Afrocritik’s Weekly Music Spotlight: New Names
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Greetings once again, my fellow brave music adventurers.
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter season. However you might celebrate it, the period always reminds me of chocolate eggs and scavenger hunts. That was the energy I channelled as I approached this week’s Weekly Music Spotlight.
This week, I dug around in hidden places and obscure corners for names that didn’t quite ring a bell. In a week light on releases, it was a rare opportunity for lower-profile names to slip through the cracks and make their mark on the scene. As such, I was able to discover and bring you some new artists worth paying attention to—names you might one day be able to drop while bragging about knowing them before they blew up.
Before we jump in, a quick reminder to follow us on our socials @Afrocritik to stay abreast of vital updates and catch each Spotlight as it drops. Don’t forget to check out the Spotlight on Audiomack if that’s your platform of choice.
You can also suggest new platforms for us to port the playlist to, so you can enjoy it with maximum convenience. And if you—or someone you know—are a recording artiste deserving of discovery by our adventurous listeners, don’t hesitate to drop me a line at yinoluu@afrocritik.com for details on how to get your music considered!
And now, without further ado, let me introduce you to some fresh and intriguing names. For your listening pleasure this week, we have:
AFRO-APPEARANCES: A lot of newcomers first start trying to make their mark on the widest audience. Ghanaian New School artiste, CozyPols, launches himself into the limelight with his EP With Love, Cozi, represented here by “Tseyo My Love”, “Pick A Date”, and “What I Need”. Bruce Africa’s The Music Station is his own propelling vehicle carried by tracks such as “How Did You?”, “Kulichani” and “Shujaa”.
Kosi employs the same approach with “Chop Last”, “Gbas Gbos”, and “Groundnut” off his WAVE EP. Talented duo Rain in April return with “Happy Days”, and South African singer Kell Kay combines powers with a few similarly new names to bring us “Sinzapanganso”.
SURPRISE DROPS: While the more obscure names got their day in the sun, some more established names also used the opportunity to surprise listeners with interesting releases. Growing Nigerian starlet, Guchi, seized the moment with “Sorry”, Riverays member Iver Rivers bolsters his recent releases with “Spotlight”, Tim Lyre teams up with powerhouse Show Dem Camp for his new single “Economy”, Tanzanian mainstay Marioo celebrates love on “Tete”. Super producer, Masterkraft, shows his skills on “You Love Me”, while Rexxie combines forces with Rybeena to bring us “Egbami”.
SOUTH AFRICAN FLAIR: Even our typical South Africa trip is spearheaded by newer names today. Deep Sen’s “Mzala” is a lovely earworm, while Mdu Humble’s Uhambo Lwami project serves up some treats in “Xola Moya”, “Uthando”, and “Uthunyelwe”.
Triple X Da Ghost proliferates his catchy name with his Starter Pack project, featuring gems like “Piano Garden”, “Nka Mofa” and “Ngizokulinda”, and Tumisho’s First & Foremost album blesses us with “Kgathi Ya Mma”, “Ndikuthandile”, and “Briyani Way III”.
That wraps up our cross-sectional slice for this week. Of course, there are still a few surprises hidden deep within the Spotlight, so be sure to play through the entire playlist—either straight through for the curated experience, or on shuffle for a twist.
I’d love to know which of the featured songs and albums resonated with you the most, or which ones you feel perhaps shouldn’t have made the list. And don’t forget, if you’re a budding musician hoping to connect with others, feel free to message us to find out how to get your songs considered for the Spotlight.
I hope this selection helps you discover some new artists! Your support could be a key part of their rise over the years, so do show them some love—and let them know we sent you their way! I also encourage you to go on your own musical adventures, and perhaps share some of your great finds with me.
Enjoy the journey, and have a blessed week full of musical highs.
Warm regards,
Yinoluwa “Yinoluu” Olowofoyeku is a multi-disciplinary artist and creative who finds expression in various media. His music can be found across all platforms and he welcomes interaction on his social media @Yinoluu.