The Best West African Songs Right Now

This month’s best songs from West Africa list is an exciting and truly diverse selection of indie talent, romantic stories, and energetic comebacks that will make for a rewarding listen. There are diss tracks directed at nonspecific subjects that manage to land with a sting, romantic duets that can pry even the coldest hearts open, and one man’s deep love and appreciation for the beauty of his country. You’ll find, on a geographical level, music from Benin, Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria.

Enjoy!

Iss 814 ft Titi - Ya Moom Xol Bi (Senegal)

Senegalese singer Iss 814 and songbird Titi deliver a soothing reflection on love and affection in “Ya Moom Xol Bi”, which translates from Wolof to “You own the heart”. The song, blending Afro-pop and hip-hop, Galsen (a blend of hip-hop and rap movements native to Senegal), is a study of complete submission, relinquishing one’s control and guard for a chance to be possessed entirely by another. It is a poetic, beautiful song with fantastic replay value. Both artists display an impressive ability to carry their vulnerability as a source of power and intrigue.

Taves - “Deliver Me” (Nigeria)

This month, resident Afro-pop superstar and sensitive loverboy Taves released Postar - Side A, an eclectic, sure-footed EP dabbling in a range of genres while being held together by Taves’ signature doe-eyed way of articulating desire. “Deliver Me” is the fourth track in this project and one of its most unpredictable on a production level. Heavy with guitar strings, dancehall bounce and an Afro-pop finish, the track is decidedly fresh and pulled together from unpretentious influences. Taves sings of affection and desire with the relaxed energy of a man seeking a gentle, unproblematic entanglement. Taves often brings a refreshing take to dissecting contemporary Nigerian relationships - made even more so by the fact of his youth, which in popular Nigerian music has been susceptible to an inexplicable brashness. Ultimately, “Deliver Me”, like the other tracks on this project, gives Taves a discography full of timeless music whose emotional and thematic concerns will likely never age like milk.

EKENE - “Feedback” (Nigeria)

Nigerian R&B newbie EKENE enters his music with a sparseness that builds over time. The strings are bare; there are hardly any drums for the first few lines of his songs, and often, there is a considerable amount of space around his voice, such that his gruff, broad voice fills the space, creating the sense that he is standing next to you as he pours his heart out. He employs the same technique in “Feedback” - a narratively grounded love letter to different versions of himself. The track opens with a tender voice note urging EKENE to keep going. The rest of the song is full of reflection and reminiscing about old versions, old mistakes, old ways of being. Even through this sparseness, EKENE lets his voice and the sincerity of his writing carry the heart of the song. Although EKENE follows in the footsteps of some of Nigeria’s greatest indie musicians like Tay Iwar and Nonso Amadi, he has a sound - honest, imperfect, unafraid, and sentimental - that is all his own.

Anabel Rose - “Monsters” (Ghana)

Ghanaian indie superstar Anabel Rose has a cosmopolitan concept of music. She is unbridled as regards her sound and often shifts through forms and sensibilities. Her latest offering, “Monsters”, off her new EP How Do The Flowers Bloom?, is a sleek, punk rock track tasseled with a convincing edge and writing that stings as it lands. In it, she is a vibrant, all-knowing figure calling out cowardice, and refusing to swallow her voice, literally and metaphorically. “Monsters” is the work of an artist who isn’t limited by geography or expectations, as she finds and employs the most appropriate container to house her discontents. These themes of rebellion, radical honesty, and skepticism toward the ways of the world also show up throughout her EP.

Bobo Wê - Benin (Benin)

In “Benin”, Beninoise singer Bobo Wê is tenderly sentimental about his country of origin. In the music video for this track - which is Afro-pop in close conversation with local instrumentation - Bobo situates himself at different landscapes, monuments, and cultural sites around Benin. His lyrics praise Benin for its beauty, and his appreciation echoes in his understanding of Benin’s fierce protection of its cultures and traditions. “Benin” offers a young, respected musical talent a chance to romanticize his country. While he chooses to keep the country's problems out of view, he also manages to craft a song that is memorable, thematically interesting, and, unsurprisingly, danceable.

Ladipoe ft Pa Salieu - No Level (Nigeria)

In Ladipoe’s “No Level” taken from his latest and highly celebrated new album Revival, the Nigerian rapper administers his sharp-toothed bite at a gentle, unhurried pace. Featuring British rapper Pa Salieu, “No Level” is a heart-thumping, full-fleshed diss directed at posers and try-hards. Ladipoe raps with a convincing mix of contempt and pity, all of which he directs at his subjects. There’s a strong sense, listening to Ladipoe and the stories that shape his concerns, that his words are drawn from a real breadth of experience and a fatigue that feels more damning than outright anger. If any track confirms that Ladipoe is one of Nigeria’s most important rap talents, it is this one. 

Teni ft Chike - Wuru Manya (Nigeria)

In “Wuru Manya”, Teni and Chike - two artists known for heartfelt singing albeit delivered at different energy levels - offer up a stirring new track off Teni’s latest project The Wellness Package. Much of this project and particularly “Wuru Manya” feels like Teni standing still and catching her breath after a period of running fast and hard. It’s evident in the title and even in “Wuru Manya”, which opens with and maintains a choral sensibility. The lyrics are economical but not the runs and the ethereal backing vocals that feel more like an intense worship session than a song that’s primed for the club.

Mēl, Lali x Lola, Jamz FR - IDC (RUN) (Ghana)

Mēl’s greatest strength as a producer is in allowing her vocal collaborators to lay their hearts bare without prioritizing the brilliance of her productions over the depth of their feelings. Instead, she allows her production, as in “IDC (RUN),” her latest track featuring Lali x Lola and Jamz FR, to walk firmly next to her collaborator’s feelings. “IDC (RUN)” is at first a warning, to others yes, but also a warning to doubters and uncharitable characters. The track is unreserved about its messaging, free of sugarcoating and incredibly fun to listen to.

Sefa ft King Paluta - “Tatata” (Ghana)

In “Tatata”, Sefa and King Paluta keep things unreservedly sexy and flirty. In it, both artists are beyond confident in what they can offer in the other room - even if they aren’t always certain of their material capabilities. “Tatata” is a seriously unserious track that the duo - known for their unyielding irreverence - play into to successful results. The production is wonderfully sleek and catchy, with lyrics delivered in Twi, bringing a deeper appreciation for their ability to depict naked desire in a language they are most familiar with. As an artist, Sefa has an easy charm and unquestionable sensuality that has continued to establish her as an unforgettable voice in Ghanaian music.