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Africa’s R&B finds its pulse with TANTALIZERS

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The evolution of African music has been exciting to watch. From the strains of highlife music played live in bars and on wireless radios to selling out international arenas with electric performances, the sound of the continent has never been more relevant on the world scene. And yet, Africa’s music cannot be confined to one box.

Back in 2016, Spotify recognized the undeniable presence of Afro R&B in Africa’s musical landscape. TANTALIZERS, one of Spotify’s earliest afro-leaning playlists, was born out of this realisation. It was a nod to the fact that R&B had found its home within the hearts of African artists and listeners, becoming an integral part of the continent’s rich musical ecosystem.

This playlist embraces and celebrates the soulful melodies of R&B infused with local flavours from across Africa’s vast and vibrant geographical and musical landscape. What is the inspiration behind TANTALIZERS? What beats define it? And why do Thursdays and Fridays offer the ultimate experience? Benewaah Boateng, Spotify’s West Africa Editor tells us more.

Hit after hit played on TANTALIZERS takes the listener on a sonic journey through the best R&B and afro R&B tracks from Africa’s leading vocalists. This curated experience goes further than being a playlist representing the finest songwriting and tunes Africa has to offer. Consider that Africa is made up of  hundreds of cultures, and yet, can unite around one music form.

The magic starts in the genre itself. R&B transcends language and location, connecting listeners through universal themes of love, passion, and emotion. The TANTALIZERS audience features a mix of the genders, interestingly with a slight skew towards male listeners. That should come as no surprise to anyone who understands the true nature of African men as consummate lovers. A significant portion of TANTALIZERS’ fanbase hails from Kenya, a testament to the burgeoning R&B and R&B fusion scene sweeping across East Africa, but the West and South are not left behind, with Nigeria and South Africa coming in right after..

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In reality, though, this R&B revolution is not unexpected. In its own way, R&B has always been a substantial part of Africa’s soundscape. Artists like Ghana’s Kojo Antwi and Nigeria’s 2Baba explored R&B and love ballads between the 1980s and early 2000s, setting the stage for the genre’s current resurgence. Yes, Afrobeats and Amapiano dominate the conversation today, but R&B is quietly and steadily making its mark, offering a genre that’s both nostalgic and fresh through every generation of music lovers.

The most-streamed songs on TANTALIZERS all share a common thread – a little bounce and an up-tempo melody. Tracks like Jeune Lio’s Test Me and Tyla’s Girl Next Door have become instant favourites, thanks to the subtle bounce in their production that gets listeners grooving.

According to Spotify data, Thursdays and Fridays emerge as the top listening days for TANTALIZERS. The reason? It’s simple – the weekend vibe. Africans love the leisure of the weekend where we can connect with each other on a deeper level. Nothing sets the mood better than the smooth and rhythmic tunes of R&B.

So, what should you look out for from this list of homegrown R&B acts? Don’t sleep on Xenia Manasseh’s exceptional songwriting skills or the soul-touching melodies of Botswana native Titose. To call these the future of African R&B would not be an overstatement. And if you like the modern R&B melodies of American Frank Ocean, Bryson Tiller, and SZA, check out what Uganda’s very own singer-songwriter MAUIMØØN can do.

Spotify prides itself in understanding young African’s tastes based on the data available. Part of this is what makes TANTALIZERS the leading R&B playlist across anglophone, francophone and lusophone Africa and beyond, with majority of listeners coming from the 18-29 year olds And what does the data say about the number of tracks that makes a playlist feel just right? The sweet spot is 45 to 60 songs, and that’s what TANTALIZERS gives.

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Get into the heartbeat of African R&B with TANTALIZERS on Spotify. Tune in, turn up the volume, and let TANTALIZERS be the soundtrack to your rediscovery of feelings that only R&B can stir up deep within you.

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Ogee Xeng drops ‘Agege Baby’ EP

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Ogee Zeng drops 'Agege Baby' EP

The fusion of diverse genres has become a hallmark of creativity in today’s music.Afrobeat and Amapiano stands out as a vibrant concoction.AGEGE BABY has the infectious groove of Afrobeat seamlessly blended with the infectious energy of Amapiano.

The EP opens with a transcendent track that sets the tone for the entire experience. 
Each track on the EP expect track 4 (benk3 me interlude) offers a unique exploration of the Afro-Amapiano fusion.
One standout track on the EP is track 2 (Gbogbo(wall))The Ga language could weave intricate patterns, seamlessly blending with the rhythmic groove of the Amapiano beat. The lyrics tell a story of perseverance conveying a sense upliftment to the listener.

Another highlight of the EP is track 3 (Power) A powerful expression of frustration, disillusionment, and a call for accountability as the beat kicks in, it’s driven by pounding drums and deep basslines that give the music a sense of urgency.The lyrics are raw and unapologetic.

As the EP draws to a close, the final track (Agboo ayee) leaves listeners wanting more, its infectious groove lingering in their minds with its seamless blend of Afrobeat and Amapiano.

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Yankee Beatz and TRzemmi gear up for new collaborative EP with lead single “Slow Down”

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Yankee Beatz, the dynamic and multi-talented Composer, Music Producer, Songwriter, and Artist, thrills audiences with his latest release, “Slow Down,” featuring the talented TRzemmi. (more…)

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Listen Up: Afro Fusion sensation OOSHA drops long-awaited album “OOSHATIDE”

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Afro Fusion sensation, OOSHA , has dropped his highly anticipated body of work dubbed “OOSHATIDE” featuring 12 distinct tracks such as “Caesar place ,” DND,” “OOSHATIDE,” “Pull Up,” and “Over u.” The artist said of the new release in a statement: “On this project, I connect with my inner flame, It’s like an outburst on the inside of me that I’ve held in for too long. It’s not fueled with negativity, rather it’s fueled with drive, passion, and destiny. What people will hear on this project is a little exhale from me, only that it comes with fire.” OOSHA music has frequently divided opinions. his flitting across a range of genres. His output on his new album OOSHATIDE showed this off, earning him the love of a dedicated fanbase as OOSHA continues to salute the salacious nature of Afro Fusion, but his vocal deliveries are far-ranging, existing on the seams of diasporic affiliations and dreamy inventiveness. His melodies sometimes sound like mutterings from the depth of sex-induced sleep, but with his endless cache of Nigerian references.

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Regardless of how good this album is, OOSHA is still capable of better and greater things. There’s greatness in him. Stream OOSHATIDE below.

https://vyd.co/OoshaOoshatide

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Introducing “SEX” by Soundsbysdl: A Fusion of Abuja and Accra Underground Scenes

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This groundbreaking album transcends borders, seamlessly merging the vibrant sounds of the underground music scenes in Abuja and Accra.

“SEX” Features Two Distinct Sides:

Side A: With an electrifying and upbeat rage, Side A pulsates with energy, showcasing the raw intensity of the underground scene. Featuring a lineup of talented artists including L1trendsetter, Ya ROE, Kwelit, Jaleel Thomas, Usan-JT, Danny Montanna, Javan Santana, Trap KYD, and Siient Parker, Side A immerses listeners in a whirlwind of captivating beats and impassioned lyrics.IMG 8298

Side B: As the journey unfolds, Side B offers a tranquil and mellow atmosphere, serving as the perfect counterpart to the high-octane energy of Side A. Artists MASK MO, Kwelit, Micky wrecks, L1trendsetter, KOMÉ, Tyler-Leigh, Rezzyvfm, and Ruch Sensei contribute to this soothing sonic landscape, inviting listeners to unwind and reflect.

Adding to the album’s allure is a bonus track from the esteemed Ghanaian group AD20. Their contribution enriches the album with authentic Ghanaian flair

“SEX” was executively produced by the talented Kwelit and curated by Jodye SDL, ensuring a seamless fusion of musical styles and influences from both cities.

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“SEX” marks a historic moment in music, as it becomes the first album to merge the underground scenes of both Abuja and Accra. Soundsbysdl invites music enthusiasts worldwide to join in the celebration of this unprecedented fusion of cultures and sounds.

Experience the electrifying fusion of Abuja and Accra  underground scenes with “SEX” by Soundsbysdl. Available on all major streaming platforms, this album is a testament to the power of music to transcend boundaries and unite cultures.

 

 

 

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Introducing oShamo’s New Single, “Life of the Party”

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Nigerian-born, UK-based rising star oShamo presents his first official single of 2024, setting the stage for what promises to be a standout year. Aptly titled “Life of the Party”, the song was produced by SkeellzGotbeat and showcases oShamo’s distinct bass voice and charismatic personality. Throughout the track, listeners get a glimpse of oShamo’s charismatic personality, which shines through every lyric and note.

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“Life of the Party” has rapidly gained popularity and is currently trending on TikTok. The song has inspired over 7,000 organic videos, accumulating more than 4 million views. Its popularity continues to increase day by day.

Signed to Mr Eazi’s emPawa Africa, oShamo steps into the spotlight with this vibrant, energetic track, destined to become a staple in every party playlist, just as its name suggests.

“Life of the Party” is now available on all major music streaming platforms.

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Connect with oSHAMO @Official_oshamo

 

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Tems Tells Apple Music About What Fans Can Expect From Her Upcoming Album, And More…

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Tems joins Eddie Francis on Apple Music 1 to talk about her new song “Love Me JeJe” out now. Tems talks about how she came up with the new single, how it was a collaborative effort amongst her friends. She reveals that her mother loves the song and that it’s inspired by a Nigerian classic.

Also, Tems gives fans a glimpse into what they can expect from her upcoming album, “Born in the Wild”.

Key quotes below please feel free to credit Eddie Francis on Apple Music 1. Video to follow shortly.

Tems tells Apple Music about the love she gets from people…

Eddie Francis: There’s this certain reaction you get from people where like people love you. It’s not even just a like. Does that get weird? Because we feel like we know you and we don’t know you and you don’t know us.

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Tems: I think I’m used to it. I don’t know why though. Always I’m like, “Do you really feel this way? Why? Why do you like me?” I don’t know, but I think I’m used to it now.

Eddie Francis: Like when they see you, it’s like, “Oh my God, it’s Tems.” And I’ve talked to you before and I know you’re really on energy and spirituality and I know you got to feel it. When did you realize you have a different kind of relationship with people that are fans of your music?

Tems: I think it’s just the reaction and in real life, the amount of emotion, there’s just this energy that feels pure that I get all the time. And I was like, “Yo, this is not normal. This is not normal.” It is different if it’s like, “Oh yeah. I think you’re just so cool.” And that might be the case, but I don’t know. It’s so much love sometimes, I just, I don’t, it’s just wild.

Tems on the creation of her new song, “Love Me JeJe”…

So basically, I went out to dinner with my girls, with my friends, two of my friends. We’re just like, “Oh, let’s just do a cute dinner. It’s going to be cute.” And afterwards, my friends are always telling me, you never show us your Tems side. Everybody else, yeah, you’re Tems, but my friends don’t feel like I am when I’m there. It’s just like, I’m this girl. So they’re like, “Oh, you never take us to the studio. We don’t even know if you are like… Are you a doppelganger? Are you like, what is that?” So I said, “Okay, tonight we’re going to the studio and you people, you are going to sing?” So they were like, “Oh my god, crazy. What?” So we went to the studio and two of my producers, they made this beat, Spax and Guilty and they sent it to me as a challenge like, “Oh. Yeah, I’m sure you can’t do Nigerian. I am sure you can’t do this jam.”

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So I was like, I just had it in the back. So I played it and I told my friends, “Yeah, lets all freestyle, take turns. Oh yeah, you do freestyle, you…” So one of my friends did “Love Me Jeje, Love Me Tender.” And then my other friend was just screaming as well. And I was like, “Actually this is a mad vibe. I love this vibe. I’m going to keep this in the song.” And I did my own freestyle and it just was such a cute vibe and I wanted to pay tribute to the actual song ’cause I love that song. My mom loves that song. “Love Me Jeje.” The original song is from Seyi Sodimu. The original song is called “Love Me Jeje” as well and it’s a Nigerian classic and it just felt right.

Tems on the term “JeJe” and what it means…

Jeje is African and Jeje also just means the concept of the song Love Me Jeje, Love Me Tender, it just means love me softly, take your time with, love me unconditionally and show me good love. That’s what it means. So that’s the idea of “Love Me JeJe”.

Tems on “NEPA” and what that means when she uses it in the song…

NEPA is, so basically NEPA is the electricity company in Nigeria. And basically, we don’t always have 24 hours electricity. So when there’s lights or when the electricity comes back on, there’s this like, everybody, you just hear your neighbours shouting, “Hey, there’s electricity now.” So you turn me on like the electricity, I’m back on, you electrify me, basically.

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Tems on what fans can expect from her next album, Born in the Wild…

“Born in the Wild” is actually about my journey. It’s about my experience as me and about the experiences I’ve had so far. And it really felt like the life I lived before, the life I was accustomed to felt like a wilderness. And it’s not really more so, yes, I was raised in Lagos and that’s a part of me, but it’s not really about the place, it’s more about the state of being. It was a wilderness in the environment I lived in and there’s so many things that happened and so many lessons I learned to come and be this person now. It is basically coming out of the wilderness. So that’s basically what Born In the Wild is about.

I’ve had to step back a bit to make sure or to check in with myself that I’m being true and also just find healing from all the trauma. Everything I experienced before Tems, I think I had to unlearn a lot of things. And this album is just, it is just a new way of me expressing myself while still centering who I am in it.

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