Afrocritik’s Music Spotlight: Big Emotions
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Greetings to all the fearless navigators of rhythm, the patient wanderers who follow melodies down unfamiliar roads, and the ever-curious listeners who treat every new song as a new landscape to explore. It is always a joy to gather again in this shared space of sound.
Happy Women’s Month to you all. Who did you celebrate on International Women’s Day this year? Hopefully, the final month of Q1 has been kind to you and not too stressful. I am really happy to be back doing this frequently again, and I have been enjoying getting back into the swing of things.
These past two weeks were a bit light on releases across the continent, but that could not stop me from assembling a nice little spotlight for you. This edition is fueled by bombastic songs expressing big, powerful emotions, so I hope this collection moves you as deeply as it moved me while I was listening through it.
Before we begin, make sure you are following us across our socials, as there is a lot of exciting work coming from Afrocritik very soon. We also just released our highly anticipated Afrocritik Report 2025, so please go check that out. And as always, the artistes among you can submit your own music to yinoluu@afrocritik.com so you stand a chance to be spotlighted here in a future edition.
Without further ado, we go into this week’s brilliant selection, which comes in the form of:
Soft Emotion
We begin gently this week, leaning into songs that wear their feelings openly and let vulnerability guide the sound. Kenyan alternative singer Karun joins forces with Nigerian super producer Bigfootinyourface for the Eternal EP, where “Feel You”, “Still”, and “Hold Me” create a sombre yet beautiful atmosphere through poetic writing and restrained, emotionally charged production. South African vocalist Lloyiso continues to prove why his voice commands so much attention on Never Thought I Could Part 1, with “Rain”, “High”, and “Scary” unfolding as powerfully performed Pop ballads supported by intricate production choices that elevate every note.
Braye offers the deeply expressive Love Stray EP, where “Swim With Me”, “Are You On The Way”, and “Deeper Than Love” display his signature poetic instincts and idiosyncratic vocalisation across unique sonic textures. South African musicians Msaki and Jesse Clegg present Entropy, a project where Alternative Pop storytelling thrives across songs like “Wayside Lover”, “How Dare You”, and “See Me Through”, each driven by narrative songwriting and pulsating instrumentals that carry emotional weight.
Durban-born artiste and rapper LaCabra shows a more introspective side of his artistry on Mr Bully. Tracks like “5am In Swaziland”, “Shout Out To Me”, and “Emaweni” deliver soft, reflective rap moments from an album otherwise built on strong Hip-Hop foundations. Kunmie and Joeboy collaborate on the guitar-driven ballad “Solace II”, while Amaeya’s “Let Me Remind You” floats as a smooth, emotive Soul track that highlights her rising potential. Nomfundo Moh adds a romantic RnB moment with “Uzophumelela”, guiding listeners through a tender journey anchored by classic RnB sensibilities.
Emo-Fusions
As the pulse slowly rises, emotion begins to blend with rhythm across Afrobeats and other African sonic traditions. Tanzanian artiste Vanilla presents Listen to Me II, where “I Gat U” and “Tamu Chungu” carry Bongo Flava influences delivered through smooth vocals and laid-back grooves. LYRXX offers a vibrant set of songs on Mystery Rider, including “Honeymoon In Paris”, “Flenjo”, and “Parago”, energetic tracks built on catchy melodies and distinctive deliveries.
Kenyan Afro-Soul duo Watendawili share the Hekaya EP, where “Naogelea” and “Tumia Pesa” pair storytelling instincts with lively rhythms that remain grounded in soulful expression. The singles in this section also shine brightly. Fortune Lio C delivers the silky midtempo “Pretty as Fuck”, Njerae offers the warm and inviting “Ingia Ndani”, Bayanni keeps the groove steady on “Stick to the Plan”, and Oxlade joins Kojo Blak on “Sailor”, a heartfelt track elevated by powerful vocal performances.
Rising female voices also make a strong impression here. Efue continues to showcase emotional clarity on “Moving On”, Taene brings confidence and flair on “Million Girl”, and Juno delivers the standout moment of this edition with “Personal”, a beautiful Afro-Soul performance that lingers long after it ends. Elinala rounds things out with “Bad”, a compelling offering that captures both vulnerability and strength.
Emotional Electronica
We close, as we often do, by stepping into the electronic spaces of Southern Africa where emotion meets movement on the dancefloor. Mas Musiq’s Uju album brings smooth and sensual Amapiano across “Icilongo”, “As’groove”, and “Ithuba”, each track strengthened by collaborations with talented vocalists who add depth to the sound. Mr JazziQ’s 0303 project pushes energetic electronic textures forward with “Malume”, “Ukuphi”, and “Ego”, songs driven by catchy vocals and thumping percussion.
South African talent Euggy delivers the Yuapi? project, where “We Mfo”, “Yuapi?”, and “RØØM II” lean into AfroHouse energy with trance-inducing synth lines and confident rhythmic momentum. Lebza TheVillain closes out the section with the Ngoma EP, where “It Can Be” and “Find You” explore fluid and genre-bending dance arrangements that balance emotional resonance with club-ready grooves.
These songs are only a cross-section of the full playlist. There are many more gems waiting for you there, and it is a big one this time, offering a full spectrum of moods, tempos, and textures that deserve your attention.
As always, our goal here is not to focus only on the biggest names but to make sure you do not miss the noteworthy offerings that might otherwise fly under the radar. Hopefully, we have introduced you to a few new artistes today and helped you discover some new favourites to carry into the rest of the month.
Feel free to send us your own favourite discoveries from this past edition’s wave of releases. And keep an eye out for the return of the Monthly Editorial as we will be putting together a full one for March when the month ends.
We hope you enjoyed this spotlight as much as we enjoyed putting it together. We hope you missed it as much as I missed bringing it to you. And we hope the year has been treating you well so far.
Until the next edition arrives in two weeks, keep listening deeply, keep discovering boldly, and keep letting music move you.
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.
https://audiomack.com/afrocritik-music/playlist/afrocritik-wms