Adekunle Gold Reinterprets the Music He Grew up on With New Album, ‘Fuji’

In the decade since his breakout, Afropop artist Adekunle Gold has made his stardom unimpeachable with a mix of reliable hit-making and a commitment to refreshing his personality. The singer’s newly released sixth album, Fuji, is partly named after the indigenous form of music that originated in southwest Nigeria decades ago, and it immediately points to the primary inspiration for the project.

Leading up to the release, the singer released a handful of singles, including the romance-themed “Obimo,” the show of affluence on “Coco Money,” and the swaggering fare of “Bobo,” which features Lojay and Shoday. The singles teased Adekunle Gold’s direction for Fuji, a sleek reimagination of the groovy, Yoruba folk-heavy rhythms of fuji to create an accessible expression of Nigerian pop.

The singer has described his new album as “the sound of Lagos,” referring to the ubiquity of fuji in his environment growing up. “I grew up on fuji. It’s at every party, every event. It’s ingrained in me.” Fuji is also an acronym for “Finding Uncharted Journeys Inside,” a celebration of how his artistic identity has evolved over the years. “Even if I sing R&B, I still sound fuji,” he says, adding that this album is a chance to expose the sound he grew up on.

Fuji echoes the folk-pop ideals of Gold’s earlier work but with the pop-centric verve of his work in the past half-decade. The album delves into the singer’s familiar themes, including joy at his successes, his unending drive to keep ascending, and his well-known nous for heartfelt love songs.

The guest cast is diverse, with features like fellow Nigerian superstar Davido, East Atlanta R&B singer 6lack, and fast-rising Nigerian street-rap artist Mavo.

Watch Adekunle Gold share his Quick Six at the OkayAfrica studio below:

Stream Adekunle Gold's new album, Fuji, below: