Afrocritik’s Weekly Music Spotlight: Soulful Tunes.
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Greetings to all my sonic soulmates and rhythm seekers,
How was your week? Can you believe we’re already edging towards the halfway point of the year? Time seems to be sprinting by—and with it, so is the music: evolving, unfolding, and gifting us fresh gems each week. As we flow on from the mellow tones of last week, we’re delving even deeper into the soulful this time around. This edition is designed for full immersion into music that resonates in the chest, nestles in the mind, and refuses to let go.
As always, remember to follow us across socials @Afrocritik so you never miss a beat. Keep your ears primed—our Monthly Spotlight for May is on the way, and it’s shaping up to be something special. And if you’re a budding artiste—or know someone whose music deserves to be heard—don’t hesitate to reach out. Submit songs for consideration by dropping a line at yinoluu@afrocritik.com. I’m always looking for new sounds to share with our fellow adventurers.
And now, without further ado, this week’s selections come to you in the form of:
NOTEABLE PROJECTS: A treasure trove of full-length releases that made narrowing down picks a sweet challenge. Ghanaian wordsmith, Lyrical Joe, sets the bar high with I AM, balancing dexterous rap with emotive resonance on “Holy Sky”, “Feed My Soul”, and “Healing”.
Rwandan songstress, Bwiza, delivers heart and heritage on 25 Shades, with “Ahazaza”, “Isi”, and “Ndabaga” showing off her blend of soul singing and folk grounding. Nigerian singer, Rukmani, keeps it dreamy and dialled back on her soft, vibey 3XL, giving us “Compromise”, “Gen Z Lifestyle”, and “Tear Us Apart”.
Malawian artiste, Eli Njuchi, impresses with the vibrant Cifu, a project fusing Bongo Flava energy with pop sparkle, making sure “Ana”, “Asa”, and “Soja” will stick in your head. Lastly, Tha Boy Myles and Raybekah offer excellent chemistry on their collaborative Birds of A Feather EP, with “Gatchu”, “Stay”, and “Wet, Wild & Wicked” proving to be sweet duets.
SOFT SINGLES: A bouquet of ballads and bare-hearted expressions. Celeste Ojatula’s acoustic rework of “Sigh” featuring Dwin, The Stoic, adds new tenderness to an already moving track.
Kenyan favourite Nviiri The Storyteller goes folky and heartfelt on “Mwana Wa Mubi”, while Gabzy strips back the percussion for the evocative “30 Degrees”.
Somadina digs deep with her introspective and powerful “Feel Something”, while Mizo Phyll takes us to “Thohoyandou” with tender storytelling. Ugandan breakout, Joshua Baraka, rounds out the set with “Wrong Places”, a groovy but heartfelt track that proves he’s just getting started.
ENERGETIC FUSIONS: A jolt of rhythm where genres blur and the tempo climbs. The alte space thrives with Brum3h and Musta4a’s “Unbelievable”, Marcy WTF’s bold “Fagbo!!”, and Mohalizer’s punchy “Introvert”. If you’re looking to dance it out, Lady Zamar has you covered with “Russian Roulette”, while Hanna delivers bounce and attitude on “Can’t Stop”.
On the Afrobeats side, KJ Spio and Oxlade link up for the lush “Emiko”, Jeff Akoh woos us on “Muna Gi”, and Amadi Blue closes the segment with “45 Degrees”, a steamy, groove-laden bop.
SOUTH AFRICA FIX: Our well-loved sonic detour to the Southern soundscape. Nicole Elocin leads the charge with her A Symphony project, a showcase of soulful amapiano best heard on “Ixesha”, “Masawana”, and “Khanye”. Sfarzo Rzee delivers lush, vocal-led gems with “Asiyeni”, “Mandiphume”, “Koze Kuse”, and “Inyembezi” from Rethabile.
Meanwhile, UMngomezulu transforms personal pain into piano power on Turning Pain Into Music, with “Ndizoklinda”, “Light After Darkness”, and “Emazweni”. For those who prefer their house with a Gospel twist, The Revival by Artwork Sounds and Hypaphonik shines through “Glory”, “Iziyalo”, and “Let Us Be”. Finally, Da Capo brings the tempo up again with the fun and bouncy “Phakade Lami”.
As always, these selections are just the tip of the iceberg—an enticing prelude to a playlist brimming with even more gems. Don’t forget to check out the full Spotlight playlist to uncover the rest of the soul-drenched offerings we couldn’t squeeze in here. If you’re a budding artiste hoping to be featured, or if you’ve 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.
Be kind to yourself this week. Take moments to breathe, reflect, and—if you can—dance. The year may be flying, but let’s make sure we’re flying with it, one beautiful track at a time.
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.