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The summer may be winding down, but the Afrobeats release schedule has barely let up — and August has proven to be another big month, with major albums from superstars like Burna Boy and Olamide, plus EPs from Uncle Waffles and Kelvyn Boy, among others.
And that hectic schedule of great new music is unlikely to end soon, with forthcoming albums from the likes of Teni and Muzi — both of whom also have new tracks out this month — on the way, among many others. Before the Headie Awards this weekend — airing Sept. 3, with Burna Boy, Asake and Rema leading the nominations — there’s plenty of new music to check out.
We’ve highlighted 10 of our favorite new Afrobeats (and related) songs that have come out roughly within the last month. Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and find your new end-of-summer soundtrack with our Spotify playlist below.
Uncle Waffles feat. Tony Duardo, Manana & Lusanda, “Echoes”
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The “princess of amapiano” returns with her second EP Solace, a tranquil, ethereal experience compared to her “very upbeat and explosive” debut EP Asylum, she described in a press release. Its lead single and first track, “Echoes,” envelops listeners in an array of mesmerizing harmonies from eSwatini-born singer Manana and South African singer Lusanda about wishing to patch up an old relationship (“Echoes/ ‘Cause this heart is hollow/ Empty from the hole you left,” Manana croons), and scintillating production from Waffles and frequent collaborator Tony Duardo.
Muzi, “eMtunzini”
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South African artist and producer Muzi plans on traveling down memory lane (in his family’s Toyota Cressida) for his upcoming album uMuzi, due Oct. 13 via Fool’s Gold Records. But for his first stop, the sun-soaked lead single “eMtunzini,” Muzi retells his parents’ love story, and his own origin story, while weaving in between his native Zulu and English. The impassioned, exhilarating house production and deep vocals repeating “Feel like we’re a vibe/ Feel like we should spend more time” make “eMtunzini” a prime addition to anyone’s roadtrip playlist.
Lord Afrixana feat. Firefly, “Pillow”
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After writing for Beyoncé, Davido and more, rising Ghanaian singer-songwriter Lord Afrixana is making a name for himself on his Protect the Culture/Warner Records debut Ghana Must Go. On highlight track “Pillow,” he comforts his love interest by promising to be the kind of man her ex never was while Firefly challenges whether he’s ready to provide the kind of loving she requires in her arousing retort.
Black Sherif, “YAYA”
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From the Ghanaian rapper’s introspective two-pack Take Care of Yourself Blacko, the single “YAYA” tells the story of strife, staying true to oneself despite the fame and success and searching for peace through the lens of Black Sherif’s alter ego, “a rebel who gave fate a chance and is in search of healing,” according to a press release.
Burna Boy, “City Boys”
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Move over City Girls, because Burna has something for the “City Boys” on his latest album I Told Them…. He starts the Jeremih-sampling track with audio from British rapper J Hus’ Instagram story, where he dismantles his “ugly” perception of himself and rather praises himself as “sexy.” The monologue sets the tone for the braggadocious anthem, where Burna blends his signature Afro-fusion with U.S. hip-hop (that’s amplified throughout the album as well as in his “City Boys” TikTok challenge). He even acknowledges fans’ misinterpretation (“I need a boat and shy hoes”) of his chant-worthy chorus from last summer’s smash “Last Last” (“I need Igbo and shyo”), proving that the Nigerian hitmaker’s fingers remain on the pulse of what’s hot in the culture.
Burna Boy feat. Seyi Vibez, “Giza”
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On an album in which he reaches across the Atlantic more than ever, it’s the song where he links up with Nigerian street king Seyi Vibez that stands out the most. There’s something about the distinct style that Seyi has been delivering over the past 18 months that is both raw and engaging, and Burna taps into his soundscape to deliver one of the best tracks on I Told Them… It may not have the U.S.-leaning pop appeal of other records on the project, but it’s arguably the most captivating.
Olamide, “Problem”
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If Unruly, as he’s threatened, is Olamide’s last album, it’s both a triumphant finale and a shame that he won’t continue to deliver tracks like the single “Problem” — one of the best distillations of his strengths that he’s put out across his illustrious career. Produced by Magicsticks, the beat itself is infectious, and Olamide’s delivery, particularly on the hook, is carefree and effortless. It’s easily the best track off the album.
Olamide, “Life Goes On”
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Unruly can be broken down into three parts — two five-song solo sections from the YBNL boss that bookend a slew of top-shelf collaborations. And the back end of the album has a number of tracks that stand out and tie the whole project together — “Supplier” and “Street Jam” could easily be included here, too — but “Life Goes On” is another of the best tracks of his career, combining his melodic flows and rapped verses, and serving as a farewell of sorts if this is, indeed, his final project. Let’s hope that’s not actually the case.
Kelvyn Boy feat. Babyboy AV, “Roma”
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Ghanaian singer Kelvyn Boy has a history of slipping effortlessly through various genres, and “Roma” sees him dipping into highlife styles for a breezy track that could be the perfect send off to the summertime. The major key instrumentation gives it an irresistible quality, and it’s an easy highlight off his great new EP For the Kulture.
Teni, “Lanke”
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Sometimes it feels like Teni can do everything; all three singles she’s released this year are wildly different from each other, and each are great in their own way. The latest, “Lanke,” is the most carefree and outwardly joyous, as expressed in its hook and its gleeful new music video, out today. “Feel good, regardless of what life throws at you,” she said about the track. “Omo Lanke is someone that owns a wheelbarrow. You never see a person that owns a wheel barrow drive straight. Good or bad, we stay pushing, we don’t stop, we keep going. We appreciate the good, we learn from the bad.”
Burna Boy will make history come July when he becomes the first Nigerian artist to headline a U.S. stadium, Billboard can exclusively announce Monday (April 3).
His July 8-dated show at NYC’s Citi Field marks another major stadium date in the Afro-fusion superstar’s Love, Damini world tour, which includes future stops at Paris La Defense, London Stadium and Gelre Dome in Amsterdam. The Citi Field stop, which is produced by Live Nation, falls on the first anniversary of Burna’s most recent album, Love, Damini, which peaked at No. 2 on Billboard‘s World Albums chart and received a 2023 Grammy nomination for best global music album.
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Just last April, the “Last Last” singer became the first Nigerian act to headline Madison Square Garden for his concert that was billed “Burna Boy Presents One Night in Space.”
Burna Boy’s Global Vision: Taking Afro-Fusion to the Next Level
04/03/2023
Citi cardmembers will have special access to pre-sale tickets starting Tuesday, April 4 at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday, April 6 at 10 p.m. local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For pre-sale details, go to www.citientertainment.com. General on-sale will start on Friday, April 7 at 10 a.m. local time on wwww.onaspaceship.com.
Burna has a busy couple of months ahead of him. Over the weekend, he performed at Dreamville Music Festival in Raleigh, N.C. He’ll also return to Indio Valley, Calif., for Coachella in April, then headline Afro Nation Miami in May. He’s also slated to co-headline the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi in June at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium.
“It has always been my vision to build a bridge between all Black people in all parts of the world through the music and performance,” he told Billboard in his previous cover story. “Music is the No. 1 messenger.”
To kick off 2023, Billboard launched a new, monthly Afrobeats column to keep you up to speed with the fast-rising stars coming out of the African continent and soaring across the globe. Burna Boy, Tems and Rema performing at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game halftime show in Salt Lake City, Utah this past weekend is proof that African artists will only continue to expand beyond their borders and push beyond Afrobeats’ traditional boundaries — incorporating hip-hop, amapiano, R&B, jazz, soul and just about everything else into a melting pot that, for lack of a better overarching term, we’ll still refer to as Afrobeats.
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We’ve highlighted 10 of our favorite new Afrobeats (and related) songs that’ve come out within the last month. Love’s certainly in the air this season, from Pheelz’s feel-good, romantic jam “Pheelz Like Summer” to Khaid’s sweet ode “Jolie,” and decisions on what to include or not have been particularly tough — Rema, for example, just dropped two new tracks, though neither made the list here. Check out our Fresh Picks, and don’t forget to tap into our Spotify playlist below so you can catch a vibe with us.
Tyla, “Been Thinking”
Epic’s latest signee Tyla clearly has love on the brain, as evidenced by her latest single “Been Thinking.” The 21-year-old singer’s otherworldly pop and R&B sensibilities blend with her native South African amapiano in this slinky earworm that’ll have you wishing you were grinding on the love of your life in the middle of the dance floor before going home with them. “I’m just praying that [African music] keeps going the way it’s going. I feel like all eyes are on us right now,” Tyla told Billboard earlier at the Recording Academy Honors Black Music Collective event. “It’s a huge opportunity for us to now take it and run with it. We’ve been wanting this for a long time, so it’s about time.”
Pheelz, “Pheelz Like Summer”
Fresh off the success of his single “Finesse,” Pheelz delivers his Warner Records debut EP Pheelz Good, which is precisely how it makes you pheel. On the highlight track “Pheelz Like Summer,” the award-winning Nigerian producer-turned-singer gushes over a girl whose radiant smile makes him feel so warm inside that it reminds him of summer – even if it’s still only February. The sensual sax intro and buoyant beats evoke the warmer season, while Pheelz ushers in a season of love every time he coos, “Ooh-ooh-ooh/ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh.”
Stonebwoy, “More Of You”
Def Jam’s latest signee Stonebwoy begs his girl to give him “More of You” in his sultry latest single. The Ghanaian Afropop/reggae artist clearly can’t get enough of her, pleading with her to dance with him to a spellbinding rhythm – courtesy of Grammy-nominated producer Supa Dups – that we can’t get enough of. Ultimately, Stonebwoy becomes so mesmerized by her beauty in the animated visual that he succumbs to her like the Biblical forbidden fruit and ends up naked in a garden like Eden.
Tayc, “Success”
The Cameroonian-French crooner makes listeners swoon with dreamy scenarios and explicit rendezvous details that just roll off the tip of his French mother tongue with his latest album, ROOM 96. On the highlight “Success,” Tayc reflects on a woman who can’t handle his success and its side effects (like extra eyes on her), continuing to assuage her with sweet nothings that’ll make anyone’s ears tingle. Yet the ultra-sexy production of “Success” glosses over Tayc’s biting outro: “You’re just not ready for this, you should let me know/ ‘Cause, um, basically my life ain’t gonna change for you/ I, I love my life/ I love my place and I’m not gonna move anything for anybody.”
Michaël Brun feat. Oxlade, “Clueless”
Haitian DJ/producer Michaël Brun teams up with the “KU LO SA” Nigerian singer on the infectious Carribbean-Afro-fusion collaboration “Clueless.” Oxlade delivers a chant-worthy chorus with his enunciation of the track’s title, while he toys with the idea of loving a girl who’s equally his “antidote and poison” over Brun’s laidback beats. “Working with Oxlade was such an honor,” Brun says in a press release. “The operatic elements of his voice and the ways in which he uses harmonies and layers are what make Oxlade who he is — a true legend.”
Asake, “Yoga”
Asake has been on a heater for almost a year now, peaking with his debut album Mr. Money With the Vibe last September — and he hasn’t slowed down his output since, with “Yoga” his latest single to make waves. There’s a comfortable, soothing vibe to the track that comes across in his vocals and belies the lyrics, which stress the need to protect against things that will disrupt your peace — and the hook is a balm to alleviate such stresses. “Yoga” is the calm in the midst of a firestorm, a perfect song for imperfect times.
Khaid, “Jolie”
More than a simple love song, “Jolie” has melodies that pile on top of each other to get stuck in the mind and get stronger as the track goes on. Relatively new to the game — his first project of any kind was a six-song EP from last year, titled DIVERSITY — Khaid is still a teenager, and still developing as an artist, but “Jolie” shows there’s a lot of promise and talent that’s already there, with a world of possibility ahead of him.
Spinall feat. BNXN & Stefflon Don, “Oshey”
First things first — this DJ Spinall album has been spinning out phenomenal singles for about a year now, including his collaborations with Adekunle Gold (“Cloud 9”) and Asake (“Palazzo”), both of which initially came out last year. Now that the full project, titled Top Boy, was released Feb. 17, there’s more to dig into, with this collaboration with BNXN and Stefflon Don a particular highlight, showcasing all the different styles that weld together this diverse and compelling project. (But seriously, listen to “Cloud 9” and thank us later.)
BNXN, Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez, “GWAGWALADA”
A reference to an area of Nigeria, “GWAGWALADA” brings together three of the most intriguing Afrobeats artists from the country in BNXN, Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez, each bringing their distinctive vocals and styles to mesh seamlessly over the laid back, feel-good production by Sarz. BNXN has thrived in the last few years via collaborations with the likes of Wizkid, Burna Boy and Pheelz, and “GWAGWALADA” adds another flawless team-up to his growing discography.
Young Jonn feat. Olamide, “Currency”
Young Jonn has stepped beyond his producer title and has been dropping a series of infectious singles of late; “Xtra Cool,” released last October, probably should have been in this column last month, but “Currency” is another worthy entry. Longtime collaborator Olamide comes through to switch up the vibe, but it’s all additive, making this another insistent earworm of a record.
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