The Best West African Songs Right Now

This month,  the best songs from West Africa seem to emerge from a vibrant and diverse class of masterful artists. Traveling from Senegal to Côte d’Ivoire before making stops in Nigeria and Ghana, the music on this list features genres like coupe décalé, Afropop, soul, and reggae.

Check out the full list below:

Moffy ft Darkua - “Company” (Ghana)

Ghanaian rising stars Moffy and Darkua are two of Ghana’s most exciting artists, each with a distinct Afro-pop fusion sound. In “Company,” a classic Afropop track and a new collaboration, both artists lean into a track whose groove swells and heaves with passion. With perfectly synced vocals and tender lyrics that evoke a deep sense of longing, Moffy and Darkua set the stage for a story in which they’re at opposite ends of a fascinating emotional spectrum. While Moffy is full of yearning, seeking to establish a connection, Darkua is full of reassurance and warmth that perfectly tie the story together. Moffy—who is also a part of 99 PHACES, a blended musical band defining the tone of Ghana’s underground music scene—appears comfortable on this track, which is at once mainstream and delightfully alternative.

Moelogo - “Sundown” (Nigeria)

In “Sundown,” Moelogo delivers a moving track reflecting on life, ambition, and the existential. The lyrics are witty, and Moelogo’s voice glides smoothly over an upbeat Afropop beat. At the core of his artistry, Moelogo excels as a brilliant lyricist whose command of language is poetic and deeply memorable. In “Sundown”, he weaves Yoruba-laced metaphors about birds never flying without a direction, contemplates the spiritual, and builds into a chorus that’s filled with self-encouragement.  “Sundown” is a perfect blend of the kind of contemplative yet club-ready groove Moelogo is famous for.

King Paluta ft Sarkodie - “Give Up and See” (Ghana)

King Paluta and Sarkodie’s “Give Up and See” is a pump-up-your-chest, chin-up, don’t-stop-moving-forward style of motivation that also works as a great, memorable Afropop track. In this energetic and energizing track, Paluta combines sleek rap flows, a catchy hook, a chorus that’s crafted to be easy on the tongue, and lyrics that zing on impact. Sarkodie, who features on this track and lends the message even more prestige, enters the track with a self-assured swagger, complementing the song's message, which urges the listener never to think of giving up. The track features choral backing vocals and the unmistakable signs of a sure hit.

Falana - “Don’t Go Far” (Nigeria)

There’s a shifting perspective in Falana’s “Don’t Go Far” that makes you wonder who the soulful Nigerian singer is singing to. Is it a friend? A loved one? A lost romantic connection? A blooming romantic interest? Or even a memory? Such is the masterful multiplicity of this song that it draws the ear in for multiple listens to peel away at the messaging. Lyrics-wise, “Don’t Go Far” is stripped back and modestly metaphoric. Falana sings of love as sweet as ripe mangos in June and of wanting to lose herself in love. That simplicity is what allows the song to thrill and dazzle, even with its gentle, undulating beat composed of soul, R&B elements, and a rich, folksy sensibility. “Don’t Go Far” is a follow-up to last year’s Afropop-leaning “Nostalgia” but retains the tenderness and whimsical beauty that is all Falana’s.

Patoranking ft Ruger - “Shake That” (Nigeria)

In “Shake That,” two artists from two different generations meet in a curiously exciting middle. While Patoranking’s sound is heavily dancehall and reggae-inspired, Ruger works prominently in Afropop; they’re both artists well-versed in articulating the raunchy. While Patoranking is sleeker with it, Ruger’s on-the-nose lyricism manages to balance things out, making for an altogether club-ready song that calls back to mid-2010s Patoranking.

Himra ft BabyDaiz & Zlatan - “B**ch & Money” (Côte d’Ivoire)

“Bitch & Money” is a thumping new track from Himra’s new album Sorry I’m Bad. Featuring South African rapper BabyDaiz and Nigeria’s Zlatan, this track is grounded in mischief and driven by the unapologetically bad-boy persona Hiram projects on this new record. Already blowing up on socials and undoubtedly one of the strongest tracks on the project, “Bitch & Money” exemplifies the convention-breaking, grunge sensibility of coupe dècalè. It also helps that Zlatan, who makes street-pop, a Nigerian variant of coupe décalé, brings a sharply complementary perspective to this music. Altogether, “Bitch & Money” is a sure banger from a group of artists who understand exactly how to rile up a crowd and shake things up.

Didi B ft Young John - “Raba” (Côte d’Ivoire)

No one is more tapped into cross-regional collaborations than Ivorian music icon Didi B. From collaborations with Zlatan to rising star Mavo, and now a new groovy track “Raba” featuring Nigerian producer turned singer Young John, Didi B has his hands on the pulse of things and understands exactly how to bridge the Francophone versus Anglophone corners of West African music. “Raba” is straight up fun. It’s bouncy, classic Afropop, and about one thing: money. In what is evidently primed for the club, “Raba” echoes the well-known truth about what really drives the world and the tool that can often solve all problems. The track has no philosophical slant, and for its intended purposes, it doesn’t need to.

Mao Sidibé - “Queen” (Senegal)

Senegalese reggae and dancehall artist Mao Sidibé keeps things warmly sentimental in “Queen,” a reggae track from his new album Téranga. “Queen” is an endearing song that finds Sidibé sentimental and embracing the kind of love that is easy to disappear into.