Afrocritik’s Weekly Music Spotlight: Soul Celebration.
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Hello, dear lovers of lush chords and rich voices,
Are you enjoying the rainy season wherever you are? There’s something about the gentle patter of rain and the scent of wet earth that makes soul music feel even more profound. With June fast approaching, it’s hard to believe the year is already halfway through — but time flies when the playlists stay loaded.
This week, we’re picking up the baton from last week’s soulful leanings and heading full steam into a Soul Celebration. It’s all about the voices that move us, the beats that heal us, and the melodies that remind us we’re alive.
Be sure to follow us on socials @Afrocritik so you never miss a week of our carefully curated soundscapes. And get excited — next week, we’ll be rolling out the full Monthly Spotlight for May, so stay tuned.
As always, if you or someone you know is crafting music that deserves to be heard, send it our way via yinoluu@afrocritik.com. We’re always listening.
Without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s selection, which arrives in the form of:
NOTABLE PROJECTS: This week brought us some stunning full-length efforts that made narrowing things down a joyful struggle. Congolese artist Maud Elka melds R&B, Hip-Hop, and Congolese roots on her project 99 PBLM, with highlights like “Oublier”, “Godzilla”, “Ceux D’Avant”, and the heartfelt “Rappel”. Ghanaian singer, Josh Blakk, delivers a career-defining statement with Catch-22, a brilliant R&B-driven album that boasts standout tracks like “Orange”, “Blue”, “Lean On Me”, and “Go Away”, and features top-tier guests such as R&B Princess, Titi Owusu, and Keziah Mallam.
Nazor brings an energetic, soulful Afrobeats twist on his Different Colours of Light EP, with “Dey Play” and “Jelosi Jeloma” standing tall. Zimbabwean singer, Gemma Griffiths, shines with Gemma, a self-titled project laced with gospel-tinged soul and danceable warmth on tracks like “Yahweh”, “Ndarema”, and “Holy”.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Alté favourite, Raytheboffin, finally drops You Make Me Feel, giving us gems like “Cold Summer”, “Throw Me Around”, and the emotionally vulnerable “You Don’t”, alongside a host of fresh collaborators from the scene.
SOFT SINGLES: These slow-burning soulful numbers bring warmth, grace, and emotion. Filipino-Ghanaian singer, Anabel Rose, infuses classic R&B DNA into her yearning track “How I Want It”, while Cameroonian DJ Jeune Lio teams up with Chrystel for a sensual serenade on “Lie To Me”.
Kenya’s Nadia Mukami and Bensoul serve up a sweet Bongo Flava-flavoured duet in “Overdose”, and Gyakie continues to tug heartstrings with her tender new love story, “Sankofa”. Rising Nigerian artiste, Ladé, rounds things off with an emotive Afro-Swing performance that keeps the soul high and the rhythm subtle with “Wish”.
ENERGETIC FUSIONS: Here’s where soul meets swagger, with just enough bounce to keep it moving. Tolibian brings playful Fuji-inflected Afrobeats energy on the infectious “Oblee”, while Kenyan rapper, Breeder LW, charges in with undeniable force on “Wasupa”.
From the deluxe edition of his debut, BhadBoi OML drops the pensive yet street-wise “River”. Tanzanian favourite Jux offers a trio of bops from A Day To Remember with “You”, “Ololo”, and the fittingly joyful “Celebration”.
Afrobeats legend, Tekno, returns with his signature sparkle and swagger on “Alhaji”, while Reekado Banks teams up with Mayorkun on “Glamorous”, a breezy bop with enough bounce to carry you into the weekend.
SOUTH AFRICA FIX: Amapiano and Afro-House in all their layered, collaborative beauty.
Mas Musiq and Daliwonga lead the way with the innovative Bas’tholile, where stripped-back amapiano melodies meet deep vocals on “Woza”, “Melanin”, and “Ububele”. Cyfred and Sayfar channel romance on their All I Wanted Was Love project, highlighted by “Khumbule”, “Maqondana”, and “Zimhlophe”.
There’s more lushness in “Abazali” by JL SA, Msongi, and Kaymor, and an explosive collaboration on “Izinto” by Bandros and friends. Tyler ICU and Visca turn up the energy with the dancefloor-filler “Sobona” from the Ke Wave EP. And across the Afrohouse spectrum, Busiswa and Bernt bring it home with their Honey & Grace project; spiritual, sonic, and alive with “Grace”, “Flight Mode”, and “We Need Each Other” standing out.
As always, remember, these are just a few shining stars from the full constellation of this week’s playlist. Be sure to explore the entire Spotlight playlist to uncover even more sonic gems. If you’re a budding artist hoping to get featured, or if you’ve just stumbled across a sleeper hit that deserves more ears, don’t hesitate to drop me a line at yinoluu@afrocritik.com. Let’s keep the circle of discovery growing.
Here’s to a new week: may it be full of light, soul, and sound. Keep showing up, keep showing love, and let the music keep you centred.
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.