African Fresh Picks: Ayra Starr x Wizkid, Ayox x Qing Madi, Darkoo, Olamide, Seyi Vibez & More
Speaking of Wizkid collabs, he teams up with Nigerian hip-hop icon Olamide for a new track, 'Kai!,' while Seyi Vibez celebrates his new partnership with EMPIRE with a sonic departure in the form of new track 'Pressure.' Meanwhile, Fido follows up his breakthrough smash 'Joy Is Coming' with a new cut called 'Money Moves,' while Kizz Daniel returns with a surprise seven-song EP called Uncle K: Lemon Chase that leads with the breezy song 'Black Girl Magic.'
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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 pregame the summer season with our Spotify playlist below.
Ayra Starr & Wizkid, 'Gimme Dat'
Ayra Starr and Wizkid are ready to fill up the 'freakin' dancefloor' this summer with 'Gimme Dat.' The slow-burning acoustic guitar melody from Wyclef Jean and Mary J. Blige's 2000 Grammy-nominated hit '911' and tropical drums, courtesy of producers VybeO and Mikabeatz adds to the song's sensuality and serenity. But Wiz steals the spotlight in the middle of the song with his audacious 'Goddamn' declaration that kickstarts his verse about sticking to one shorty who has all his attention.
June Freedom, 'Oh My Lady'
The Cape Verdean American crooner creates a vibrant ode to intimacy with his latest single 'Oh My Lady.' Producer Abolaji Collins Kuye's glimmering Afro-fusion groove complement Freedom's blend of English and Cape Verdean Kriolu sweet nothings that roll off his tongue as he reminds us that home isn't always a place, it's your person. 'Two souls locked in, fully understanding each other on every level: mind, body and soul. I wanted to capture that rare kind of love that holds you down but still lets you fly. It's like wake up to peace and falling asleep in passion,' he said in a press release.
Darkoo, 'Like Dat'
The British-Nigerian star heats things up again with 'Like Dat.' The pulsating Afroswing beat will immediately send any 'naughty naughty' girl's hips swinging, but her suave voice drives the track's flirtatious energy. And Darkoo plays into her affinity for Y2K sonics and aesthetics by paying homage to the music video for Sean Paul's 2003 smash 'I'm Still in Love With You' with the same bold pop of orange and yellow in the Sam Fallover-directed 'Like Dat' visual.
Ayox & Qing Madi, 'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE'
The self-proclaimed 'loner of Afrobeats' Ayox and Billboard's repeat 21 Under 21 honoree Qing Madi are a melodic match made in heaven on 'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE' from his sophomore EP WHEN NOBODY IS WATCHING. They swap sweet-sounding confessions about taking accountability and wanting to do better by their lovers over pulsating rhythms and thrilling saxophone riffs.
Twitch 4EVA, Yung D3mz & Uche B, 'Temperature'
Ghanaian artists Twitch 4EVA and Yung D3mz and producer Uche B team up on the scorching single 'Temperature.' The spurts of the log drums feel like trickling beads of sweat down the body, but the whistling ad-libs interspersed throughout the song add more ventilation.
Olamide & Wizkid, 'Kai!'
Two titans of the last two decades of African music, Olamide and Wizkid, teamed up for this slick cut, which layers a horn section over some traditional Afrobeats drum patterns and features both icons crooning, using their voices as additional instrumentation to augment the track. The video sees the two of them dressed to the nines in a nightclub setting, too, enhancing the overall vibe of the track.
Seyi Vibez, 'Pressure'
Fresh off his new partnership with EMPIRE, Nigerian street prince Seyi Vibez immediately diverted from his usual grittier sound to drop this love song, with warmer and more inviting themes than his usual gruffer fare. It's 'a complete shift from my usual sound,' he said in a press release about the track. 'It leans into melody, intimacy and raw emotion. It's smoother, softer and more intentional. I wanted to show my range, to prove that I can give you fire and tenderness in the same breath. This track is about the quiet power of love and attention. Sometimes the loudest statement is how you move when no one's watching. That's real pressure.'
Fido, 'Money Moves'
Fresh off his breakout smash single 'Joy Is Coming,' Fido returns with 'Money Moves,' an engaging cut with an earworm hook — quickly becoming a hallmark of his — that brings in amapiano elements to underpin his melodic vocals. If joy was coming on his last single, it's arrived in the form of stacks of cash in this one.
Bhadboi OML feat. L.A.X., 'River'
Bhadboi OML has been steadily building a name for himself with a string of single releases over the past year or so, and this one lands with a breezy vibe just on the cusp of summertime with a hook that implores the listener to 'cry me a river.' Teaming up with fellow Nigerian and veteran artist L.A.X. adds another dimension to this one, but Bhadboi takes the bulk of it and delivers a hit for the season.
Kizz Daniel, 'Black Girl Magic'
Returning out of nowhere with a new EP, the seven-song Uncle K: Lemon Chase — featuring collaborations with ODUMODUBLVCK, Angélique Kidjo, Bella Shmurda, Zlatan and more — Kizz Daniel bolsters his discography with 'Black Girl Magic,' a free-spirited, lighthearted ode to treating your girl right no matter the cost. The full project is worth checking out, but this one sets the tone.
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