The Songs You Need to Hear This Week
Featuring new African music from Mr Eazi, DJ Edu, Rema, Asake, Olamide, Adekunle Gold, Kel-P and more.
Every week, we highlight the top Afrobeats and African music releases through our best music column, Songs You Need to Hear.
If you like these African music lists, you can also check out our Best Afrobeats and Best Amapiano of the month columns, plus our Best Songs of the Month columns following Nigerian, Ghanaian, East African and South African music.
Read ahead for our round-up of the best new African music tracks and music videos that came across our desks this week.
Mr Eazi's ChopLife SoundSystem
Mr Eazi presents his new pan-African music group, ChopLife SoundSystem, with the release of the album, Chop Life, Vol. 1: Mzansi Chronicles. Recorded between Cape Town and Johannesburg, the 14-song album is a celebration of South Africa's buzzing amapiano sound. The album includes features from the likes of Moonchild Sanelly, Focalistic, Nkosazana Daughter, Ami Faku and Major League Djz, among other emerging artists. “Mzansi Chronicles is an ode to the amapiano sound that has been the soundtrack to my parties and me going to clubs,” Mr Eazi mentions. “It’s me working with some of my favorite artists and capturing my interpretation of elements I love from the scene.”
Asake & Olamide "Amapiano"
Asakecomes through with the release of “Amapiano” featuring his mentor and YBNL label boss Olamide. The song is an ode to the popular South African genre that has taken over the African musical landscape. Asake and Olamide's seamless synergy adds a captivating touch to the composition. With this new single, Asake grants his audience a tantalizing glimpse into the sonic splendor that awaits them in his forthcoming body of work, aptly titled Work of Art, which Asake earlier revealed to fans.
Rafa Chagas & Bomby "Poquito"
Afro-Brazil and Colombia connect on the recent single and music video from Brazilian vocalist Rafa Chagas and Colombia's Bomby. "Poquito" takes listeners on a ride through a tropical summer love backed by Latin-tinged afrobeats production and idyllic beach scenes.
Adekunle Gold 'Tio Tequila' EP
Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold has unveiled his latest project Tio Tequila, a three-song bundle that kicks off a summer brimming with exciting activities and teases his upcoming album. The EP features the recent chart-topping single "Party No Dey Stop," fellow Lagosian Zinoleesky, alongside previously-unheard tracks, "Do You Mind,” a sultry summer anthem and "Omo Eko," a tribute to his hometown of Lagos.
Rema "Charm"
Nigerian superstar Rema continues to push boundaries with the new single and music video for "Charm," which was released alongside and announcement of the artist's North American tour. Rema continues to execute his creative agency with every musical output, and “Charm” is no exception. The hitmaker is once again conquering the charts on home turf, securing the number one spot in Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 100 with “Charm.”
Kel-P "What Have You Done?"
Producer Kel-P follows his debut Bully Season Vol. 1 EP from earlier this year with the new single and video for “What Have You Done?” The track follows Kel-P urging everyone to keep on dancing. “'What Have You Done?’ is a special track for me,” says Kel-P. “I was in Los Angeles with The Elements... and I asked them if they had an uptempo production, because everyone knows that what I love most is to make people dance... At that point, the most important thing for me was to put as much of my influence and culture as possible, 'to bring my people home.’ But it was the beat, the essence of the song, that inspired the whole artistic direction of this single.”
