A week can move from records built around the restless energy of Lagos to intimate accounts of romantic disappointment, with a few unexpected collaborations occupying the space in between. That diversity is reflected in the latest releases, including “Welcome To Lagos,” where Patoranking and Olamide draw on their respective musical relationships with the city, and “Na Money,” which sees DJ Tunez enlist Shoday for a track on his new project, “In Tunez We Trust Vol. 1.”
There is also an interesting generational overlap across these releases. Artists who have spent years shaping Nigerian popular music are still finding reasons to experiment, while newer performers are beginning to establish their own identities in a crowded industry. Collaborations remain an important part of that exchange, but the solo releases deserve just as much attention. From Wande Coal’s latest musical offering to Solana’s introduction as a new voice to follow, this week’s selection captures several sides of a scene that rarely stays in one place for long. Here are five new Afrobeats songs worth hearing.
Here’s a closer look at the Afrobeats songs currently dominating playlists around the world this week…
#1. Patoranking and Olamide – Welcome To Lagos
Lagos is not simply a geographical reference in Nigerian music. It is a setting, an attitude, and often an entire subject of its own. Patoranking and Olamide lean into that association on “Welcome To Lagos,” a collaboration that draws on the city’s cultural personality and the sounds that have travelled from its streets into mainstream Nigerian music.
The pairing is particularly interesting because both artists approach the record from different musical backgrounds. Patoranking, whose catalogue spans reggae, dancehall, and Afropop, supplies the melodic delivery, while Olamide brings the street-pop sensibility that has informed much of his career. C-Tea handles production, providing the instrumental framework for their performances. Rather than relying on an elaborate concept, “Welcome To Lagos” finds its direction in the familiarity of its setting and the personalities attached to it.
#2. DJ Tunez ft. Shoday – Na Money
DJ Tunez’s “In Tunez We Trust Vol. 1” arrives as a nine-track project with contributions from several artists, including Shoday on “Na Money.” The record offers another example of the disc jockey’s work outside the DJ booth, where his selections and collaborations allow him to explore different corners of contemporary African music.
Shoday has developed a recognisable place within the newer wave of Nigerian Afropop, making his appearance on the project an interesting pairing. On “Na Money,” his vocal contribution sits within DJ Tunez’s production-led approach, giving the track a distinct place on the collection. The release also provides a useful entry point into the wider project, which features eight other songs and a range of additional collaborators. For listeners familiar with DJ Tunez primarily through his mixes and live performances, the album offers a closer look at his work as a music creator.
#3. Wande Coal – Kowope
Wande Coal’s latest single, “Kowope,” arrived on November 12, following the release of his fourth studio album, “KING COAL.” Issued through Black Diamond Entertainment, the track also comes shortly after his collaboration with Phyno on “Ndewo,” keeping the singer’s recent run of releases moving.
The campaign leading up to the single was almost as curious as its title. Wande Coal introduced the name “Mr Kowope” through social media, accompanied by a promotional video set during an owambe celebration inside a bank. The unusual combination of a traditional Nigerian party and a financial institution gave the rollout a memorable visual identity before listeners could hear the record.
Produced by Juls, “Kowope” places Wande Coal’s vocals over the Ghanaian-British producer’s contemporary African music sensibilities. The release is another chapter in a career that stretches back to his Mo’Hits Records era, when his distinctive singing helped shape a generation of Nigerian pop and R&B.
#4. Solana – Don’t Want
On her debut EP, “Girl From The West,” Nigerian singer Solana introduces listeners to a sound that does not depend on romantic idealism. “Don’t Want” is particularly direct in its subject matter, addressing the dissatisfaction that comes with a relationship that no longer meets one’s expectations.
Born Abibat Busola Ogunlana, Solana builds the track around a combination of syncopated kicks and reverberating production. Her delivery carries the song’s rejection of an unsatisfactory romance without turning the subject into an overly dramatic confession. It is one of seven tracks on the EP, which also includes “Faaji,” “Get the Money,” “Okunkun,” “Little Birdie,” “O Ri Mi,” and “Dide.”
The project arrives at an important point in her career following her signing to Since ’93, the UK-based record label and management company backed by Sony Music. With “Girl From The West,” Solana has a full-length introduction through which audiences can begin to understand her songwriting and artistic direction.
#5. Ruger ft. Odumodublvck – DRTY
Ruger has built much of his appeal around a combination of melodic Afropop, provocative songwriting, and an unmistakable performance style. On “DRTY,” he steps into a collaboration with Odumodublvck, whose rap approach offers a different kind of energy from the one Ruger typically brings to his solo records.
The contrast is central to the appeal of the pairing. Ruger’s smoother vocal delivery gives the song its melodic direction, while Odumodublvck’s contribution introduces the harder-edged rap personality that has become familiar across his catalogue. Neither artist has to abandon his established approach to accommodate the other, allowing the collaboration to draw from two distinct corners of Nigerian popular music.
Released through Blownboy Entertainment, “DRTY” is another meeting of Afropop and Nigerian rap at a time when collaborations across those sounds remain a significant part of the country’s music output. For followers of either artist, the pairing offers a different setting in which to hear their respective styles.
Featured image: @patoranking/Instagram
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