Music · On Repeat
On Repeat
What's hot right now on the music scene
By Alfredo Oveimeh-Brown
If there's one thing about the Nigerian music scene, it's that it never slows down. Just when you think you've figured out the vibe for the season, the charts flip, a new sub-genre drops on TikTok and your playlist gets completely rewritten. Right now, Afrobeats is experiencing a wild crossover moment. We've got the music legends holding down global arenas, sitting right alongside a crazy wave of new, slightly strange and unapologetic street-pop rebels redefining what a hit sounds like.
The Big Leagues
Let's start with the big leagues: the "Big Three". Wizkid, Burna Boy and Davido are still operating like unstoppable machines. Burna Boy continues to prove why his live shows are legendary after performing at the just-concluded Ballon d'Or in London, while Wizkid and Davido keep dropping heavy hits on the big stage. Add Asake and Olamide into the mix and you have a heavyweight squad that refuses to give up top billing. Asake's heavy-rotation tracks like WHY LOVE and IKEBE 3000 (featuring Blaqbonez) only further show that his signature mix of high-energy Fuji hooks and choir harmonies is still taking over everywhere from Lagos clubs to London podiums.
New Music
The last month has been an absolute feast of new music. Seyi Vibez shut down the street-pop charts with his project SWAGUU, feeding fans tracks like Back 2 U and GTA. Over on the pop side, FOLA dropped heavily anticipated tracks off his album 9, including the monster hits attention!, treat u right (featuring Ayra Starr) and miss u ii (nriri).
We also got amazing recent link-ups like BNXN and Asake's Eja Meja, alongside Kizz Daniel's Owo Oluwa. Looking ahead, the tease culture on social media is at an all-time high. Fans are currently losing their minds over upcoming albums announced by Fireboy DML (ZUKO!), Blaqbonez (NOMADINHO: 4TH PRIME) and Omah Lay, who continues to preview dark, introspective bangers on Instagram Live.
The Underground
If you want to know where the real chaos lives, look past the mainstream hitmakers into the underground underdogs. A fresh crop of rising, eccentric talents are building crazy followings with wildly experimental sounds. Take Mavo, who has been causing havoc on Apple Music charts with unhinged bangers like Goyard, Ice Cream and Find My Babe.
Then there's Priesst, whose viral breakout single Akonuche feels like a blend of traditional street wisdom with heavy afro-pop melodies. Underground hip-hop and alternative scenes are also making lots of beautiful noise with raw talents like Wave$tar, dropping hits like Lagos Roots, and Oshamo, who is pioneering a unique blend called "Superfuji". Add emerging voices like Lovn (Omo Ti O Common) and Champz to the league and you realise that the future of Nigerian music is blindingly bright and deliciously unpredictable.
