African Songs You Need to Hear This Week
The best new African music tracks that came out this week, featuring Zee Nxumalo, Blaqbonez, Amaarae, Flavour x The Cavemen, and more.
A screenshot from Zee Nxumalo, Syke, and Skillz’s “Mamma”
Every week, OkayAfrica highlights the top African music releases — including the latest Afrobeats and amapiano hits — through our best music column, African Songs You Need to Hear This Week.
Read ahead for our round-up of the best new African music tracks and music videos that came across our desks this week.
Zee Nxumalo, Sykes, Skillz - “Mamma”
Zee Nxumalo’s talent refuses to be contained. A certified hitmaker moving seamlessly through amapiano, Afro, and 3-Step, she’s poised for a crossover even bigger than the one she currently enjoys. It’s inevitable, written in the books and recorded in time. Her latest, “Mamma,” is a dance floor-ready love anthem, pairing her airy delivery with Sykes’ proven touch. Together, they carry not just a country, but a continent, with their broad catalogue of hits. Over Skillz’s vibrant production, they trade melodies like moves on a chessboard, crafting a romance that lingers long after the dance floor has cleared. This is a record built to soundtrack the season, and maybe carry us straight into December festivities. - Tšeliso Monaheng
Blaqbonez – “Everlasting Taker”
On his latest single, Blaqbonez continues to prove he’s one of the most versatile acts in Nigeria. This two-minute stomper is a typical braggadocious record lined with showings of fine penmanship. It serves as fine scene-setting for Blaqbonez’s forthcoming project, No Excuses, which he’s described as his most ambitious yet. All the signs of a big project have been evident in the singles Blaqonez has been putting out, and “Everlasting Taker” will surely make its rounds. – Emmanuel Esomnofu
Amaarae – “B2B”
The soundscape of Amaarae’s BLACK STAR exudes an after-hours charm, charged by the singer’s trademark handling of risqué and empowering themes. The recent visuals shot for “B2B” carry that energy, a red-streaked collection of scenes that cast the Ghanaian star in the role of DJ and subsequently curator, determining the vibes while the hotties in the crowd have fun. It’s a typical Amaarae video, enriched with subtle details that track back to the sonic choices found across the album. – EE
Lia Butler - “Umabukisa”
South African R&B is enjoying an extended moment in the sun, and the music being made – rooted in soul and dipped in balmy weather and street smarts – speaks to a vibrant ecosystem. Lia Butler, a torchbearer whose minimal output has nonetheless endeared her to a legion of believers, proves why she’s the don on “Umabukisa,” a song she has been teasing at live shows and on television. Laced with intimacy and an understated swagger, every note here feels deliberate, and every phrase lands like a soft revelation. Butler is the perfect vessel for the song’s message: vivid storytelling delivered with comic timing, painting an everyday South African get-together in wholly imaginative ways. - TM
ODUMODUBLVCK – “PAY ME” feat. Zlatan & Stormzy
So far, it’s been evident that the unique talent of ODUMODUBLVCK is blending Nigerianisms into the gritty soundscape of modern hip-hop. It’s been a winning recipe across his celebrated catalogue and recent singles, as we await his upcoming INDUSTRY MACHINE project. His latest “Pay Me” combines the distinct rap styles of Stormzy and Zlatan, an early collaborator of Odumodu. A melodious affair with a niche sample at its heart, there’s a carefree reliance on storytelling that elevates the new single’s appeal. – EE
Nitefreak, Choujaa, Mavhungu- “Mulalo”
Nitefreak is Zimbabwe’s pride and joy, and a sought-after producer, DJ, and remixer in the Afro scene. On “Mulalo,” he doesn’t just aim for the stars; he breaks the sound barrier and bends the fourth dimension. The song is textured, rich, melodic, endlessly groovy, and intensely affecting. Playing it once — or even sitting while you play it — feels almost illegal, like breaking a sacred code. This is production at its finest, anchored by Nitefreak, driven by Morocco’s Choujaa, and elevated by South African vocalist Mavhungu’s commanding presence. Epic! - TM
Salle – “Underskirt”
One of the bright new voices in Nigerian music, Salle got popular from sharing evocative covers on social media. Now she’s creating her own music, relaying all that distinctness of spirit and vision that made her so heralded to the many who saw her covers. The warm-hued “Underskirt” is taken from an EP scheduled for release later this year, and it’s done a fine job of revealing the singer’s expressionist writing and her sweet vocal tone — qualities that could propel her endearment even further. – EE
Benjamin Jephta, Kujenga - “Still i Rise (Part 1) - Revisited” feat. Ndabo Zulu, Linda Sikhakhane
“More features than an amapiano album,” is the tongue-in-cheek expression Benjamin Jephta uses to describe his forthcoming project, an ambitious body of work celebrating ten years since his debut. Working primarily with Kujenga, the talented composer pulls out all the stops to extend his origin story. The two singles released so far suggest something truly special is on the horizon. On “Still I Rise (Part 1) - Revisited,” he riffs on the iconic Maya Angelou poem to transform the original into an Afrobeats masterpiece that is rich in swelling horns and a groove that locks tighter than a heartbeat in a drumline. “With this version, I was trying to channel the pulse of Afrobeats while weaving in the spirit of what we understand as South African jazz,” he tells OkayAfrica. A part two with vocals is also in the works, “but you’ll have to wait for the album for that one.” The song features improvised-music royalty Linda Sikhakhane on tenor sax, Ndabo Zulu on trumpet, and Leagan Starchild on drums. - TM
Flavour & The Cavemen – “Adamma (15th Anniversary Live Performance)”
When it comes to live performances, few artists are as steadfast as Flavour. His chosen highlife genre endows him with musical gravitas, and even still, the artist has been deliberate in searching for musicians with similar attentiveness to sound. That’s what one hears on this stellar reimagining of one of Flavour’s greatest hits. With a renewed soundscape and his voice ever pristine, it’s a dose of nostalgia that consciously revels in the moment of right now, a double perspective that’s cemented Flavour’s place among the legends of contemporary African music. – EE
Hana - “tough crowd”
Zimbabwean Ethiopian artist Hanna rose up the ranks of Mr Eazi’s emPawa100 and Nasty C’s Lift As You Rise competitions. She has been finding her footing while also testing new ground. Her last single, “Can’t Stop,” is still performing strongly on the charts. She follows that up with “tough crowd,” where her vocal chops are put on display yet again. It’s joyous music over melancholic lyrics, the stuff of bittersweet anthems, the kind that makes you want to dance while feeling every word. - TM
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- African Songs You Need to Hear This Week ›
- African Songs You Need to Hear This Week ›