Afrocritik Music Spotlight: Unique Stylings
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Hey everyone, and welcome back to another edition of the Afrocritik Music Spotlight!
How has July been treating you so far? We hope the month has been kind to you, that you’re making steady progress towards your goals, and, most importantly, that you’re taking good care of yourselves.
And if you’re joining us from Nigeria or anywhere else experiencing heavy rainfall this season, please stay safe out there. The rains have been relentless in many places, with flooding affecting communities across Lagos and beyond. Our hearts go out to everyone who’s been affected, and we hope you and your loved ones are keeping safe during this period.
On a lighter note, the FIFA World Cup is almost at its grand finale. It’s been an exciting few weeks of football, full of drama, surprises, and unforgettable moments. Who are you rooting for to lift the trophy? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear your predictions.
As always, if you’re an artiste, producer, DJ, or publicist with new music on the way, don’t forget to send your releases our way via [email protected]. We’d love to hear what you’ve been working on. And if you haven’t already, be sure to follow Afrocritik across all our social media platforms to keep up with the latest reviews, interviews, playlists, and everything happening across the African music landscape.
Now, every week we find ourselves noticing little trends in the music that lands on our desks, and this week’s playlist had one quality that kept jumping out at us: individuality. We came across artistes who refuse to colour inside the lines, musicians pulling from different genres, cultures, and influences to create sounds that feel distinctly their own. Whether it’s unconventional songwriting, fearless genre-blending, or simply a unique artistic perspective, this week’s selections remind us that some of the most exciting music comes from artistes who can’t quite be placed into a single box.
So, without further ado, let’s get into this week’s playlist and explore some truly unique stylings.
UNIQUELY EXPRESSIVE
Some artistes bear their hearts and emotions with some sonically unique and unconventional flair.
Yandani explores love and vulnerability on About You, bringing together “Undecided”, “Forget”, “Touch”, and “Honeydew”, a gentle collection of R&B-inflected Afro-Pop that favours intimacy over spectacle. Tommy WÁ reflects on growth and nostalgia with “There Goes My Youth”, a heartfelt meditation on youth, change, and self-discovery. EKENE finds beauty in life’s quiet moments on Little Us, with “4 Square Ft.”, “Relations”, “Lullaby”, and “Epiphany” forming an intimate portrait of love, family, and everyday reflection. Abefɛ wears his heart on his sleeve across Abefɛ (Begged To Be Loved), where “Yori Yori” and “Yaweh” blend heartfelt songwriting with warm Highlife and Afro-Pop influences. Tekno returns with Where Did Love Go?, bringing together “Press Button”, “Matter”, “Wedding Day”, and “Gently”, a warm and melodic collection that leans into romance, laidback grooves, and his unmistakable knack for infectious songwriting.
Elsewhere, Nigerian singer-songwriter FAVE continues to blur the lines between R&B and Afro-Pop on RnBling, where “Dance”, “La La La”, and the 255-assisted “Drown” showcase her smooth vocals, understated confidence, and effortless melodic instincts. The section is rounded out by FOLA and Ayra Starr’s “treat u right”, Kkeda’s “Don’t You Forget”, and Joshua Baraka’s “what do i know”.
UNIQUE FUSIONS
Afro-Pop continues to evolve in exciting directions, with artistes drawing from R&B, Hip-Hop, Alternative, and regional influences to create sounds that feel both familiar and refreshingly distinct.
Jinmi Abduls leans into rich, soulful songwriting on Renaissance, where “Ladder”, “Sade”, and “Saro” reaffirm his gift for heartfelt lyricism and understated Afro-R&B production. Reekado Banks continues his latest chapter on Worthy Challenger, delivering “Mercy”, “Samankwe”, and “Nobody”, a polished Afro-Pop offering that balances melodic finesse with his signature vocal charm. Kosi captures the quiet intimacy of late-night reflection on UP TIL 5, with “2am”, “3am”, “4am”, and “5am” unfolding as a cohesive sequence of mellow Alternative R&B and catchy Afro-Pop. Collective VVS showcase their versatility on Descendants, delivering “Love Is War”, “Pressure”, “Lifestyle”, and “Good Energy”, a collaborative project that moves comfortably between Afro-Pop, Hip-Hop, and Alternative influences. On Waves & Tides, Ghanaian artiste, Elinála, offers the breezy “Ciao”, “Pretty Girls”, and “Potion”, weaving together Soulful R&B, Afro-Pop, and intimate songwriting across a relaxed and inviting project.
Elsewhere, Kold AF and ODUMODUBLVCK link up for the confident “4 by 4!”, the Mavin collective joins SEVN, Lovn, Eggerton, and TAR1Q on “Signs”, Tomi Thomas returns with the reflective “How I Know”, and Supa Gaeta keeps things stylish on “Giannis”.
UNIQUELY ENERGETIC
Sometimes, all you need is a record that gets you moving. From dancefloor-ready grooves to rap-leaning cuts and high-octane fusions, these releases bring the energy without sacrificing personality.
Maero’s The Musical Experience offers “Ngazi Sola”, “Stimela”, and “Give Me More”, combining Amapiano grooves with soulful vocal performances and heavyweight collaborations. Savinnah’s V pairs “On Me” with the Silverstone Barz-assisted “Eat It”, showcasing confident vocals over gritty Hip-Hop-adjacent production with a playful edge. D.H presents HANI WO YA, featuring “FACE ME”, the DarkoVibes-assisted “I FOR TRY (HANI WO)”, and “JE!”, a project rooted in contemporary Ghanaian Rap sounds with confident melodies and hard-hitting groove. Ivorian artiste Yörkk ventures into darker Alternative territory on Ö’sassin, with “Ö’sassin”, “Öntario Bakki”, and the ARTSALGHUL-assisted “Digga” blending moody production with striking vocal performances.
Elsewhere, Gvrden Boy keeps things vibrant on “Fiesta”, Heavy-K and Zimvo deliver the emotive “Oluthando”, and Bantu’s “Money Maker” brings infectious Afro-Pop bounce.
As always, what we’ve highlighted here is only a snapshot of everything waiting for you on this week’s playlist. There are countless other discoveries woven throughout these selections, so if something resonates with you, keep listening. Your next favourite artiste or song could be just a few tracks away.
That’s always been the spirit of Music Spotlight. Beyond celebrating the week’s biggest releases, we want to champion the artistes pushing the culture forward in their own unique ways, whether they’re established names refining their craft or emerging voices carving out entirely new lanes. We hope this edition has introduced you to a few fresh sounds and reminded you just how rich and diverse African music continues to be.
As always, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us what you’ve been listening to lately, which releases have been on repeat, and whether there are any hidden gems you think deserve a spotlight of their own. If you’re an artiste, don’t forget that you can submit your music to [email protected] for a chance to be featured in a future edition, and be sure to follow Afrocritik across our social platforms to keep up with all the latest reviews, interviews, playlists, and more.
With July already gathering pace, we hope the rest of the month brings you plenty of reasons to celebrate, moments to recharge, and, of course, great music to soundtrack it all. Stay safe, take care of yourself and those around you, and don’t let the rainy days stop you from finding something new to fall in love with.
Until next time, keep exploring, keep listening, and keep your ears open to the unexpected. We’ll be back in two weeks with another collection of outstanding music from across the continent. Happy listening.
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.