one-minute, 23-second runtime.
Kelvyn Boy, “Break It”
Ghanaian Afropop star Kelvyn Boy is getting the baddies to “Break It” down for him on this sensual dancefloor-filler. If your name is Ayisha, Kilisha, Amina, Abena, Maria or Monica, you better “go down (break it)” to Anel Worldwide’s bouncy beat, like Kelvyn Boy calls them out to do on the chorus.
Major League DJz feat. Jorja Smith, “Come With Me”
Jorja Smith is no stranger to collaborating with African musicians, from showing off her chemistry with Burna Boy on the sensual “Gum Body” from his 2018 album African Giant and the sweltering 2019 single “Be Honest” to linking with GuiltyBeatz on the slinky “All Of This” in 2021 (which South African DJ/producers like Major League Djz remixed).
So it comes as no surprise that the soulful English singer reunited with Major League Djz on “Come With Me.” The amapiano ambassadors trade their signature sound for an Afro house-focused approach, while Smith anchors the buoyant track with her comforting, resonant vocals. “We knew we wanted to step into the electronic space in a way that still felt authentic to who we are, and this track was the perfect balance,” Major League Djz says in a press release, adding that the duo had “been wanting to work with Jorja on an original track for a while and now the timing feels perfect.”
Khaid, “FOR YOU”
Still young, Khaid has cornered the market in super-melodic Afropop with a string of extremely catchy singles over the past few years, and “FOR YOU” adds to that lineage with a breezy paean to a lover who remains just out of reach. The song’s video seems to position it as one designed to showcase, or kick off, a dance craze — but the young singer’s vocals are just as enticing, hopefully heralding a new full project from him.
Ruger, “Toro (A Colors Show)”
The “Asiwaju” hitmaker’s voice is one of the most distinctive on the scene right now, with his almost understated delivery sometimes overshadowing his lyricism. But here it’s the overall melodies that shine through, similar to some of his bigger singles, as he leans into the laid-back vibe to croon over the hook rather than delving too deep into the topic of a broken relationship.
Zlatan feat. FOLA, “Get Better”
A contemplative cut that is almost a prayer over the understated production, the track centers largely on FOLA’s plaintive hook, which buffers Zlatan’s more aspirational and energetic verses. The two blend voices effortlessly near the end, and produce another step forward in each of their respective careers.
Joeboy, “Taxi Driver”
Joeboy’s latest album, Viva Lavida, picks up where his 2023 effort Body & Soul left off, showcasing the Nigerian singer’s silky smooth voice and layered vocal production. This track is a standout on what is generally another great album from him, with features from the legend Olamide and rising voice Qing Madi, among others, and this one layers a classic Afrobeats drum pattern with a plodding groove, letting his voice lead the charge.
Young Jonn, “Only Fans”
At this point, the super-producer has fully made the successful transition to leading artist, with his 2024 Jiggy Forever album pulling together the long string of bangers he’s released into one cohesive place last year. “Only Fans” now continues that streak with an almost luxurious new hit, more in the pocket than some of his more uptempo songs like “Sharpally” and “Xtra Cool,” but one that serves as a deserved victory lap given the past decade of Jonn’s work. Performing as an artist now, in addition to his lauded production, he’s here to stay.
Doja Cat is the first headliner to be revealed for Hey Neighbour festival in South Africa this summer, marking the star’s first time performing in her motherland. The three-day festival will be held at Legends Adventure Farm in Pretoria, South Africa from August 29-31. Kendrick Lamar, Khalid, The Chainsmokers, Swedish House Mafia and H.E.R. performed […]
In the summer of 2023, Tyla made a massive splash with her Billboard Hot 100 top 10 popiano smash, “Water.” But that turned out to be just a hint of what the South African star was capable of — and in March 2024, she released her acclaimed self-titled debut album, a showcase for her expert fusion of amapiano, Afrobeats, pop and R&B.
That same month, she was forced to cancel her debut Coachella set and first headlining international tour in the wake of a back injury. But no setback could stop Tyla, 23, from shining in the global spotlight. She ditched her aquatic motif for a sand-sculpted Balmain gown for her debut at the Met Gala in New York last May, and this year, she’ll join A-listers like André 3000 and Usher as a member of the Costume Institute Benefit Host Committee as the event honors Black style. In October, she performed her song “Push 2 Start” for the first time at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show; the sweltering reggae-infused track from the deluxe version of Tyla, released just days before, became her second Hot 100 entry.
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Following her historic 2024 Grammy Award win — when “Water” took home the inaugural best African music performance trophy, making her the youngest-ever African artist to win a Grammy — Tyla picked up more hardware at the BET Awards, Billboard Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. And this year’s Women in Music Impact honoree remains determined to spotlight African music and bring her native South African amapiano to the world’s biggest stages while dispelling the notion that she, and all African artists, only make “Afrobeats” music. Case in point: Come April, Tyla will finally play Coachella.
“The fact that what I’ve been doing has impacted people all over the world, especially African artists, is special,” she says.
You’ve been very vocal while winning “Afrobeats” awards. Is it hard to relish those victories when your music is being mislabeled?
It’s still an honor because I do use Afrobeats’ influence in my music. I represent Africa as a whole. Genre is so fluid, so it’s become difficult to categorize it. If people see it as the influence that the artist is using in their music getting its recognition, it’ll help more [with perceptions], rather than being like, “This person is not that.”
Who are the women who’ve been the most influential in your life as an artist?
Tems is a big one. What she’s been able to do has been very inspiring. Britney [Spears], Whitney Houston, Aaliyah.
What performance that you’ve done in the past year have you found most impactful?
The shows I did back home [in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria]. I haven’t really done much there since everything has happened [with “Water” blowing up]. Those were the biggest headlining shows I’ve ever had. It was fun being able to have that much control over the stage, the dancing, the lighting, the song arrangements. It was really cool to create something from scratch and give home a whole show that I’ve never been able to give them.
What else do you have in store for 2025?
New album. I’ve changed a lot in a short amount of time because I was kind of forced to with how fast I had to adapt to everything. I don’t think it’s going to be the same energy [as Tyla] at all, especially with what I’ve started making. It’s different, but also still Tyla.
This story appears in the March 22, 2025, issue of Billboard.
Billboard is expanding its Rookie of the Month interview series by highlighting rising stars from more genres like dance and rock. But the new crop of artists emerging out of the African continent have continued making it clearer that their music can exist beyond the borders of “Afrobeats” and should not be broadly and lackadaisically labeled as such. “It has African intonations in it,” Tems said of her genre-bending music during her Women in Music interview last year.
Like Tems, many African artists have discovered one-of-a-kind ways to express themselves that cannot fit into one box while staying true to their roots. And Billboard is dedicating a spotlight to them through our new African Rookie of the Month series, which Odeal and Qing Madi kicked off in January and February, respectively, and Taves is continuing in March.
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Taves’ drive to make music that transcends genre and geographical borders and touches people started out with a long one.
The 21-year-old Nigerian artist (real name Toluwanimi Aluko) discovered Aṣa during long road trips with his father from Ibadan, where Taves grew up starting at the age of eight, to his birthplace of Port Harcourt, where his father continued living and working. Inspired by her signature guitar, Taves took up the instrument. And listening to heartfelt lyricists like Ed Sheeran and Khalid “programmed my brain to look for deeper meaning when it comes to songwriting,” he tells Billboard.
While he was studying computer science at the Ibadan International School, he also studied a melting pot of genres while recording his own demos on his phone. “I don’t think I met any conventional Afrobeats artists. Everybody was on something different, whether it be R&B or pop or soul music,” says Taves. “They would still be speaking Yoruba or Pidgin in their songs, but that might have been the only thing that connected it back to Afrobeats. There was a lot of experimentation, and it was very beautiful to see.”
His brother got him into the studio for the first time in 2019, when he dropped his debut EP The Nest: First Day Out, followed by 2020’s 17 and 2021’s 18. Taves later began posting covers of popular Afrobeats tracks like Ayra Starr and CKay’s “Beggie Beggie” and Lojay’s “Moto” that felt more like open verse challenges rather than straight-forward covers. But his buzzworthy rendition of BNXN’s 2022 single “For Days” became a turning point in his career when it caught the attention of the original singer. They met less than a week later, which Taves describes as “one of the coolest moments of my whole life,” and eventually signed to BNXN’s label To Your Ears Entertainment. “He is the best thing that has happened to my ears for a while now. A BREATH OF FRESH AIR,” BNXN posted on X in 2023.
That same year, Taves scored a deal with Atlantic Records UK and a feature on BNXN’s debut studio album Sincerely, Benson. But he says that “a lot of people heard my music for the first time” last spring with “Folake,” an ‘80s synthpop-meets-R&B ballad, with undeniable influence from The Weeknd, that’s since become his biggest hit to date.
“What keeps me alive as a creative is always finding the next thing to try. Because I love trying new things, especially when it comes to genres,” says Taves. “I’m introducing people to a new sound I’m trying to craft. It’s not Afrobeats. It’s not whatever genre it is. It’s a new third thing.”
His EP Are You Listening?, which was released last July, finds Taves fine-tuning his mélange of Afropop, R&B, soul and folk and suave melodies paired with romantic songwriting, while paying homage to Aṣa on the album cover by featuring the vinyl edition of her 2007 self-titled LP. And Taves linked back up with his label boss on the swaggering standout track “CWT” (which stands for “Certified Walking Testimony”), which Wizkid was a fan of.
Billboard spoke with March’s African Rookie of the Month about signing to BNXN’s label following his viral “For Days” cover, the hardest part about making his latest EP Are You Listening? and being called “the Nigerian Weeknd.”
When did you know music was your calling?
Probably when I was eight or nine years old. There’s this artist that I’ve loved listening to since I was young, Aṣa. She plays the guitar. That’s pretty much her trademark. I taught myself how to play the guitar when I was nine. I didn’t even know I could sing at the time. I just wanted to do anything to be like her. That’s pretty much when I knew that this would be my thing.
How did you discover her music?
My dad and I used to go on really long road trips because he worked far away in another state. He played a lot of old music, and at the time, her music was hot, current. I don’t really remember a lot of the other songs, but the ones that he played from Aṣa are stuck in my brain.
Outside of Aṣa, who are some of your other favorite artists whom you grew up listening to?
Ed Sheeran, Khalid, Passenger. I never really listened to Afrobeats music when I was younger. I don’t have a lot of people I look up to in that space, from that time. I do now. I could say Wizkid, though, ‘cause my siblings used to listen to his music a lot — and it was nice, it was sweet.
What kind of music do you listen to now?
I like country music, because of Post Malone and Shaboozey, [that’s] what I’m on mostly now. Obviously, The Weeknd, pop music. I don’t really listen to conventional rap. I like trap music, though. And obviously Afrobeats.
How did you transition from covering other artists’ songs to singing your own?
There was a point where I was singing their songs in my own way, but then transitioned into writing a verse. It turned into what it would sound like if I was on this song. I used to write songs when I was young, so it was like practice. I just did it for fun. I wasn’t expecting anything to come out of it. It was very easy for me to transition from doing covers of people’s songs to writing and recording my own songs.
You signed to BNXN’s label To Your Ears Entertainment after you covered his song “For Days” in 2022. How did you two initially connect, and what is your working relationship like with him?
I posted the cover on a Sunday night, and then we met five days after. I was really excited to meet him because I was the biggest fan, and he wanted to meet me because he had plans for me after seeing that cover. That was one of the coolest moments of my whole life. He’s like my big brother, he’s still my OG.
What’s the best piece of advice he’s given you?
I wasn’t used to hate on the internet, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I saw a comment that came out of nowhere, somebody that wanted to ruin my day — or if they were having a bad day, they wanted everybody to have a bad day. I sent it to [BNXN] and was like, “I don’t understand what I did for this person to say this to me.”
He first asked me how it made me feel, and I told him I was confused and kind of upset. Then he told me, “These people that are talking about you online, they only work with what you’re giving them. I don’t think there’s any situation where any artist gives 100% of themselves for the whole world to see. They don’t know you. They’re just going off of what they’re seeing, and the additional hate that they have in their hearts.” That’s how he takes it, and why he never lets it bother him. That really helped me, because now anytime I see negative comments, it’s funny.
Your 2023 single “Eleyele” caught the attention of Atlantic Records UK, where you eventually signed. Why was that the right decision for you?
It was the right decision for me because as much as I love where I’m from, and I’m always going to rep where I’m from, at the time and even up until now, our interests aligned. Everybody was of the opinion that we needed to take what we were doing here, what I was making and what the whole team was doing, and take it out into the world. It couldn’t just be confined to where we are. Nigeria is a very beautiful place, and I love Nigeria, but I wanted more than that. And they wanted more for me as well after hearing my music. It just worked.
Take me back through the making of your latest EP Are You Listening?
I started working on it December of 2023. The name Are You Listening? came from my stylist Fadil, he’s part of my creative team. We were bouncing ideas back and forth and then he just said it. At the time, it didn’t really stick in my head, but I was writing down everything that was being said. When I got back home and was going over [my notes], it’s the one that jumped off the screen for me. It represented everything that I was trying to say with the project.
Song selection was the hardest part. I knew what I wanted the theme of the project to be, so making music in that direction was not really an issue. There was a lot of back-and-forth when it came to recording and the mixes. But [with] the song selection, there were many clashing views about what would work and what wouldn’t work. But we all were satisfied with the final product that came out. That was one of the most interesting processes of my life, because I’ve put projects together before, but I’ve never had any outside opinions because I was independent for the longest time. There are more people that have more experience than I have that are giving me input, so it helps me make an informed decision.
I read in your Deeds Magazine interview that the project was originally titled Homecoming and set to be released in February 2023. What happened? Did you scrap that project and make Are You Listening? from scratch? Or was it a redirection of the project you had already been working on?
I scrapped that project because none of the songs that were supposed to be on that Homecoming project ended up on Are You Listening? And Are You Listening? had more songs than I had originally planned for Homecoming. It just wasn’t the right time. In the moment, I had issues with patience. I just wanted [Homecoming] done and out. I felt like I had a lot of stuff to prove, so I just wanted to rush through it.
But it didn’t work out; there was always some obstacle. “Eleyele” was supposed to be on that project, but that was the only song that dropped off the project. All the other ones are still on my phone. They haven’t dropped. I had to hold off for more opportunities to find me before I finally took that step. I’ve grown a lot since then.
In the Apple Music description of the EP, you said you “listened to The Weeknd a lot” when you were making your 2024 hit “Folake.” What inspires you the most about his music? Is it true that people call you “the Nigerian Weeknd”?
They do. I don’t really get that, to be honest. I don’t hear it. It might be the instrumental of “Folake” that makes people say that, that might be the only similarity in my music and his that people hear. There are other things that I’ve taken from The Weeknd for inspiration, like songwriting. I love the way he writes his songs. There’s nobody that does it like that.
At the time, I was listening to a lot of his music, and the thing with me is if I’m listening to a certain genre of music, I love taking my time to digest it and texting my producer, “Yo, I heard this song and it’s so cool. You should listen to this album, that album, and then we should get in the studio and see if we can do something in that direction.” I was having fun, and that’s how that song came about.
You also wrote that “Apology” “is one of the only songs where I’ve been able to put what happened in a certain situation down exactly as it happened, and the way it made me feel.” How were you able to open up in “Apology” in a way you hadn’t really with most of your songs?
The session I did I originally did not want to do because I was in Ghana for a Warner Music writing camp. I had just come from doing sessions all day, so I was pretty exhausted. My manager invited this producer Saszy [Afroshii] [because] he wanted us to work together. I was like, “Man, I’m tired. I just want to fall asleep.” She still pulled up anyway, so I was like, “Alright, cool. Let’s do it. We can put some ideas down.” I wasn’t prepared and I was super exhausted, so all my barriers that I normally have up were down when it comes to saying things a certain way.
On “Apology,” I’m saying it exactly how it is. I wasn’t trying to be clever. I wasn’t trying to use any kind of word play or symbolism. I was just saying how it happened. And that’s very rare for me, personally, because it takes me a while to get over major situations in my life. It was still pretty fresh in my mind, so it was very easy for me to just lay it all out. We finished that song there and then. The only thing that we added on later was the choir, but we finished that song [in] an hour max, so two hours [total] to finish.
Not only are you Billboard’s African Rookie of the Month, but you’re also up for Rookie of the Year at the 2025 Headies. What does that title mean to you?
It means I’m doing something right and I’m one of the new kids on the block, which I am to some extent. I’ve been making music for almost six years now, but I just had my moment last year and [there are] still a lot of moments to come this year, hopefully. I was super excited when I saw I had been nominated, but it still hasn’t really hit me what it means. All I know is something has to be clicking for them to see me and think this guy is one of the people that potentially deserves this award. Even the people I’m nominated with are some of the craziest artists out in Nigeria right now. It’s an honor to even have my name in the conversation.
What’s been the biggest “pinch me” moment of your career so far?
I met Burna Boy and he invited me to his house. Burna Boy is him. He’s one of the biggest African artists, not just right now, in history. Every time something like that happens, it’s like, “I have to be doing something right.” There’s that, there’s being nominated for the award, there’s that cover I did to BNXN’s song and he loved it so much that we started working together and we’ve been working together ever since.
I think that Burna Boy moment was insane, because we used to listen to Burna Boy when I was still in university, and we were seeing all these things happen in real time – dropping his Outside album and then Twice as Tall, doing all these stadium shows. Somebody who is at that level in this music thing that we’re all trying to do, telling me, “Oh, I like what you are doing. You should come to the house sometime.” Man, it blew my mind.
How did you and Eric Bellinger collaborate on “Backtrack” from his 2024 album It’ll All Make Sense Later?
My manager [Kolawole Omoboriowo] was an A&R on Eric’s project. They were looking for certain features [because] he wanted to make an Afrobeats album. My manager sent me a couple of the songs that they were working on, but “Backtrack” is one that really stood out to me – the way he was singing, the melodies, what he was talking about. It was super easy for me to blend on that. I did that, he loved it, and I ended up going on the album. We didn’t meet up until last month in L.A., but we’ve been talking over the phone. Eric is really cool, he’s the nicest guy you will ever meet — because you can tell that he really, really loves the music that he makes. It’s nice to have his energy around.
You posted on Instagram last month that you and Bas linked in the studio. How did that happen?
That was really crazy because I’m a huge Bas fan since I heard the Dreamville project a couple years ago. And there’s this song that Bas has with Ayra Starr on the Creed III soundtrack. Apparently, he was a fan of me, too. So it was really easy for us to blend and work together. We made a couple cool records. He and my manager had been talking, and Bas was telling my manager that he was a fan of my music. And my manager didn’t know that I like Bas as much as I do, so when he told me, I was like, “That’s very sick.” It was a very organic link. He’s such a nice guy. I love that he brings a whole new angle to the song.
Who would you love to collaborate with this year?
Lojay. I personally think he’s one of the best artists that have come out of Nigeria in a while. PinkPantheress. I’m such a fan. We could make some really cool stuff. Victony. His album last year might have been the best album that dropped out of Nigeria. There were so many crazy ones, but his really stood out. And if things go my way, because I feel like everybody in the industry would say this, but Rema is also one of my favorites.
What’s next for Taves in 2025?
A new project with a special twist, but I can’t let that be known right now. [It’s] an EP. It’s not album time yet, but everybody will know when it’s album time.
Wizkid announced on Wednesday (March 12) that he’ll be touring North America again with his latest studio album, Morayo. He posted a Morayo Tour Hotline promotional video on his Instagram, with various operators informing Wiz’s customers that his European dates (Berlin, Rotterdam and Paris) in May are selling out fast and one operator claiming, “People […]
African female artists have been killing it this month. A week after Ayra Starr dropped her new single “All the Love,” she became the first African female artist to win best international artist and first female artist to win best African music act in 16 years at the 2025 MOBO Awards. And Tems‘ record-breaking domination continues, with her becoming the first Nigerian to win two Grammys, after taking home the trophy for best African music performance with her “Love Me JeJe” single, becoming the first African woman to be involved in MLS ownership when she joined San Diego FC’s ownership group as a club partner, performing at Aston Martin’s 2025 F1 livery unveiling in London and becoming the first African female artist to have a song hit 1 billion Spotify streams with Future‘s “WAIT FOR U,” also featuring Drake.
Just days after Tems made Spotify history, Tyla became the first unaccompanied African soloist to enter Spotify’s Billions Club with her 2023 breakout smash “Water,” and she’s been making a major foray into the fashion world by covering British Vogue and signing an endorsement deal with Nike. And Qing Madi — who’s been featured on countless publications’ Artists to Watch lists this year, including Billboard‘s — asserts her dominance while diving deeper into the intricate matters of the heart with her debut album I Am the Blueprint. “You can tell that this is coming from a teenager, someone who’s lived a certain life and is trying to open her heart to the public,” she told Billboard in her recent African Rookie of the Month interview.
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British-Nigerian quiet storm icon Sade‘s power remains potent, as Rema sampled “Is it a Crime?” on his latest single “Baby (Is it a Crime),” which he confirmed was coming when he was photographed leaving Amoeba Records in Hollywood, Calif. with the English band’s Promise vinyl. “Baby (Is it a Crime)” peaked at No. 3 on U.S. Afrobeats Songs and No. 4 on World Digital Song Sales.
And there is plenty more that has happened in an action-packed month, with big new singles from the likes of Black Sherif, L.A.X., Shallipopi and an energetic new EP from Seyi Vibez, among others. We’ve highlighted 10 of our favorite new songs by African acts that have come out roughly within the last month. Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and catch a vibe with our Spotify playlist below.
Rema, “Baby (Is It a Crime)”
Three months after Rema set the internet ablaze with his sizzling snippet of “Baby (Is It a Crime)” — which samples Sade’s 1985 smooth jazz classic “Is it a Crime?” — he finally dropped the full single. Produced by P. Prime, Sade’s soulful, timeless vocals weave in with Rema’s suave, refreshing vocals in this sultry Afrobeats banger as he reminds his lover that he treasures her and will even shower her with treasures (“Buy you a Birkin matching my AP color,” he sings in the third verse). “I’m a huge fan of Sade. I like the peace her vocals give me. I was just in the studio, and I talked to my boy like, ‘Let’s see how we sample some of her stuff.’ Played around with a couple of stuff until we found this one,” the Heis hitmaker told Complex on the 2025 Grammys red carpet.
Qing Madi, “Feeling Alright”
Qing Madi expresses unwavering love on her “Feeling Alright” standout track from her debut album I Am the Blueprint. As a young woman navigating money and fame, Madi reflects how much heedfulness and resilience romance requires over Wademix and Ozediku’s feelgood production. “It’s an anthem about loyalty and the quiet strength found in standing by a friend or significant other, irrespective of the circumstances,” she explained on Instagram.
Beeztrap KOTM, Sarkodie & Kwesi Arthur, “BANG BANG BANG”
Beeztrap KOTM makes the club go “BANG BANG BANG” with fellow Ghanaian rappers Sarkodie and Kwesi Arthur. He interpolates R. Kelly’s 1996 Grammy-winning hit “I Believe I Can Fly” while flaunting his larger-than-life moves, and Sarkodie and Arthur’s distinct flows float over Kwame Agger’s spirited drill production.
Lojay, “Somebody Like You”
Lojay – who earned his first Grammy nomination this year for best African music performance with Chris Brown’s “Sensational,” also featuring Davido – searches for a different kind of validation by chasing “Somebody Like You,” the first single from his forthcoming debut album. His “Monalisa” collaborator Sarz’s sublime Afropop production sets up Lojay’s “Summertime in Abuja” opening line as he reminisces on past heartbreak and clings on to “the hope of healing and finding love again,” he said in a press release.
Ruger, “Jay Jay”
Ruger likens his slick, Lothario schemes to Nigerian football legend Augustine Azuka “Jay-Jay” Okocha’s Machiavellian dribbling and stepover tactics on his new single “Jay Jay.” The Afropop star cautions any girl who’s trying to get with him that he’s only here for a good time, not a long time, especially with the first lyric: “If ah girl worry me, I delete her/ Put her inside the bin bag.” But his right-hand producer Kukbeatz’s playful beat complements Ruger’s tongue-in-cheek bad boy nature.
Seyi Vibez, “SHAOLIN”
The Nigerian street MC returned with an insistent new EP, Children of Africa, and “SHAOLIN” is the undeniable breakout of the set. The track is bursting at the seams with barely-contained energy, a microcosm of his entire career to this point, and it has a frantic video that accompanies it perfectly.
L.A.X., “Lockdown”
L.A.X.’s sound is always defined by its musicality, and the layered guitars and horns on this track continue that tradition. “Lockdown” itself is a song about the highs and lows of love and the depth of emotion that comes with it; as a singer, he’s defining his lane with each release, showcasing a feel for melody that sets him apart from many of his peers.
Black Sherif & Fireboy DML, “So It Goes”
Black Sherif has been on a heater with his singles lately, as he gears up for his forthcoming album IRON BOY, and this collaboration with Fireboy DML softens some of his rougher edges without losing the depth of feeling he manages to convey consistently. Fireboy’s melodic flow complements him perfectly, too, and the hook is a memorable addition to his growing catalog.
ODUMODUBLVCK & Victony, “PITY THIS BOY”
A track that shows off another side of ODUMODUBLVCK, who has so far in his career defined himself through frenetic energy and breakneck verses, “PITY THIS BOY” finds him taking a deep breath and sitting in the pocket more, showcasing the versatility in his flows. And Victony — who broke out with the distinctive earworm “Soweto” in the last few years — helps to underline that vibe; the two have some of the most recognizable voices in the world of African music right now, and this link up puts a spotlight on each of them.
Shallipopi, “Laho”
There’s something sinister yet alluring about the feel of “Laho,” a track that almost oozes and seeps into the consciousness. Shallipopi exudes cool over the beat, not trying to do too much with it, which is what makes the listener keep coming back for more. He’s one of the more creative talents on the scene right now, and just about every release is worth dissecting at this point.