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Ghanaian/German soulstress Y'akoto's "Diamonds" is a smooth excursion into golden R&B with vocals that couple Macy Gray's raspiness with pop staccato choruses. Watch the vintage photo-shoot video for the track above, check out an interpretive dance clip for older single "Tamba" below and look out for Y'akoto's debut album Baby Blues out 3/23.
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Featuring Tekno x Mafikizolo, Yaw Tog, Muzi, Seyi Shay x Yemi Alade, M.anifest x Juls and more.
Every week, we highlight the top releases through our best music of the week column.
Here's our round up of the best tracks and music videos that came across our desks, which you can also check out in our Songs You Need to Hear This Week playlists on Spotify and Apple Music.
Follow our SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS WEEK playlist on Spotify here and Apple Music here.
Tekno dropped the remix to his upbeat and electric single "Enjoy" which was released towards the end of last year. The Nigerian artist enlisted South African Afropop duo, Mafikizolo, who have added their signature flair to both the remix itself and the accompanying visuals. The remix comes after Tekno's most recent single "Kata" which dropped last year as well as his debut 14-track album, Old Romance.
Muzi has released astonishing afro-futuristic visuals for his latest electro fusion single 'Interblaktic', off his forthcoming album. This latest offering is a smooth electronic number that reflects Black joy and freedom on an intergalactic level. The single and the visuals blend effortlessly, making this a synergetic affirmation of Blackness in all its forms.
Yaw Tog, one of the leading act's coming out of Ghana's drill movement, Asakaa, comes through with the hard-hitting new visuals for "Y33gye," taken off his Time EP. The new clip was directed by Koopoku Studios, the same team behind the massive video for "Sore." Find out all about Ghana's buzzing drill scene here.
Nigerian artists Seyi Shay and Yemi Alade have teamed up for an explosive collaboration titled "Pempe." The single is a vibrant and mid-paced number that exemplifies a quintessential Afrobeats song and everything that makes it infectious. Mixed and mastered by the inimitable Kel P, the song is a seamless and fun collaboration between the two artists, much to the enjoyment of both their respective fan bases.
It's a Ghanaian link-up in M.anifest's airy new single "Confusion," produced by Juls. "I had this strong urge to take an almost opposite approach to the happy guitars and triumphant horns," M.anifest mentions about the song. "It's what makes 'Confusion' compelling; the musical canvas is somewhat jovial, but the ideas laid on it are stark and brutally honest about real life. The line, 'No money dey but they all pray hard / even outlaws are down by law, No GPS but they all explore', sums up the message behind the song perfectly."
South African R&B and pop songstress Shekhinah finally dropped her sophomore album Trouble in Paradise. The 12-track project, initially scheduled for a 2020 release, is the official follow-up to Shekhinah's 2017 debut album Rose Gold, and captures the evolution of her sound. Featured on the album are Una Rams, Luke Goliath and Bey T.
South African rapper YoungstaCPT released the music video for his track "Kleurling". The song features on his debut album 3T, the 22-track project which dropped in 2019. While "Kleurling" translates from Afrikaans to "Coloured", a member of a specific racial group in South Africa, the rapper has revealed his aversion to the term because of its historical implications. The visuals for the track, however, are an exquisite passage through Coloured identity, culture and origin with the cinematic execution to match.
Grixxly, the up-and-coming emcee from Eswatini, released the 5-track EP As The Fruit Ripens. In it, he showcases his versatility and lyrical prowess over hard-hitting trap-influenced beats and soul-infused samples. He expresses his thoughts and emotions and paints a picture of who he is and what he's about.
Seyi Shay & Yemi Alade's vibrant collaboration in 'Pempe' is the perfect way to usher in the weekend.
