What defines alternative music? It’s a question that’s often unanswered. Yet there’s no doubt as to how certain strong influences have entered alternative African music in the past decade. Around 2017, artists like Cruel Santino, Lady Donli, and Amaarae, among others, began stretching the sonic and aesthetic parameters of our sound.
What emerged was an impressive mosaic of influences that ranged from 80s synthwave, Old Nollywood, and emo rap, all threaded with the experiences of young Africans around the world. In 2025, it’s debatable that alte music doesn’t hold much sway on popular media and perception as it once did, but the vestiges of its innovation remain, if one looks intently.
It’s there in the communal vision of Show Dem Camp, in the eccentricity of Mavo, the fashion of Rema. More than a sound, it’s a sensibility, but this doesn’t mean that the songs have stopped trickling in. If anything, the waning attention has given the alte creators even more space to experiment, and we’ve been treated to several records that would rank among the best of the year, regardless of country or genre.
Without further ado, these are ten songs that carry a striking vision of the alte sensibility within their fine parameters of sound.
Lady Donli – “I NO KNOW”
A brave inventor, Lady Donli’s music stays close to the retro elements which vivify alte music. That was a core sonic element of her classic debut, Enjoy Your Life. Still, after her sophomore Pan African Rockstar, she began to lean into more outsized depictions of a celebrity persona, shedding the attractive simplicity for dense layers of sound. “I NO KNOW,” from the short project This Feels Like An Interlude, lasts for just a little over two minutes, but is infused with so much soul and vulnerability, an entire world is opened up to us. With smacking drums and Donli’s hurt-drenched voice, she paints the riveting image of someone who’s trying to make love work against all the odds.
Obongjayar – “Moon Eyes”
Poetry is a potent tool in Obongjayar’s vast arsenal. His early music saw him incorporate spoken word over intricate jazzy beats, but with time, he consecrated those impulses into more accessible sounds. “Moon Eyes,” a standout from his latest album Paradise Now, shines in its minimalism. The drums barely break out, but there’s a thread-like complexity of the notes around those sparse percussions. In his masterly writing, the Nigerian-born artist awakens the beauty of a life discovered afresh, the miracle of seeing another day. It’s a double entendre how he evokes metaphors typically reserved for lovers, but here it’s also an ode to the sight of life, and the eyes that make it possible.
Tim Lyre – “NYE (Everywhere)” feat. Joyce Olong
If not for anything else, Tim Lyre deserves incredible plaudits for his resilience. For close to five years now, he’s made music that defines unconventional, yet packs enough essential truths to relate with the typical mainstream listener. It’s no wonder he’s collaborated with a vast list of artists across several genres, often bringing them into his impressive sonic sphere. “NYE,” which features the soulful Joyce Olong, carries a distinct hip-hop bounce, but the undertones are audibly alte, as Lyre floats across talking about everything from his inadequacies as a lover to the search for greatness.
Zaylevelten – “Gbona”
One of the breakout artists of the year, Zaylevelten, has all the tools for a mainstream entry. Cool and undeniably talented, his rapping borrows from emo but without the gloom, rather filling its roving production with eccentricities peculiar to the young Nigerian. On “Gbona,” a sonic standout from his impressive album then 1t g0t crazy, it sounds like a track that could result from if Cruel Santino and Gunna ever got into a studio together. Though Zay is his own man, and if the intricate flows don’t convince you, then the use of slang will. He’s quite obviously a new frontier for alte music, and it’s exciting to see how far he could go with this unique blend of influences.
Celeste Ojatula & Dwin, The Stoic – “Sigh (Remix)”
Music built from the guitar will always find its way to the soul. The instrument has a way of silencing the world’s countless sounds, and Celeste Ojatula knows how to handle it peculiarly well. She’s made a good impression on many listeners this year, harkening the ears to a time when soul music was the prime expression of the human condition. On the remix of her evocative single “Sigh,” she’s joined by the similarly influenced Dwin, The Stoic, whose husky vocals prove the perfect parallel for the incisive lilt of hers. It’s a fine record that attempts the beautiful and essential task of putting a finger on life’s troubles.
SUBARU LIVE RADIO & Cruel Santino – “Gates Of Heaven” feat. Ravington & T6lu
A sort of godfather within the alte scene, Cruel Santino has opened several ears to the beautiful possibilities of the sound. His edgy, sensual music carries interesting flavors within it, and over the years, he’s matured even more in that direction. “Gates Of Heaven” embodies the bold outlook of the movement, taking turns to showcase the coolness of their personalities. The duo of Ravington and T6lu assert the production, which extends from Santino’s concept album, Subaru Boys. Just one of the several fine collaborations he’s done this year, it’s a reminder of his influence in African music.
RayTheBoffin – “iron sight” feat. Tim Lyre, DAP The Contract & Iver Rivers
There’s a certain bounce you hear and you just know you’re in for a surreal alte experience. That bounce is evident in the first ten seconds of “iron sight,” and extends onto the end of the record. RayTheBoffin’s assembly of the impressive trio he gets on here executes the unpredictably difficult job of maintaining theme even while creating an atmospheric song. All the artists are united by a freewheeling depiction of what makes them cool, which is one of the core themes of the alte movement. But there’s a tender streak to the production and deliveries, which will have the song hitting personal spots when you least expect it.
Amaarae – “B2B”
No one ever quite knows where Amaarae will turn. Throughout her career, she’s been one of the most experimental artists in the soundscape, eagerly pulling worlds together in search of new feelings. “B2B,” a riveting record from her BLACK STAR album, carries the insistent throbbing of house music, but it’s a bit more than that, charged by the synths and Amaarae’s soft, feathery vocals. “I’ve been into you, I like what we do/ Now come into me, see my point of view,” no doubt, is one of the most suggestive lyrics African music has had all year, a strong showcase of what makes Amaarae such a brilliant musician.
Mavo – “Escaladizzy” feat. Wave$tar
It’s quite easy to dismiss this record as a mainstream one, but that wouldn’t quite be true. Yes, Mavo’s song has entered those plains, even further propelled by the pop star-laden remix, yet it remains alte. That comes from its unconventional approach to rapping, from how the artist frames his delivery to the words he’s using. It’s not very different from what Santi was doing on Mandy & The Jungle, only now he’s incorporating the local influences that Nigerians love so dearly. Then the production seals the deal, a soaring, synth-laden combustion which, were it not for its eventual success, wouldn’t have been readily fitted into pop playlists. But alte needs an artist like Mavo, one who blends the best of both worlds, and it’ll be interesting to see how he juggles them.
Show Dem Camp – “Magik” feat. Moonchild Sanelly
There are just so many beautiful things about this song. From the earthy production to Moonchild Sanelly’s vivacious delivery, it’s a beautiful depiction of how far alte music has come. Show Dem Camp have typically pushed the boundaries of rap, and on their new album AFRIKAN MAGIK, they’ve pushed even further by incorporating Old Nollywood aesthetics. But here, all that is stripped and the groove emerges, the magic. It’s a song better experienced than described, but wouldn’t that be describing the bulk of alte music? It’s experiental, experimental, exceptional. It’s African magic, and it’s here to stay.
