By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Welcome, dear audio adventurer, to Afrocritik Weekly Music Spotlight. If you take a look to your right, you will see your objective here today: the Afrocritik Spotlight Playlists. My mission here, as your curator and captain, is to take you on a journey through great and enjoyable music from across Africa and her Diaspora; music that might not have crossed your path in your regular listens and that you may find that you enjoy. This journey is for the open-minded, the adventurous, and the curious.
We all love our chart-topping, radio-repeated, earworms (and some of them will make it to the playlist), but this is a space to uncover and discover the hidden gems; more obscure artistes, new genres, pioneers, boundary pushers, and newcomers taking a leap. (If you are one such newcomer, send an email to yinoluu@afrocritik.com for further instructions and you could be featured on the playlists, too).
So, without further ado, we begin with the first edition of the Afrocritik Weekly Music Spotlight, featuring:
- A Few Big Names: Wizkid assists Don Toliver on throwback RnB jam “Slow Motion,” Tiwa Savage, Ayra Star and Young Jonn make massive waves with “Stamina,” Black Sherif joins Dreamville’s Bas for Creed 3’s “Blood Sweat & Tears,” Nasty C assists dearly departed AKA with Palmwine-esque “Lemons (Lemonade)” …
- Some New School Grooves: Jayo makes his mark with “22,” 16-year old songstress Qing Madi asks “Why,” Tay Iwar brings “Healing” with his new sounds, Brown Joel gets emotional on “Peace,” Ghanaian outfit SuperJazzClub bless us with Hyperpop jam “Too Early” …
- Soulful Ballads: Yinka bookmarks her new EP with “Red Dress,” Remy Baggins returns with “In My Bed,” Tanzanian Rayvanny serenades us on “One Day Yes,” Kenyan T’Neeya admires his “Pretty Mind,” Ghanaian superstar Amaarae is back with “Reckless & Sweet” …
- Project Highlights: “Belly Dancer” and “Sama Riddim” invite you to check out Solu, Vol.1 by SOLU, “Chocolati” and “Just Expectationz” mean British-based Azekel’s Analyze Love is a must-hear, “Credit Score” and “Dinero” are credit to Rexxie’s efforts on Big Time, while Dami Oniru and Valerie Omari make cases for their EPs with “Friday” and “For You’ respectively …
- Amapiano (of course): “Thermometer” is new heat from DJ Mic Smith, DJ Awakening and Loui give us “Superstar,” Crayon tries something new on “The One”, and South African duo Elaine & Blxckie experiment with downtempo R&B-infused amapiano…
- Intro to AfroHouse: Sink your teeth into this blossoming genre with Bokkieult’s “Akekho,” the powerful “Banike” featuring Mafikizolo, “Inyaniso” by Mpho.Wav …
All these highlights and more! Available for your perusal and enjoyment on the playlists you should see to your right. Feel free to listen in the curated order or shuffle the playlist if you’re brave. Either way, be sure to add and follow the playlists, save your favourite songs as updates will be frequent, share the playlists with the people you care about, and submit your own songs (or those of your people) by reaching out to yinoluu@afrocritik.com.
ENJOY!