New Music Releases from Nigerian Artists
Burna Boy, the Grammy Award-winning artist, has announced his eighth studio album, No Sign of Weakness, with the release of the single, Sweet Love. The reggae-influenced track, produced by Major Seven, highlights Burna Boy's vocals and global musical influences. The album will also feature the single Update, produced by P2J, which samples Soul II Soul’s Back to Life, blending Afrobeats with club energy. Also on the album is the fan-favorite Bundle By Bundle, produced by Telz, which has garnered over 24 million Spotify streams and 8.5 million video views.
The video for Bundle By Bundle has surpassed 5 million views on YouTube and has been praised by Billboard, NME, and UPROXX for its portrayal of nightlife culture and Burna Boy's musical identity. Burna Boy also collaborated with Joé Dwèt Filé on a remix of 4 Kampé II, combining Afrobeats and Haitian Kompa. He recently became the first cover star of Billboard France, coinciding with his sold-out show at the Stade de France, making him the first African artist to headline the venue. This summer, he will perform in Berlin and Mönchengladbach, with more dates to be announced.
In other news, Nigerian painter Kelani Fatai was commissioned by Tina Knowles to create the cover art for her upcoming memoir, Matriarch. Fatai considers himself fortunate for this opportunity, which he believes has changed his career. Knowles first commissioned Fatai in 2023 and later asked him to paint the book cover. Fatai, who grew up in Lagos, began drawing at the age of six and later studied Fine Arts at Yaba College of Technology. He credits social media for bringing his work to Knowles' attention.
Prior to the book cover, Knowles commissioned other art from Fatai and introduced him to her associates. Painting the cover for Matriarch took about a month. Fatai describes Knowles as his biggest collaborator and appreciates her support. His art often reflects the beauty of Black culture, sometimes incorporating Victorian styles. Fatai remains humble and committed to learning and evolving as an artist.
