This week's new music Friday has something for almost every corner of the Nigerian music taste, from Ayra Starr continuing what looks like the best run of her career, to Bloody Civilian doing something genuinely strange and exciting with Fuji, to YCee resurfacing after nearly five years away with a project that sounds like a man who has figured something out.
There are also the expected entries, artists doing what they always do, for better and worse, and a handful of quieter records that reward attention. Here is everything worth your time.
Ayra Starr - Tornado
Bright, infectious, and exactly what you want from her right now. The Afrobeats and Afropop blend is familiar territory, but the execution feels sharper; her vocals, along with those of Fola, carry confidence that suggests they know the moment they're in. She has been talking about her growth publicly, and 'Tornado' backs it up.
Shallipopi - Allergies
The street-talking rap over Amapiano and Afrobeats grooves is his lane and he stays firmly in it. The energy is there but the record does not push anywhere new. If you liked early Shallipopi, this is more of that, just a slightly flatter version of it.
Shoday, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Tu Musica - Holiday
An international collaboration that actually works. Shoday's Afrobeats vocals sit naturally over Latin-inflected production from the Tu Musica collective, and the cross-cultural blend feels organic rather than forced. Released as part of Ronaldinho's Camisa 10 album, it is a reminder of how comfortably Nigerian artists can operate across genres when the fit is right.
Naira Marley ft Kizz Daniel - Ijoba
A feel-good record that does what it sets out to do. Naira Marley's raw street-hop energy and Yoruba slang meet Kizz Daniel's clean melodic delivery, though the track leans so far into Kizz Daniel's sound that Naira feels like the feature rather than the lead. Enjoyable enough, but neither artist is stretching here.
Bloody Civilian ft Terry Apala, Boj - SpaceFuji
The most interesting record of the week. Fuji drum patterns collide with futuristic electronic production in a way that is playful and experimental. Bloody Civilian, Terry Apala and Boj make an unlikely trio that somehow works, and the result opens up a genuine question about where this sound could go next.
Zaylevelten - Go Again
Afro-Trap and Nigerian Drill with heavy bass and electronic rage synths underneath. It is underground in the truest sense, not immediately accessible, not trying to be. Whether that is a strength depends entirely on what you are looking for.
ID Cabasa ft Milanto - How Long
Veteran producer ID Cabasa steps away from club-ready production for something slower and more reflective. The soulful Afrobeats record is a mood piece. It's conscious, unhurried, and better for it.
YCee ft Psycho YP - Island Girls
From Out of Sight, Out of Mind Vol 1, YCee's first project in nearly five years. The return is marketed to be deliberate rather than rushed, and 'Island Girls' carries a faint sense of the ease of an artist who has stopped trying to prove anything.
Anendlessocean - Eden
From Love Is A Machinery, a full-length follow-up to his 2024 EP Hexagon. The project examines love not as a feeling but as a practice and 'Eden' reflects that framing. One spin and you're well on your way to repeat listens.
Skales ft DJ Katch, Michael Fortera - Get Loose
A summer record assembled across continents, Skales with German producer DJ Katch and Dutch producer Michael Fortera. The Afrobeats-meets-club energy is exactly what the brief promises, and it delivers.
