2025 was the year of the local champion. While last year’s West African sonic landscape was defined by emerging artists breaking ground in established or self-defined genres, this year saw a steadying of those emerging artists.
The year saw a rise in local superstars, breaking ground in their local areas with the goal of making music for their community and not a perceived “global audience.” Data-wise, there weren’t that many “global” hits as defined by charts or award nominations, but there were communities that found their own superstars and rewarded them with attention and dedication.
This is all, of course, indicative of the global state of music that has seen labels get severely restructured. It's something that's left the traditional music machinery behind and been beneficial only to those artists willing to grow alongside their communities.
And this is how it came to be that the best West African music from 2025 came from artists with relatively small but committed listeners and fan bases. From Sewa’s swooning Lagos Lovin’ to ApreeL’s brilliant foray into ‘Krio fusion’ with Control of even Ada Boy’s Ma Diola, this year rewarded the local champions.
This is a list of the best West African songs in 2025. It’s filled with surprises, numerous underdogs, and some of the most compelling artists we should all be paying attention to.
ApreeL - “Control” (Sierra Leone)
ApreeL’s “Control” is a dazzling foray into the wonderful blended genre that is ‘Krio fusion.’ Krio fusion weaves traditional Sierra Leonean genres like bubu and gumbay with genres like Afrobeats or Afropop. In “Control,” ApreeL lives up to the genre's ambition, singing about desire and love in Krio (Sierra Leone’s version of pidgin English) and blending Afropop sensibilities with fast-paced and groovy lyrics. Although ApreeL has a sparse discography, having only emerged not too long ago, “Control” serves as a strong opening for an artist with an undoubtedly bright future ahead of him.
Lady Donli - “Keep On Loving Me (Biko Biko)” (Nigeria)
At any given opportunity, Nigerian indie icon Lady Donli will make it known that she is always a student of the game. Her vast discography is littered with influences drawn from far and wide but also tethered to an unshakable personal perspective. With “Keep On Loving Me (Biko Biko),” her most notable release this year, she teamed up with producer Yinka Bernie to delve into the bright and psychedelic world of Zamrock. Zamrock emerged as a rock genre in the late 1960s. It found new life in Donli’s record, where she ruminates on a relationship and flexes her musical muscles as an artist who approaches her work with delight and a thirst for unlikely discoveries.
Sewa - “Lagos Lovin’” (Nigeria)
Born in Lagos and residing in Canada, Sewa’s music captures the wistfulness of feeling adrift, either in a relationship or a place you’re trying to make into a home. Even when the tone is upbeat, as with her biggest release this year, “Lagos Lovin’,” Sewa manages to detail how contemporary romance is closely intertwined with the places that shape our experiences. “Lagos Lovin’” details the uncertainty of a Lagos relationship or situationship, leaving the listener without a clear resolution except that Sewa isn’t afraid to define the boundaries of her affection.
Show Dem Camp - “Magik” feat. Moonchild Sanelly (Nigeria)
Just when it seemed like the music release window was shutting down, Nigerian rap duo Show Dem Camp showed up with a stirring album release, Afrika Magik. Nestled in the middle of this album is “Magik,” a striking and technically unique track featuring South African singer Moonchild Sanelly. Arguably one of the best songs in their entire discography, “Magik” unfolds with the warm texture of an auspicious day. The track, filled with minimal bounce yet insanely groovy, is led by fluid rap flows from Show Dem Camp’s Ghost and Tec, and head-swelling choruses and refrains from Sanelly. As a track, it ties the vast world of Afrika Magik together.
Gyakie & Omar Sterling - “y2k Luv” (Ghana)
This year, Ghanaian songbird Gyakie released her long-awaited debut album After Midnight. Even before its release, the album had birthed hit tracks like “Sankofa,” which found natural vitality on TikTok. But the album also houses another gem, “y2k Luv” featuring Ghanaian rapper Omar Sterling. A blend of highlife with early 2000s R&B influences, “y2k Luv” calls back to the early days of endless yearning and love songs written like modern epics. The song is one of Gyakie’s most vocally ambitious, while playing with unforgettable lyrics.
Wendy Shay - “Too Late Remix” feat. Gushi, Bedjine, and Phina (Ghana)
To continue the momentum of her 2024 hit “Too Late,” Ghanaian singer Wendy Shay released a remix of the TikTok viral song featuring Gushi, Bedjine, and Phina. On the surface, “Too Late” is a quippy song that establishes the end of a terrible relationship, but it’s also been reframed as a sound of empowerment, allowing listeners to access the bravery of severing ties with situations that don’t serve them. As a remix, each artist brings a sharp perspective and interpretation of the theme.
Mẽl - “Thamanga” feat. Stella Sena, KIM of Diamonds (Ghana)
As a producer, Mẽl is incredibly fascinating. Her beats are bouncy without being chaotic, soulful without dragging its feet. As with “Thamanga,” Mẽl’s collaboration with Stella Sena and KIM of Diamonds and the first single she released this year, the beat is groovy without losing its experimental edge. “Thamanga” is packed with charisma and a charming hook that employs repetition effortlessly.
Oumou Sangaré - “Kun Fe Ko” (Mali)
Malian legend Oumou Sangaré’s music catches on like wildfire. Stumble on a reflective video on social media, and you’re likely to hear her music in the background. The most recent addition to this streak was the revival of her 1996 release “Kun fe Ko,” which was previously unavailable on streaming until recently. The reason behind the song’s explosion, specifically on TikTok, can be traced back to a mishearing of her lyrics, which shares tonal similarities to the Yoruba language. Following a swift correction, Sangaré thanked her new audience for engaging with the sound and issued a re-release. “Kun Fe Ko” represents how many young listeners are building relationships with music from the past and how they are placing that music in a contemporary context.
Taves - “Way2Yung” (Nigeria)
Charming, sleek, and confident, Taves kept his music release slim but unforgettable this year. One of the early releases this year was “Way2yung,” a party-ready banger that’s laying the groundwork for a Taves that will surely move into the classic Afrobeats genre. The track features the playful, attentive writing Taves has come to be known for and a bouncier, more Afropop groove than usual.
Amaarae - “Free The Youth” (Ghana)
Amaarae’s album Black Star is a dizzyingly gorgeous feast of sounds. The project pulls influences from Brazilian funk to hard-edged R&B, threading together an impressive globalist project suffused with innuendo, love, passion, and interpretations of identity. “Free The Youth,” one of the most compelling tracks from the project, samples “Deeba” by Ghanaian hiplife icon Deeba. In “Free The Youth,” Amaarae reimagines it as a fast-paced dance record. In her version, strobe lights slice through the darkness of a sweat-drenched nightclub, an imagery that captures the sensibility of the album.
Denden - “Padtal” (Côte d’Ivoire)
For much of this year, you couldn’t scroll on many video-facing apps without hearing Denden’s infectious but painfully short hit song “Padtal.” The 19-year-old Ivorian pop star brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to this record, making it an enduring hit. “Padtal” is a classic French urban pop track with a strong Ivorian perspective. With more than 300-thousand videos made with the sound on TikTok, "Padtal" is a club-ready banger, ready-made for movement — a clear nod to Denden's background as a dancer and her undeniable star power.
Jubed - “Ruwa” (Ghana)
Kumasi-born artist Jubed is fond of making highly interactive music. His viral hits, “Ruwa” included, have had a stronghold on Ghanaian social media for much of the year. They’ve spawned dance challenges and lifestyle videos, which all complement the fact that "Ruwa" is a well-written and intelligently produced track. The track intersperses talk-sing with a groovy beat.
Louzio “Mannequin” (Côte d’Ivoire)
The best part of Louzio's "Mannequin" is in its hook. Right after the first verse, several voices enter, shouting a refrain that's full of energy and feels like a strong call to order. This energetic hook gives "Mannequin" a distinct and memorable quality. It also likely propelled its incredible explosion on TikTok. On the Ivorian side of TikTok, it has soundtracked hundreds of videos. It’s also a song that defined the vibrant Côte d’Ivoire truly vibrant music scene.
Josey - “Le Monde Est À Nous” (Côte d’Ivoire)
Josey has the incredible ability to tease new meaning out of love with each new song that deals with matters of the heart. In “Le Monde Est À Nous” (French for “The World Is Ours” ), a summer love story unfolds under the sun and amongst the trees. As the title suggests, Josey wraps herself and her object of affection in a safe, assured cocoon away from the world’s gaze or judgment. What’s more powerful than knowing that the world is open and ready for your love?
Ada Boy - Ma Diola (Senegal)
With Ada Boy’s “Ma Diola,” the secret ingredient is in the drums. “Ma Diola” is a culturally resonant song, catching like wildfire but also incredibly catchy with its sparse but delightfully achronological compositions. It even has its own dance, a simple gliding back and forth, as though riding the thunderous waves that form the base of this track. With “Ma Diola”, Ada Boy confirms the already known truth that contemporary Senegalese artists still care about traditional instrumentation and how they speak to other young people like themselves.
