While all eyes have been on the now-former Astronomer CEO and HR chief from the notorious kiss cam scandal at Coldplay’s concert, Chris Martin has redirected everyone’s attention to Ayra Starr, whom he believes will be “the world’s biggest pop star so soon.” She performed her sweltering single “Hot Body” for the first time during the Miami stop of Music of the Sphere World Tour last weekend.
There has been no shortage of hot new releases this season, from Darkoo’s sensual, sun-soaked EP $exy Girl $ummer (Vol. 1) to Odeal’s thoughtful, globe-trotting EP The Summer That Saved Me.
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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 curate your new soundtrack for the summer with our Spotify playlist below.
Darkoo, “Options”
Darkoo chooses one out of the plenty fish in the sea – and isn’t afraid to acknowledge and exercise her freedom – on “Options” from $exy Girl $ummer (Vol. 1). The world is Darkoo’s oyster, as “Options” is about “moving how you want,” the Afroswing star told Wonderland, while moving to the carefree, tropical groove. “It’s giving baddie with boundaries. I wanted the beat to feel light, but still hit. This one’s for the girls who know they’re the prize.”
Odeal, “Patience”
Some fools rush in, but Odeal practices “Patience” with a new love interest on one of the standout tracks from The Summer That Saved Me. The jazz-infused, P2J-produced track soundtracks their slow burning romance (the kind Olandria from Love Island would appreciate), while the British Nigerian Casanova realizes this fruit of the spirit tastes sweeter than he expected. “In the chorus, I refer to her as Delilah, drawing from the biblical story,” he told Apple Music. “Delilah made Samson change his ways and made him do things he wouldn’t normally do. In the same way, this woman’s patience made me slow down and rethink how I move.”
Azanti, “Jaye Lo”
Azanti ended his three-track pack SKYFALL on a high note with the high-voltage Afro house banger “Jaye Lo.” From the beat switches that’s sure to get your blood pumping to the messages of popping Dom Pérignon and enjoying your life to the fullest with wasting a moment, “Jaye Lo” is an intoxicating summer anthem with high repeat value.
Ayra Starr, “Hot Body”
Look what Ayra Starr’s “Hot Body” can do. Her electric single calls for slow whining on a humid summer night to Ragee and The Elements’ percussive beat. And the twinkling keys after she breathily coos “Open your eyes and look” in the first verse going into the chorus embody that glimmer in your eye you’d get just by taking one good look at the Afropop princess, like she insists throughout the song.
Tyla & Wizkid, “Dynamite”
Tyla dusted off the 2022 demo of “Dynamite” she had recorded with Wizkid and set off her new four-track tape WWP with this sultry banger. The South African and Nigerian stars ride P. Prime’s hypnotic bassline while swapping sweet nothings like “Hold me ‘round my waist/ We can take it slow, baby, you control the pace,” Tyla asserts in the first verse, and “All night, baby, all night, bend your back all night, hold my hand,” Wiz sings in the second verse while subtly flexing his falsetto. And for a collaboration between two of the biggest contemporary African artists, “Dynamite” is a spot-on title to capture their indomitable power.
Fireboy DML, “Dopamine”
A departure from his smoother R&B-inflected sound, “Dopamine” instead saunters down a more deliberate lane for Fireboy, which therefore lets his vocals define the song — and his ear for melody ends up shining through the most. Nestled within a hook searching for pleasure is a desire for something more than just a situationship — as Fireboy looks for something a little more sustained and sustainable on the song’s verses. But it’s the entire package that helps to set this song apart.
Tyla, “Is It”
Another departure from smoother R&B-tinged songs, but in a completely different direction, Tyla moves more electronic — albeit with a more traditional Afrobeats drum pattern — for this one off her latest EP. As she continues building her career, her vocals seem to really be coming into their own — she sounds almost Beyoncé-esque at times on this one, though with her own spin, and seems equally at home in this sonic space as she does with some of her warmer previous material. The versatility will serve her well.
Asake & Tiakola, “Badman Gangsta”
If it seems like Asake rarely misses these days, it feels pretty true. This song is stripped down to its base elements musically, and he brings along the silky-voiced French singer Tiakola to augment things, with Asake bringing in his double-tracked vocals in the second verse to expand the sonic palette on which the duo paint. It’s a minimalist yet emotional song, and while it may not bring everyone to the dance floor, it’s another worthy track in his oeuvre.
Burna Boy, “Love”
After perhaps over-stuffing some of his recent albums with cross-Atlantic collaborations, Burna Boy kept the guests on his latest, No Sign of Weakness, to a minimum — and the result includes some of his best work in the past half-decade. “Love” is one of those, where he clears out and lets his emotions take the central place in this song, a heartfelt, cinematic ode to believing in and loving yourself despite outside pressures and criticisms. The overlaid chorus brings it all home, too.
BNXN, “Laye Mi”
BNXN’s latest album, Captain, is one of the strongest that he’s released, and “Laye Mi” is representative of that, with the crooner combining his at-times spiritual lyricism with his propensity for almost whispered vocals that soar and tumble with the emotions behind them. He has one of the more singular voices of all the singers that have emerged from Nigeria in recent years, and the way he sings means that each listen unveils more about what he’s trying to get across with each track. This one, in particular, speaks to some of the anxieties of the world in recent times, and makes it particularly topical.
