State Champ Radio afrobeats
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AfroFuture, a global entertainment platform dedicated to celebrating the diverse culture and work of the African diaspora, and Bedrock will host AfroFuture Detroit this summer, Billboard can exclusively announce Monday (Feb. 3). The highly anticipated U.S. debut of the festival will take place on Aug. 16-17 at Bedrock’s Douglass Site, at the corner of Alfred […]
More African artists are coming for the global spotlight in 2025.
Qing Madi, who was featured on Billboard‘s 21 Under 21 list last year and has been featured on Spotify and Genius‘ 2025 Artists to Watch lists, readied fans for her debut album I Am the Blueprint, which dropped Friday (Jan. 31) with her romantic single “Akanchawa” arriving right in time for Valentine’s Day. Darkoo pays homage to P-Square and late 2000s Afrobeats on her new club jam “Focus on Me (All the Sexy Girls in the Club).” And Teni and Black Sherif get in their introspective bag with their new singles “Money” and “Lord I’m Amazed,” respectively.
We’ve also changed the name of our column from “Afrobeats Fresh Picks” to “African Fresh Picks,” to be more inclusive of artists coming out of the continent whose music exists beyond the borders of “Afrobeats.” While we’ve always featured African artists who’ve made alté, amapiano, highlife and more styles of music, we want that to be reflected in the title, too.
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 get the new year started with our Spotify playlist below.
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Darkoo, “Focus on Me (All the Sexy Girls in the Club)”
Following her frothy summer banger “Favourite Girl” — which is nominated for song of the year at the 2025 MOBO Awards — British-Nigerian singer Darkoo gets the new year and all the parties started with “Focus on Me (All the Sexy Girls in the Club.)” The infectious waist-whining anthem samples P-Square’s 2009 hit “Gimmie Dat” for a nostalgic Afrobeats vibe, while the accompanying music video pays homage to the iconic Nigerian duo’s 2007 “Do Me” visual.
Qing Madi, “Akanchawa”
Qing Madi is giving all her love to someone special on “Akanchawa,” which arrived before she released her debut album I Am the Blueprint today via JTON Music. “Akanchawa” is an Igbo word meaning “good hands” or “hands that bring good things,” and she’s beyond grateful to have this love come into her life. And Marvey’s mellifluous production enhances the sweetness of the song.
Nasty C, “For Certain”
Nasty C gave his fans “a little gift” at the end of 2024: the sizzling single “For Certain.” The South African rapper touts his cool factor while reflecting on the importance of legacy when he asks, “What is your reason for breathin’?” and “What you go leave when you leavin’?” in the first verse.
Mabel & King Promise, “All Over You”
After collaborating with Afroswing king Kojo Funds and Ghanaian rapper Black Sherif last year, Mabel teams up with Ghanian singer-songwriter King Promise on the tantalizing record “All Over You.” The duo craves an intimate exploration of one another, as Mabel sings, “That pillow talk is talking, please tell me some more/ Hands on mine, skin to skin, eye to eye.” As a fan of Asake’s right-hand producer Magicsticks, Mabel traveled to Lagos to make the song with him, according to a press release, and he makes his signature log drum-infused percussion and compelling crowd vocals loud and clear on “All Over You.”
DeJ Loaf, Runtown & Libianca, “Up Or Down”
Def Loaf recruits Nigerian singer-songwriter Runtown and Cameroonian-American artist Libianca for “Up Or Down.” Producer Cheekychizzy’s pulsating rhythm sets the tone for the topsy-turvy tune, as the Detroit rapper sings about loyally waiting for someone to come back around. Meanwhile, Runtown wants a girl for a good time but not a long time, and Libianca croons about loving someone with commitment issues.
Teni, “Money”
“They say money don’t buy you happiness/ Money can’t buy you love/ Money don’t fill this emptiness/ But I want all the money in the world,” Teni croons on her latest single, a piano ballad that’s a departure from the bops on her fantastic last album, Tears of the Sun. But the stripped-down song instead serves as a showcase for her vocals and songwriting, a simple yet deeply affecting entry into her growing catalog.
Black Sherif, “Lord I’m Amazed”
The Ghanaian MC continues sketching the story of his life through his latest string of fantastic singles — many of which have appeared in this column — and “Lord I’m Amazed” is the latest in that lineage. This is more contemplative than some of his higher-energy cuts, but it’s exactly that that sets it apart, as Sherif takes a moment to step back and reflect on the blessings in his life and how far he’s come. Even when he departs from his usual flow, no one sounds like him right now, which is the highest praise for an artist of his caliber.
Andy S feat. Sarahmée, “Dracula”
The sheer ferocity that storms through from Côte d’Ivorian rapper Andy S. on this track spans languages — she raps primarily in French — and cultures, as she and Senegalese-Canadian MC Sarahmée rip through this track, bringing high drill energy over an understated beat. The song appears on Andy S.’s brand new EP Born Ready, which is six explosive tracks of all different vibes, and is a fascinating introduction to a bright and promising artist.
Krizbeatz & Tekno feat. taves & Adewale Ayuba, “The Roof”
Veteran producer Krizbeatz took a turn as artist with his new album Daddy Daycare, and he tapped longtime collaborator Tekno to helm this track alongside saves and Adewale Ayuba. The simple hook dominates, but, perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s the production that really takes center stage, pulling from traditional Afrobeats drums, R&B stylings, amapiano log drum accents and electro undertones to craft a constantly-mutating beat that provides the perfect platform for the vocalists to groove over.
Carter Efe & Khaid, “PRAY”
Carter Eye may be best known as a comedian — certainly that’s where much of his social media energy lies — but his forays into music have borne fruit, too, first with the Berri Tiga-assisted “Machala” a few years ago and now most recently with this new cut with Khaid, one of the best young vocalists and hitmakers to emerge in the past two years. There’s not much that Khaid touches that doesn’t become an immediate earworm, and “PRAY” is no different — the rising singer is destined for greatness sooner rather than later, as his catalog keeps growing with hit after hit.
Nominees: Take It Easy (Collie Buddz); Party With Me (Vybz Kartel); Never Gets Late Here (Shenseea); Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired By The Film (Deluxe) (Various Artists); Evolution (The Wailers)
Technically, there are only two original reggae albums nominated here this year. Incredible.
Vybz Kartel and Shenseea scored their first career nominations for their own music this year with Party With Me and Never Gets Late Here, respectively, both dancehall records. Reggae legend Bob Marley is represented through the One Love soundtrack, which features covers of Marley classics from several artists, including Grammy winners Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Caesar, Leon Bridges and Wizkid.
Collie Buddz’s Take It Easy and The Wailers’ Evolution are the remaining nominees. This is Buddz’s second nod in this category in as many years, while Take It Easy features contributions from Caribbean music giants such as Bounty Killer, B-Real and Demarco. The Wailers — formed by former members of Bob Marley’s backing band — are nominated with Evolution, which hit No. 5 on Reggae Albums.
As previous nominees, Shenseea and The Wailers are likely the frontrunners here, but keep an eye out for Vybz Kartel. Last summer (July 31, 2024), the King of Dancehall walked out of prison a free man after serving 13 years of a now-overturned life sentence for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. By New Year’s Eve, the legendary deejay mounted Freedom Street — his first performance since his release, and the biggest concert the country had seen in nearly 50 years. Though Party With Me lacks an all-out smash à la “Fever” and “Clarks,” Kartel’s narrative may prove too irresistible for any of his competitors to put up a fight. The Freedom Street concert dominated social media, but it happened near the very end of the voting period (Jan. 3), when many voters had presumably cast their ballots already.
Shenseea is probably his stiffest competition here. Never Gets Late Here reached No. 4 on Reggae Albums and incorporates notes of pop-dancehall, R&B, rap, Afrobeats and, most importantly, reggae. With Grammy-approved producers like Di Genius, Tricky Stewart, Ilya, Stargate and London On Da Track in tow, Never Gets Late Here could muster up enough support to pull ahead of Worl’ Boss.
Nonetheless, there’s also a scenario in which Marley’s legend and the film’s box office success lifts the One Love soundtrack to a victory — even if the more exciting win would be Buddz’s project. Traditional reggae projects tend to triumph here anyway, which counts against Kartel and Shenyeng despite their strengths elsewhere.
Prediction: Vybz Kartel, Party With Me
Look Out For: The Wailers, Evolution
As we come to the end of 2024, it’s a good time to look back at all the great music that has come out this year, with December rounding out the past 12 months on another high.
And 2025 is already looking promising, with Afrobeats heavyweights Burna Boy and Davido announcing their new albums No Sign of Weakness and 5ive, respectively, and entering rollout mode with their prosperous singles “Bundle By Bundle” and “Funds,” featuring Odumodublvck and Chike. It’s no surprise that Chloe Bailey, who’s been cuddling up with Burna in Lagos, is featured in the “Bundle By Bundle” music video. Meanwhile, there has been a ton of great music releases, including by highlife icons The Cavemen., Afrobeats legend Wande Coal, superproducers Sarz and Kel-P and a gorgeous reinterpretation of “Jerusalema” by the incomparable Angélique Kidjo.
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 get in the spirit of Detty December with our Spotify playlist below.
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SuperSmashBroz & Fave, “Shut It Down”
On the heels of her sophomore EP Dutty Love, Fave links up with Nigerian American sibling DJ duo SuperSmashBroz (Muyi Fre$co and Noma Nomz) on the slinky club single “Shut It Down.” “Lesson of the day: Don’t trust DJs, ‘cause all they do is play me,” she sings while continuing to tell off someone who lost her trust. But the irresistible Afrobeats production will send us straight to SuperSmashBroz’s booth to have them run it back.
Boj & Minz, “Sara Jay”
The alté pioneer cooks up a heater with Minz on “Sara Jay,” one of four new tracks featured on the Summerfornication deluxe edition of his 12 Summers album. Boj and Minz love their lavish bachelor lifestyle, and whichever girl understands they’re here for a good time and not a long time gets to enjoy their flashy whips and other pleasures. From Genio Bambino’s skittering beat to the catchy “Put your ass in a Murciélago” refrain, “Sara Jay” will have you coming back for more.
The Cavemen., “Medicine”
Nigerian highlife sibling duo The Cavemen, featuring bassist Kingsley Okorie and drummer Benjamin James, take your troubles away in less than four minutes with “Medicine.” The sweet antidote is composed of faded, dizzying horns, twinkling keys and jazzy percussion, making it livelier than its temperate B-side “Opportunity.” “In a world where all has been said, we have decided to end the year with a call to groove and reflect,” The Cavemen. said in a press release. “‘Medicine’ and ‘Opportunity’ explore the possibility of therapy in modern highlife. Both songs are a mix of two worlds heading in the same direction to uplift listeners.”
Tayc & Davido, “PrAy”
The Cameroonian-French crooner connects with Davido on the touching standout track “PrAy” from the former’s latest album TESTIMONY. Tayc wonders who’ll pray for him long after he’s gone, while Davido bodies his verse about maintaining his peace amidst life’s mystery. And their smooth R&B-tinged melodies have us in our feelings just like them.
Burna Boy, “Bundle By Bundle”
When Burna throws money in the club, he’s throwing it “Bundle By Bundle,” as evidenced by his new single that will be featured on his upcoming eighth studio album No Sign of Weakness. It’s an anthem of abundance, with Burna stacking his W’s and relishing in the lifestyle they’ve earned him. Produced by Telz, who worked on much of Burna’s 2020 Grammy-winning album Twice as Tall, the pulsing bass line and intoxicating rhythms will surely be blasting at every Detty December party, while its swelling orchestral flourishes make the African Giant sound truly larger than life.
Davido feat. ODUMODUBLVCK & Chike, “Funds”
Davido’s melodic and effortlessly creative hot streak of the past decade continues with this new track, which brings in both ODUMODUBLVCK and Chike to celebrate the high life, and what they plan on doing with the money they’ve accumulated — namely, “mismanage my funds on you,” as the hook states. The production is bright and airy, and matches the vibe effortlessly.
Sarz feat. Asake, “C’mon, Look!”
Super-producer Sarz returns with this propulsive, insistent beat that powers Asake’s flow perfectly — almost a spiritual successor to their collaboration on Asake’s latest album, with the Travis Scott-assisted “Active.” If Asake has proven anything this year, it’s that he’s one of the most versatile vocalists out there, and Sarz continues to provide him with production that allows him to stretch his horizons — with this being another great example.
King Promise & Tom Walker, “Eyes Dried Over”
King Promise has been on a great run of late, with his vocals standing out among his peers. This collaboration with the Scottish singer/songwriter Tom Walker represents him stepping out of the lane he carved so well on his album True To Self, and seems in line with the Ed Sheeran-assisted remix of Fireboy DML’s “Peru” that made such a big splash a few years ago. This song is an emotional ode to the healing powers of liquor to mask the pain of relationship drama — in other words, a timeless feel.
Wande Coal & Kel-P, “Old Soldier”
Another collaboration between Afrobeats icon Wande Coal and innovative producer Kel-P — the first since “Kpe Paso” nearly two years ago — produced, unsurprisingly, a serious gem of a song, with Kel-P bringing the vibes with a danceable groove augmented by staccato guitars, steadying keys and a horn section that pushes things forward, while Wande Coal floats over top MC’ing the party. A great feel for the end of the year.
Angélique Kidjo, “Jerusalema”
Kidjo is truly a legend, and her take on this track brings beauty and emotion to a song that positively overflows with it. The original, by Master C and Nomcebo, became a sensation when it was released several years ago, and Kidjo’s rendition — released as a single following her performance of the track at the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral — replaces the underlying pulse of the original with ethereal strings, slowing it down and bringing the deep feeling of it out in full force — particularly towards the end, when she digs deep and lets her voice truly shine.
Capping a banner breakthrough year, Tyla roars to No. 1 on the year-end Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs Artists recap for 2024. The South African singer, who finished at No. 14 last year, leaps into first place thanks to a flurry of hits from her self-titled debut album, released in March, and its runaway hit “Water,” which wraps the year as the No. 1 title on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs year-end chart.
Explore All of Billboard’s 2024 Year-End Charts
Tyla, who records for Fax Records/Epic Records, became widely known through “Water,” which reached No. 1 on the weekly U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart in October 2023, just in time for the 2024 chart year, which ran from the charts dated Oct. 28, 2023, to Oct. 19, 2024. The single drowned the competition and charged to a 51-week domination on the list during the chart year, stepping aside for only one week during that time, for Asake and Travis Scott’s one-week champ, “Active.”
Billboard’s year-end music recaps represent aggregated metrics for each artist, title, label and music contributor on the weekly charts dated Oct. 28, 2023, through Oct. 19, 2024. The rankings for Luminate-based recaps reflect equivalent album units, airplay, sales or streaming during the weeks that the titles appeared on a respective chart during the tracking year. Any activity registered before or after a title’s chart run isn’t considered in these rankings. That methodology details, and the October-October time period, account for some of the difference between these lists and the calendar-year recaps that are independently compiled by Luminate.
After “Water” opened the gates, Tyla’s self-titled debut album reinforced her standing on U.S. Afrobeats Songs, where 10 of the album’s standard edition’s 14 tracks reached the chart. In addition to “Water,” three more tracks land in the top 10 on the year-end recap: “Truth or Dare” (No. 4), “Jump,” with Gunna and Skillibeng (No. 5) and “Art” (No. 9).
Tems, the top U.S. Afrobeats Artist two years ago, comes in at No. 2 on the 2024 edition thanks to the impact of her anticipated full-length debut, Born in the Wild. The set, released on Since ‘93/RCA Records in June, produced 15 charting titles on the weekly U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, including three different tunes that each peaked at No. 3: “Me & U,” “Love Me JeJe” and “Not An Angel.” The foremost pair’s extended trajectories help them finish at No. 3 and No. 7, respectively, on the year-end rankings.
Notably, with “Water,” “Me & U,” “Truth or Dare” and “Jump” accounting for four of the top five year-end slots on U.S. Afrobeats Songs, the only non-Tyla or Tems song in the region is the 2024 runner-up, Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down.” The track, which reigned atop the 2023 standings, nabs the silver medal due to its steady streaming levels. Though the collaboration has waned from its highest point, when it set a record 59-week run atop the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, a consistent level of streams has allowed the single to remain within the chart’s top three positions for the entirety of the charting year.
With help from “Calm Down,” Rema captures the No. 3 spot on the year-end artist rank for U.S. Afrobeats Songs, though it’s not the sole reason for his success. The Nigerian performer debuted 16 additional songs on the list in the 2024 chart year, from both his November 2023 EP, Ravage, and 2024 full-length album, HEIS. Chief among them was “Yayo,” which reached No. 9 in July and became his third top 10 hit on the chart.
Last year’s champ, Burna Boy, picks up the No. 4 position on the 2024 year-end artist recap, largely through cuts from his August 2023 release, I Told Them…, continuing their chart runs into the year. Notably, the international superstar achieved a new top 10 – his 14th total – with “Higher,” which managed a No. 6 high in July.
Asake, meanwhile, rounds out the top five on the 2024 class for the U.S. Afrobeats Songs Artists chart. While a run of 14 top 10s had already established the 29-year-old’s chops, he finally unlocked the penthouse in August with his first No. 1, the Travis Scott collaboration “Active.” A-list pairings proved a winning formula for Asake, with further hits coming via team-ups with Wizkid on the No. 7-peaking “MMS” and Gunna (“Happiness,” also with Sarz) and Central Cee (“Wave”), which both reached No. 8.
While Afrobeats has been hailed as Africa’s biggest cultural export, its growth on the continent is also cause for celebration.
The 2023 and 2024 IFPI Global Reports revealed Sub-Saharan Africa was the fastest-growing region in the world, with this year’s report documenting a 25% rise in music sales largely driven by increased adoption of paid subscription services (up by just under a quarter). And no other streaming service has been as innovative and effective at expanding their reach on the continent as Audiomack.
The company has been applauded for bolstering artists with user-friendly promotional and analytics tools while providing fans with a solid discovery experience, and its unparalleled work in Africa has been critical in the rise of Afrobeats and other genres on the continent. Audiomack opened its first African office in Lagos, Nigeria in 2020 and made three key hires, including Charlotte Bwana, who officially joined the company as head of media and brand partnerships and has since risen to vp of marketing, EU, Africa & MENA.
Bwana had been living in Nigeria at the time and working in Audiomack’s ambassador program, where she met with and onboarded artists onto the platform and continued expanding its Afrobeats division through social media marketing, idea generation, playlist curation and outreach to major labels, artist managers, booking agents and more. Once travel was allowed after the pandemic, Bwana “literally backpacked across Africa – Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa – doing Audiomack masterclasses, meeting artists and teaching them Audiomack one-on-one but also about the entertainment business,” she tells Billboard. “Somebody said to me, ‘A lot of companies are companies in the cloud, but you are a company that exists, we can actually meet you and shake your hand and call you on the phone. The difference between you and many other streaming companies is your availability.’”
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Bwana emphasizes that that “human touch” element has significantly helped scale Audiomack, which is the No. 1 music streaming app on Apple’s App Store in 22 African countries — including Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe — and the No. 1 music streaming app on the Google Play Store in Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. According to the company, in Nigeria alone Audiomack boasts 15.3 million monthly active users and 4.9 million daily active users and has racked up 58 billion total Afrobeats streams since 2020.
While the streamer hasn’t added more offices on the continent outside of its Lagos headquarters – which now has 12 people across its social media, graphic design, curatorial, business development and content operations departments – it has deployed ambassadors in additional countries like Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Those ambassadors help Audiomack better navigate the African market with “ideas of which artist is popping, which sound is buzzing in this territory, what the scene is like [and] what artists should we be focusing on,” Bwana explains.
Audiomack has also had to focus on tackling two key issues that hinder the platform’s mission to democratize streaming on the continent – the first being accessibility. “In Africa, before we talk about affordability of music, we have to talk about accessibility. A lot of people couldn’t access music in the first place, and Audiomack opened that door… and reshaped the landscape of the African music industry,” Bwana says.
In 2021, the streaming service partnered with MTN Nigeria, the fastest 5G network in West and Central Africa, to introduce the Audiomack+MTN Data Bundle program. Through the program, the company offered the more than 76 million MTN subscribers tailored data bundles, allowing them to stream unlimited music and access Audiomack content without the hassle of data charges. This year, the partnership expanded with the Audiomack+ subscription program, which offers MTN subscribers seamless access to premium Audiomack content – including uninterrupted streaming and offline downloads – through three flexible subscription plans. “We have a monthly subscription, a weekly subscription and a daily subscription, because we figured that people sometimes just buy premium for the day,” says Bwana, adding that 41% of Audiomack users use MTN. “They don’t need it for a month, or they can’t afford to pay that for the month. But if a big artist drops an album today, and they just want to listen to the album, they just pay for premium for the day.”
Still, Africa’s low internet penetration rate poses a problem for users without MTN coverage. According to the International Telecommunication Union’s Facts and Figures 2024 report, just 38% of the continent is able to use the internet, while only 11% have access to a 5G network. Bwana notes that offline downloads are “everybody’s favorite feature” on the app, with Audiomack reporting 1.9 billion offline downloads since 2020. “You’re able to listen to the music on the go whenever you’re not connected,” she says. “This is a premium feature for many DSPs, and for us, it’s a feature that you still can access on the ad-based tier.”
Charlotte Bwana
Courtesy of Charlotte Bwana
This gets to the second major hurdle Audiomack has been tackling: payment. While the company is making sure its different subscription models are suitable for African users’ limited internet access, it’s also ensuring the payment methods are just as convenient. “In Africa, [there are] 54 different countries, and you’re working with many currencies. As you’re scaling a business, you have to figure out how to accommodate the entire continent,” says Bwana. “Seventy percent of the population [in South Africa] is banked, so they have access to credit and credit cards, and they can pay for stuff online. Then you go to Kenya, where everybody uses mobile money. With every country that I’ve been to, not only am I talking to the artists to market them and create content, but I’m also talking to telcos and fintechs and trying to figure out payment systems so we can make it seamless for people to pay for music.”
Last year, Audiomack partnered with Flutterwave, Africa’s largest payment network, to leverage its expertise in secure and reliable payment processing so artists can “monetize their art effectively,” Audiomack CEO/co-founder David Macli said in a press statement. Audiomack can reach even more users in Africa via seamless payment options, including bank transfers, local cards and mobile money. This year, the company also partnered with Carry1st, Africa’s leading mobile games and digital content publisher, to tap into its proprietary payment solution, Pay1st, so consumers can purchase their subscriptions using local payment methods including mobile money, popular digital wallets and bank transfers. “A lot of people on Audiomack are Gen-Z, they’re in that age where they’re discovering music but they’re also gaming,” says Bwana. “We were thinking of how do we bridge the gap between music and gaming, and also, how do we make sure that the artists are earning more royalties and being discovered even by the gamers.”
Outside of accessibility and affordability, artist discovery is another one of Audiomack’s priorities. The platform has been identifying the continent’s rising stars before they gain global recognition through Keep the Beat Going, an annual campaign that focuses on amplifying artists’ profiles and introducing them to new global markets through billboards in major cities, playlists, digital ads, creator workshops and more. Since its launch in 2022, Keep the Beat Going has highlighted 72 artists from Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya, including Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Rema and Uncle Waffles.
Aside from artists, Audiomack is also keeping its fingers on the pulse of new trends coming out of the continent. Bwana believes Nigerian street pop is the “next big thing,” as evidenced by Asake and Seyi Vibez’s success on the platform. The latter is the most streamed artist in Nigeria, accumulating 1.4 billion plays on Audiomack since 2020, while the former is a close second with 1.2 billion plays. To date, Asake’s 2023 album Work of Art is the most streamed Afrobeats album on the platform with 476 million plays, while his hit “Lonely at the Top” from the album is the most streamed Afrobeats song on Audiomack with 87 million plays.
“We have a lot of people achieving their first hundred thousand or million streams on Audiomack,” says Bwana. “[We’ve] accommodated both listeners and artists, and this is what really sets us apart from a lot of the other streaming platforms.”
Davido announced on Thursday (Dec. 5) that he’ll release his fifth studio album, aptly titled 5ive, in 2025. “This one is straight from the heart – my story, my truth, my growth,” he wrote on Instagram. And the Nigerian-American superstar’s album rollout is well underway since he will be releasing the first single, “Funds” with […]
Tyla is set to perform on the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.
Hosted by actress and comedian Michelle Buteau, the 2024 BBMAs presented by Marriott Bonvoy is set to air Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX and Fire TV Channels, and on-demand on Paramount+, with performances also rolling out across Billboard.com and via @BBMAs and @Billboard social channels.
Tyla joins SEVENTEEN and Teddy Swims, who Monday became the first performers to be announced for the show.
Tyla’s global hit “Water” hit No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January. The following month, it was the inaugural Grammy winner for best African music performance. Her debut album Tyla reached No. 24 on the Billboard 200 in April.
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Tyla is a finalist for eight Billboard Music Awards: top R&B artist, top R&B female artist, top Afrobeats artist, top R&B album (Tyla), top R&B song and top Afrobeats song, where three of her songs are finalists – “Truth or Dare,” “Water” and “Jump,” the last-named title a collab with Gunna and Skillibeng.
As previously announced, Zach Bryan, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen and Sabrina Carpenter are the leading finalists for the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.
This marks the show’s return to FOX, which carried the show from its 1990 inaugural broadcast through 2006. In addition, Paramount+ will provide on-demand streaming of the show, while the free Fire TV Channels app will provide one-click access to fans using Amazon devices (Fire TV smart TVs and streaming media players and Fire Tablets).
The BBMAs will celebrate music’s greatest achievements with exclusive original performances, artist interviews, and award celebrations taking place from global locations and in the midst of sold-out tours. Shaboozey will deliver a special performance from W Hollywood, part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Additional performers and special guests will be announced soon.
The BBMAs honors the year’s biggest artists, albums, songs, producers and songwriters across multiple genres, as determined by year-end performance metrics on the Billboard charts. The eligibility dates for this year’s awards are aligned with Billboard’s Year-End Charts tracking period, which measures music consumption from the charts dated Oct. 28, 2023 through Oct. 19, 2024.
The Billboard Music Awards are produced by dick clark productions, which is owned by MRC. MRC and Penske Media are co-parent companies of Billboard.
The show is presented by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s travel program and portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands. For more information, visit MarriottBonvoy.com
Seven months after Tyla released her self-titled debut album, which spent five weeks at No. 1 on Billboard‘s World Albums chart, the popiano princess returned with the deluxe edition TYLA +. And after gaining co-signs from SZA, Ciara and more from his “Soh-Soh” cut from his Sunday’s At Zuri’s EP this summer, Afro-R&B artist Odeal is feeding his growing fanbase with more new songs.
And those are just two of the best tracks of the month in African music, which in this edition of the column spans from Nigeria to Ghana to Zimbabwe to South Africa and back again. There’s the deep baritone of the rapper Holy Ten, the distinctive crooning of Ckay and BNXN, the aggressive stylings of Black Sherif and Stonebwoy and a high-profile guest spot from Afro Raver Rema, among several others.
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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 catch a vibe with our latest Spotify playlist below.
Phyno, “It’s Nothing”
Nigerian rapper Phyno doesn’t come to play on “It’s Nothing,” the opening track of his fifth studio album Full Time Job. He proclaims how his money and legacy are untouchable in his infectious Igbo flow. And Major Bangz’s ’90s hip-hop-inspired production, interspersed with a triumphant horn section, gives Phyno extra pep in his step.
Tyla feat. Tony Duardo, Optimist & Maestro, “SHAKE AH”
Tyla already had our booties shaking to her breakthrough smash “Water” last summer, and she’s bringing us back to the dancefloor with “Shake Ah,” the first of three new songs featured on the deluxe edition of her eponymous debut album. With producer Tony Duardo (who frequently works with fellow amapiano star Uncle Waffles) and vocalists Optimist and Maestro in tow, the Grammy-winning artist stays true to her amapiano roots with the track’s bustling log drums and folk-tinged melody. “Too serious, too serious/ Hands on my hips, he don’t wanna let go,” she breathily coos. Only a handful of the lyrics are sung in English, proving that Tyla can continue breaking through the mainstream without breaking away from the sounds of her native South Africa.
Odeal, “Temptress”
Following the success of his viral “Soh Soh” single, Odeal keeps his momentum going while sonically slowing things down on his latest enchanting offering “Temptress.” He croons about being in love with a woman whose lifestyle (“purple lights,” “cash on the bedroom floor,” you get the picture) clearly indicates the feelings aren’t mutual, while cleverly interpolating Aaliyah’s “Boy, I gotta watch my back, ‘cause I’m not just anybody” line from the chorus of “Are You That Somebody.” (“Friends told me to watch my back, ‘cause I’m one of many bodies,” he sings.) And Harry Westlake’s ‘90s R&B-inspired production has listeners as deep in their feelings as Odeal is in his.
Wizkid feat. Brent Faiyaz, “Piece of My Heart”
Wizkid and Brent Faiyaz are a pair of amorous, yet slightly misleading heartthrobs on the sexy “Piece of My Heart” single, which arrives ahead of Wiz’s sixth studio album Morayo that’s due Nov. 22. Both artists remind their lovers how inseparable they are (“Nothing can tear us apart,” Faiyaz reassures before delivering the track’s titular line) over a sultry guitar hook and bubbling percussion. The Afrobeats superstar playfully nods to his and Drake’s Hot 100 No. 1 smash “One Dance” before the track slows down in its second half. Here, Wiz and Faiyaz croon about how hard it is for their women to catch feelings for them when they’re always catching flights. “Stressful, I know/ Every other day, another timezone,” Wiz expresses. Maybe having only a piece of their hearts isn’t enough.
Nasty C, Lekaa Beats, ODUMODUBLVCK & Chip, “Trouble”
South African rapper Nasty C and Nigerian producer Lekaa Beats blend hip-hop, trap, Afrobeats and amapiano on their joint EP Confuse the Enemy. On the highlight track “Trouble,” Nasty C emphasizes the “pressure” he’s facing from all corners of his life, while featured guests Nigerian MC ODUMODUBLVCK and UK rapper Chip spit verses about their own hardships and how their hustle helped them persevere (“That’s why I let my heart pour every time I rhyme/ ‘Cause I never know who’s listening to me on the other side,” Chips raps). And Lekaa’s affecting Afrofusion production makes those listening to “Trouble” feel at ease.
Holy Ten feat. MrCandy, “Kilimanjaro”
Zimbabwean rapper Holy Ten’s deep baritone anchors this track off his new album Proud Father, with a plaintive acoustic guitar over a driving low-end beat providing a bouyant backbone for the song to soar. Alongside frequent collaborator MrCandy, who delivers a soaring guest verse, “Kilimanjaro” is a standout on the new album, which only suffers from being just 24 minutes long. The entire project is worth a listen.
Black Sherif, “Rebel Music”
Sherif’s aggressive vocal style is on full display on this latest single, with production that feels as big as his ambition and defies any easy categorization. There is something magnetic about Sherif’s confidence on the microphone, not the least because his lyrics center on defiance in the face of adversity and his own sheer force of will — not something to be taken lightly. If his last few singles are any indication, this next album will be an achievement.
BNXN & Rema, “Fi Kan We Kan”
Two of the most distinctive young voices in Nigeria teamed up for this new one, which features BNXN’s signature falsetto floating over the first verse and hook before Rema comes through and delivers a verse so slick that it’s hard to tell if he’s even taking a breath with a confidence that is infectious. The track grows in momentum throughout, with amapiano log drums becoming more pronounced as it goes along — with a cinematic music video that ties it all together.
Stonebwoy feat. Ir Sais, “Memories”
With an old school R&B feel, Ghana’s Stonebwoy delivers an infectious track that both shows off his vocal prowess and distinctive style, while Ir Sais croons over the hook. It’s a song that feels out of another place and time, but works because there’s nothing out like it right now — and is a great primer for his just-released album UP & RUNNIN6 which he dropped last week.
Ckay feat. The Cavemen., “Addicted”
Ckay’s emotional vocal stylings take a detour out of his usual minor-keyed environment into the much brighter highlife world of The Cavemen., resulting in a track that feels like watching an intimate performance at a late-night jazz club, something that’s completely different from what the young singer has done in the past. The band’s percussion gives the song a different vibe, while Ckay’s voice fits in effortlessly, for one of the strongest collaborations this year.
Libianca has been on the move. One day the Cameroonian American singer-songwriter is flying out to Paris, the next she’s in New York City. One month before attending New York Fashion Week in September this year, the Afro-soul singer-songwriter performed at Montreal’s Osheaga Music & Arts Festival, which was on her bucket list of music festivals to perform at. She joined the likes of SZA, Tyla, Raye and Chappell Roan on the lineup of one of Canada’s biggest music festivals, where 147,000 festivalgoers flocked to Parc Jean-Drapeau over three days.
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While traveling around the world, Libianca (real name Libianca Kenzonkinboum Fonji) has been mapping out time to lock in at the studio and finish the follow-up project to her debut EP, Walk Away, that she released in December 2023 via 5K Records Limited and Sony Music Entertainment UK. “‘Libianca is in her ‘I don’t give a f–k’ era,’” the 24-year-old artist tells Billboard over Zoom. “That is the best way to put it – because these past few months, I’ve gotten out of my head completely. I stopped running on the wheel and [quit] desperately trying to find more admiration and quickly follow my most recent accolades with more accolades and more glory. Just giving all that up and just going back to where it all started. Just doing this s— ‘cause I love it.”
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But from the outside looking in, you wouldn’t see any trace of the nightmare the “People” hitmaker faced just five months before. In April, Libianca announced she was postponing the North American leg of her Walk Away EP World Tour three days before it was set to start in her hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her manager M3tro raised the Cameroonian flag on stage at the Souled Out Festival in Sydney, Gold Coast and Melbourne in March, while the Australian flag was also waved during her performances. Uniting the flags was a moment to not only show respect to the Australian festival attendees, but to clarify Libianca’s nationality as “there was a time when people mistakenly believed she was Nigerian,” M3tro explains. But Libianca’s gesture of showing pride for her Cameroonian heritage, which she has previously displayed by posting emojis of her country’s flag numerous times on social media, sparked disapproval from armed separatists in Cameroon known as The Amba Boys, who sent Libianca death threats.
The separatists misinterpreted Libianca — who moved to Bamenda, the largest English-speaking city in Cameroon, when she was four — waving the Cameroonian flag as showing support for the country’s long-serving president Paul Biya and his Francophone-dominated government. In 2016, Anglophones protested against the government for the French language being imposed in the courts and schools, fighting to preserve their cultural heritage and end decades-long marginalization. The resulting 6,000 casualties, according to the Human Rights Watch’s World Report last year, and more than 1,000 arrests between 2016 and 2021, according to Amnesty International, have heightened Anglophone secessionists’ desire to have their own independent state, named Ambazonia, in the ongoing Anglophone crisis.
“My holding of the Cameroonian flag was not to state in any way what side I’m on but a symbol of faith that someday, we THE PEOPLE will reunite and lead with love because we are better together when we help each other instead of hating each other,” Libianca wrote in a handwritten letter posted on her socials on April 12. “The flag is not Paul Biya. IT’S US, THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON, our vibrance and our culture together.”
Libianca told BBC in May that the death threats – which started coming in on March 23, the morning after her first Australia show in Sydney – included vile messages saying that she should “never step foot in Cameroon – or they would kill me on-site.” M3tro confirms to Billboard the numerous “alarming” threats went to the team’s business email, as well as his personal email.
“At first when [the emails] came, it was just one, two – like, ‘OK, this is something where here and there you get a fan that would just be talking reckless, but it’s nothing,’” he recalls. But along with the death threats, he said separatists were sending money requests to management’s email, and there was a flood of nefarious comments on Libianca’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. “At this point, this is not a joke no more,” says M3tro. “So I really had to call the team. We had to talk and know how we’re gonna deliver it to her, so she can understand and be able to finish with the job she’s doing in Australia – rather than just cancel that [part of the tour] as well.”
Libianca says she took a day off of work after learning about the severity of the threats — which went on until her show in Perth on March 31 — “to sort through my emotions.” She and her team, including her North American reps at APA, proceeded to postpone the 14-date North American tour – not only for her safety, but also to protect her U.S.-based family members from Cameroonian separatists living here.
“For me, it wasn’t an easy thing,” M3tro adds. “As a manager, I see everything. [She’s] worked hard [rehearsing] and you’re trying to do [the tour], but now you have to put that on hold. And as a friend, I also see her heart, sweat and tears. It’s not an easy thing what she does, because the type of music she does, she has to express on a deep level. And it was like, ‘I’m supporting my country. I wanna bring my country to a brighter side and I’m facing backlash for certain things.’ And as a friend, to me, I could see the pain in her and that’s what hurt me.”
In Libianca’s aforementioned letter, she expressed how the threats “overshadowed” living out her dreams and making her country proud. After competing on NBC’s The Voice in 2021 – where she finished in the top 20 before being eliminated – Libianca’s dreams of having a music career turned into reality when she released her global breakout hit “People” the following year. The Afro-soul track – which spurred multiple remixes with Nigerian sensations Ayra Starr and Omah Lay, Mexican American pop star Becky G and Irish singer-songwriter Cian Ducrot – earned Libianca her career-first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 80, and it reached No. 2 on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. In 2023, she won the viewer’s choice: best new international act award at the BET Awards and opened for Alicia Keys’ Keys to the Summer Tour. Libianca was on cloud nine. But during this recent dark period, Libianca says that God and her support system – including her family, close friends and team – kept her afloat.
“After that, I just saw [the situation] in a very positive light. I had a chance to speak up, not just for myself, but for others. That’s how I handled the situation really,” she explains. On April 24, she released the single “Gods People,” an anthem that calls for casualties to cease in Cameroon and for harmony to be restored. On X, Libianca wrote that profits made from the song’s streams went toward supporting victims of the Anglophone crisis, which literally hits close to home for her. What was once her “very vibrant” home of Bamenda, she describes, became deserted due to locals, including her family, having to seek refuge in the French-speaking regions of Cameroon. In 2023, the Norwegian Refugee Council reported that Cameroon has the second-most-neglected displacement crisis in the world.
After the Cameroonian flag controversy, Libianca and her team made the call to follow through with her European tour in May and June. “[Her] family’s not [in Europe]. And we didn’t really feel like safety is something that has to be taken care of there. The rules are much different there than the U.S.,” says M3tro, adding that the majority of European countries have stricter guidelines on bearing arms.
Libianca’s team still added extra security measures at her shows, such as security guards patting down attendees. For her set at Osheaga Festival, which came two months after her European tour, M3tro said the team took even more precautions, like not booking any of their lodging arrangements under her name, and having a security guard with her whether she’s in transit or walking on public grounds.
With these safety measures, Libianca made it clear she’s not letting anyone or anything cause her to live in fear. Performing her healing music to the masses is part of her mission, and she plans on continuing to do so when she returns to U.S. stages after her upcoming EP drops. “When I get to go out on tour again, and I get to do it fully, it’s gonna be so good – because there’s gonna be a whole new project out, on top of other things that have already been out,” Libianca explains. “There’s going to be so much more diversity to my set of the things I can talk about with my fans. And the experience is going to be much greater than it was before.”
Following Walk Away, Libianca has released a handful of collaborations, including “Darling” with British singer Lewis Fitzgerald and “Side” with Ghanaian musician KJ Spio and Tanzanian artist Harmonize. She says her upcoming EP, which she reveals is “almost done” and slated to be released early next year, is influenced by her diverse music taste from her upbringing, from being in choirs at church and boarding school to listening to ABBA. She also teases that there are songs on the project that will “surprise people.”
“The project itself has all the things that I’ve experienced since ‘People’ happened,” Libianca says. “I don’t think I’ve been open with my fans since then about how I’m genuinely doing, the things I’m going through. So I’m doing it through this project.”
