The Top African Songs You Need to Hear This Week: October 3, 2025

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.

Babes Wodumo, Lelowhatsgood, Unkle Ken, Madanon, Rifle Deep - “Ekhoneni”

Gqom is an unruly exhibit of primal intentions, trapped between shiny synths, bewildering percussion, and elusive kick drums. Lelowhatsgood, known for bangers like “Demon’s Kiss” and “Seven Up,” unleashes one of the scene’s originators in Madanon, an artist who laid the blueprint for spitting over a gqom beat with an improvisational touch that is both raw and deliberate. Then comes Babes Wodumo, the first of her kind. Really, the only artist who proved to the world how this primal sonic adventure could stretch into cinematic realms (see her seismic appearance on the first Black Panther soundtrack). “Ekhoneni” revisits Mendoza’s classic “Uzoyithola Kanjani” and emerges stripped-down, a bare-bones reanimation that repositions gqom as both a haunting echo of township chants and a future-facing ritual in motion. - Tšeliso Monaheng

Zlatan – “Demons” feat. Qing Madi

With a new project forthcoming from Zlatan, he’s shared this heartfelt single with Qing Madi. Setting the record’s emotional core early, her verse and hook set up the rapper for his typically illuminating entries into the grass-to-grace stories of his life. Triumphant in his flow, the cinematic hip-hop drums and the soulful background vocals make this an impressive run-up to the album, revealing a positively surprising alliance between both artists. – Emmanuel Esomnofu

Yemi Alade & FAVE – “Worry”

For the first time collaborating, there’s a rather seamless energy in how the vocals of FAVE and Yemi Alade blend here. Since it’s a mellow record set upon the scales of R&B, it’s only natural that FAVE leads the affair, but Ms Alade’s mastery is ever evident once she comes on, voicing the raw, sweet pull of desire, capturing the deep longing inherent in the feeling. Quite the affectionate one, it’s the kind of record to put you in the feels. – EE

Langa Mavuso - “Dangerous” (feat. Yanga Chief & King Perry)

“Dangerous” is a groove-laced anthem for the lonely heart. “We made love like you’ll never stay,” sings Langa Mavuso, his lyrics balancing tenderness and fatalism, a mixture of yearning and resignation. King Perry slides in with a sly touch, steering the song toward twin peaks of lust and romantic attraction. “Don’t know if it’s love or lust, until everything combust,” he confesses, as the beat grows misty-eyed with longing. Then Yanga Chief ties it all together, his raps feeling less like guest verses and more like custom stitching on a bespoke suit, sealing “Dangerous” as a perennial anthem of affection. - TM

Bella Shmurda – ‘Sanity [LP]’

It’s undeniable that Bella Shmurda is one of the most distinct artists in Afrobeats. His piercing vocals will make an enthralling affair of any feeling; his new album is out now, unquestionably opening a floodgate of rich sensations for his audience. Going from meditative to boisterous, artists like CKay, Seyi Vibez, and Joshua Baraka bring Bella’s vision to life. Bella’s projects have sometimes been underrated, but the range in this should take him into more ears. – EE

Learn Zimbabwe, Shona Prince, Tamy Moyo, Takura - “Pote”

“Pote” sounds like Spring feels: a sunny, warm, all-encompassing atmosphere alive with possibility. It’s sensual and uplifting, a sonic escapade threaded with Spanish guitars and lilting harmonies from Shona Prince, Tamy Moyo, and Takura. The track invites you to breathe it in slowly, to let its textures seep into unexplored parts of yourself. It’s a guided meditation in motion, designed to unlock dimensions you didn’t know were waiting. – TM

Adekunle Gold – ‘Fuji [LP]’

One of the more anticipated projects of the year, Fuji arrives today. Adekunle Gold has always been an impressive album artist, subtly expressing shifts in perspective and presentation through his projects. Although the features on Fuji are hidden, the singles already showcase a colorful lineup of some of Afropop’s most distinct talents, and now that the album is out, we’ll most likely have even more reason to pronounce AG’s acclaim. – EE

PatricKxxLee - “TELi” (feat. KindlyNxsh)

“TELi” brings together two standout voices in South African hip-hop for a track that feels effortless and electric. PatricKxxLee, a pioneer of the scene’s current wave, links with KindlyNxsh, whose loyal cult following knows his every move. The two exchange verses over Brotherkupa’s futuristic beat, all distorted 808s and warped, otherworldly melodies. The result is playful, stylish, and expansive, a reminder of the joy and raw thrill that rap still delivers when artists are simply having fun. – TM

Celine Banza – “For You”

Earlier this year, Congolese artist Celine Banza was celebrated by OkayAfrica as a woman artist to watch out for. Praised for her technical dexterity and the emotional scales of her work, she brings those qualities to the fore on “For You,” her latest record. Part of an ongoing series of acoustically delivered songs, she makes an eternal radiance of the guitar, orchestrating a smooth flow of sensations delivered in a feathery coo. – EE