So much new music is released that it’s hard for even the most loyal fans to wade through the crows to find gems to listen to. But that’s where I come in with #BumpThis — our Friday series recommending new songs by and featuring Nigerians you absolutely need to hear.
Here are my picks for the week:
Kold SZN — Kold AF
There’s nothing like listening to artists who have figured out their sound right out of the gate. After an impressive run of features with Moelogo, Kaey and MoGunz, Afrofusion artist, Kold AF (I want to steal this name), has made her solo debut with the EP aptly titled Kold SZN.
From a night of fun and seduction on Wasted to using booze and music to deal with the trauma of a toxic relationship on Blues, Kold AF presents a five-minute preview into the different aspects of navigating love and life as a young Nigerian. This is a bold artistic introduction. I only wish it was longer.
Ballin — Pheelz
2022 has undoubtedly been a great year for Pheelz and everyone who bet in favour of the producer-turned-singer. For those who bet against him, Ballin is specially dedicated to you. After dropping two of the most inescapable songs of the year — Finesse with BNXN and Electricity with Davido — Pheelz caps things off with Ballin, a song that fully affirms his position as one of the biggest hitmakers of the moment.
On Ballin, Pheelz swims in a lavish pool of confidence, calling himself the “King of the dance hall”, as he calmly drags everyone, who said he wouldn’t make it, by their edges. It’s another potentially infectious hit from the singer, proving yet again that he deserves our attention.
Ku Lo Sa (Remix) — Oxlade and Camila Cabello
Oxlade’s Ku Lo Sa
While the Ku Lo Sa remix won’t go down as the worst international remix we’ve heard this year, it joins a list of remixes that feel forced and mismatched — Camila sounds like she’s on a different song on most parts. That being said, it’s still worth your listen. Hopefully, it’s a grower, not a shower.
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Dreams — Ajebo Hustlers
2020 was a wild year for everyone, but for Ajebo Hustlers, it must’ve been ten times more insane. While we all dealt with the effects of a global pandemic, the #EndSARS protests and inflation, the Ajebo Hustler boys also dealt with newfound fame after their single, Barawo, became a nationwide hit.
Two years later, armed with hits like Loyalty and Pronto, Ajebo Hustlers is back with Bad Boy Etiquette 101, an EP that explores the effects of fame on love and relationships. While Fave and Mayourkun make appearances on the EP, the non-feature song, Dreams, stands out. On it, the artists are raw and honest about desperately blocking out distractions to focus on the music.
Manhattan — Teezee and Cruel Santino
Anyone who followed alté music from the start will confidently describe artists like BOJ, Teezee and Show Dem Camp as pioneers of the movement, while Cruel Santino, Lady Donli and Odunsi the Engine helped cement its presence in pop culture. So, Manhattan, a song bya pioneer and an icon of the movement, sounds like an alté wet dream.
Leveraging their individual strengths, both Teezee and Cruel Santino ride on a beat that’d fit perfectly on Santino’s debut project Mandy and the Jungle, as they sing (and rap) about everything they’d do for the girl they like. No one saw Manhattan coming, but boy are we glad it’s here.
ALSO READ: These Alté Nigerian Musicians Don’t Look Like Their Government Names
