Love Is War offers a solid introduction to a talent worth paying attention to. Starsamm has shown he has the raw materials: a nimble voice, a keen sense for melody, and a willingness to push himself creatively.
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Born Samuel Oluwaseun Akinbinu, Starsamm is one of the new voices quietly emerging from the ever-fertile Lagos music scene. Since recording his first song back in 2014, he has spent the last decade growing as an artiste and honing his sound. One self-released track at a time, he has developed an emotive blend of Street-Hop and R&B, fused with the melodic sensitivity of modern Afrobeats.
Through a growing catalogue that includes early standouts like “Love in Lagos”, he established a penchant for heartfelt writing and soulful, stripped-down delivery, making space for vulnerability in a landscape often dominated by bravado.
Notably, he co-wrote the 2024 GRAMMY-nominated track “Tomorrow” by Yemi Alade, showcasing his songwriting prowess. Alongside his original work, he further refined his voice and expanded his reach through collaborations like the 2023 track, “Déjà Vu”, as well as several YouTube mashups and covers of popular pop songs.
In 2025, Starsamm took a pivotal step forward by signing with KeyQaad, the label behind breakout star, Omah Lay. This move signalled both creative growth and professional elevation. It is in this moment of quiet ascent that Starsamm releases his debut project, Love Is War.
Love Is War opens with “Thousand Miles”, where weighty emotion rides on a bed of synthetic plucks and deep, rumbling bass. The production is simple yet stirring, featuring bold, impactful kicks and sparse Afrobeats percussion that quietly raise the tension until the chorus lets it spill over. “Oh I will walk a thousand miles/ Just to wipe tears off your eyes”, Starsamm sings in a plaintive falsetto, delivering sincere declarations of love.
A brief instrumental break, punctuated by brass flares, interrupts the track’s softness before he returns in a more grounded register, offering a closing verse that carries all the gravity of a promise made. It’s a short but strong opener, drawing the listener in and hinting at the sonic emotionality to come.
“Ere Lawa Shey” is driven by synthetic trumpets and bright piano keys, layered over a clap groove that evokes the kitschy charm of burlesque lounge jazz. Despite the oddly plastic feel of the instrumental, Starsamm manages to elevate the track with a uniquely jazzy delivery, blending Pidgin and Yoruba to sing, “Oni kilawa shey, Ere ni mowa shey/ Oh baby can’t you see, just give me all your pain/ I take it all away.”
His delivery is unpolished at times but striking in its fluidity, with falsetto runs, wide stereo harmonies, and bursts of gang vocals giving the track an offbeat charisma. It may not land cleanly at every moment, but its inventiveness keeps it afloat.
With “Quiet”, Love Is War finds its stride. DJ RANE and DJ Six7even serve up a lush Afro-House-inspired instrumental, brimming with rattling shakers, pulsing synths, and airy natural textures. Starsamm leans fully into the genre’s contours, spacing out strong melodic phrases that avoid unnecessary complication.
His delivery is clear, steady, and punchy, showcasing the most refined singing on the project thus far. “This our love no be fight/ Shey you wan make I kpai?” he asks. “I for like buy you diamonds, and you know that I try/ But you’ve been quiet”, he sings on the chorus, as the instrumental blooms into its climax, joined by falsetto background vocals and closing with a saxophone solo that ushers out the track with style. It is easily one of the strongest efforts on Love Is War.
“The Bass” starts off, appropriately, with a throbbing low-end groove, but the synthetic quality of the sounds makes the production feel oddly artificial. The beat never quite settles, with string runs occasionally competing with the vocals.
Still, Starsamm and featured artiste, Dutch IRL, make the most of the space they’re given. Dutch IRL brings frenetic dancehall urgency, while Starsamm darts between Afrobeats and a grittier delivery that nods to a patois-inflected cadence. There’s creativity here, and Starsamm’s versatility continues to impress, but the track suffers from executional imbalance, a reminder of the growing pains that may point to inexperience.
“1second” corrects the course with a breezier, more grounded sound. Built on sampled guitars and a lively Afro-Swing drum groove, the beat is light on its feet, and Starsamm rises to meet it.
His vocals weave in and out of the rhythm with clever phrasing and an ear for simple, infectious melody. “I put her on/ Gave her love and I took her top/ If you’re down imma bring you up/ Shawty for you I dey sing this song”, he sings, full of charm and bounce. Once again, the falsetto backing vocals—now a recurring motif—make an appearance, though here they border on excess. Still, Starsamm’s lead performance is compelling enough to carry the song’s playful romantic energy.
On “My Style”, Starsamm finds himself navigating a cluttered soundscape: bell-like electric pianos, clacky percussive hits, and a slightly misplaced log drum pattern jostle for space. The shaker texture is a touch too abrasive, and the beat never fully coalesces. Yet, Starsamm seems undeterred.
His vocals are soft and R&B-tinged, offering smooth melodies as he sings, “I bet you know your body got a lot of tension now/ And the way you move is intentional/ So I’m just gonna let go of all the pressure now”.
The chorus is the clear highlight, rich with group vocals that shine through a welcome lull in the instrumental. A second verse in his upper register brings some of the most confident singing since “Quiet”, helping the album close on a satisfying note—mirroring the strength of its opener and rounding off the journey with a sense of resolve.
Love Is War is unmistakably a debut: brimming with promise, but not without its growing pains. Starsamm himself emerges as the project’s biggest strength. While not quite a vocal powerhouse, he cements himself as a skilled singer, displaying a clear tone, commendable control, and a decent range across the album—particularly shining on tracks like “Quiet” and “My Style”.
It’s a voice that can be leaned into more confidently going forward. His songwriting, too, validates some of the acclaim he’s quietly accrued behind the scenes. While there’s no lyrical moment here that feels especially sticky or poignant, the writing remains serviceable throughout: simple, sincere, and solid. Love, the central theme, is tackled from various angles, offering a spread of emotional snapshots, even if none go particularly deep.
Where Starsamm excels, though, is melodically. His strength as a musical chameleon is clear, shapeshifting his delivery and adapting seamlessly to the demands of each song. He stretches himself stylistically, and even when he falters; like on “Ere Lawa Shey”, where the jazzy experiment doesn’t quite land, he does so with bravery and a clear desire to grow.
His backing vocals and falsetto runs, while ambitious, often verge on being overused or poorly mixed, undermining otherwise strong moments. If he’s to make them a signature part of his style, more attention will need to be paid to how they’re recorded, arranged, and engineered.
Which brings us to the project’s biggest weakness: the production. Outside of the beautifully rendered “Thousand Miles” and the Afro-House standout, “Quiet”, most of the instrumentals here suffer from a lack of polish. Some tracks lean too heavily on synthetic, flat-sounding textures; others feel underdeveloped or poorly balanced in the mix.
There are moments where instrumental elements clash with the vocals, or where the drums lack the glue to bring the song together. It doesn’t always derail the tracks—as Starsamm often sings over the flaws—but it certainly keeps them from reaching their full potential.
Still, despite its imperfections, Love Is War offers a solid introduction to a talent worth paying attention to. Starsamm has shown he has the raw materials: a nimble voice, a keen sense for melody, and a willingness to push himself creatively.
With the resources and guidance now available to him through KeyQaad, the hope is that the rough edges will be smoothed out, and future projects will benefit from more seasoned collaborators and sharper execution. If this debut achieves anything, it’s in giving us someone to root for, an artiste whose sincerity and melodic instincts already set him apart, and whose best work is clearly still ahead.
Lyricism – 1.4
Tracklisting – 1.2
Sound Engineering – 1.1
Vocalisation – 1.4
Listening Experience – 1.2
Rating – 6.3/10
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.