Zion, a Nigerian artist based in Finland, has released his debut single “Are You On That?” a blend of AfroRnB and chill rap.
On the song he tells the story of being stood up by a girl, but they talk things through later and actually get together.
The track combines smooth AfroRnB melodies with laid-back rap flows, reflecting both his Nigerian roots and the influence of his life in Finland.
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American artist and Emmy Award winner, Dustin O’Halloran has released a new single entitled “Red”
An improvised piano piece recorded in a single take in his Reykjavík studio, it’s the second of three tracks that will form The Chromatic Sessions EP.
“Red” is a partner piece to Gold — released in July — with a final chromatic track called “Blue” set to follow.
The theme of colours emerged organically during the process of writing and recording. “It wasn’t something pre-planned,” says Dustin, who has also been nominated for an Academy Award. “I was improvising on the piano every day, and I realised I was always thinking about colours as I wrote. When you have the mic set up and you’re recording, it puts you into deep focus. There’s something about that red light being on that really pulls you into the moment.”
O’Halloran has long experienced synaesthesia — a mingling of the senses that may sound familiar to many. It can be something as simple as a taste snapping us back to a place we’ve been, a familiar scent triggering a powerful emotional flashback, or — in Dustin’s case — a certain sound evoking the feeling of a colour.
“I believe that people are more synesthetic than they realise,” he says. “It’s something that you can tune into. All sensations are ultimately translated in the brain — and I think you can learn to connect different parts of those sensations together.”
Such connections are a theme that runs through The Chromatic Sessions — including the connection between Dustin and his audience. All of the Chromatic singles come with downloadable sheet music when bought on Bandcamp, allowing listeners to play the music themselves.
It’s a gesture born of O’Halloran’s wish to forge a closer relationship with his listeners.
“Releasing music digitally feels so distant and disconnected,” he says. “And I think we’re all looking for connection. When people get involved in playing the music, it becomes part of them in a different way. It becomes communal. It becomes theirs.”
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Tiwa Savage and Don Julio tequila hosted a release party at swanky Lagos nightclub The Library to celebrate her new album This One Is Personal.
The album recently debuted at number one on the iTunes UK R&B/Soul Albums chart and #18 on the UK HipHop/R&B Albums chart.
I’ve loved Tiwa Savage since I first watched the “Kele Kele Love” in my uncle’s living room in Abuja in 2011 so when her team reached out to ask if I’d like to attend the event I was like of course!
Once at The Library Lagos I was greeted by a beautiful young lady who offered me ice cold water and a Don Julio cocktail.
She asked me to knock on a tiny door and a hand reached out with my ice cold cocktail.
Once inside The Library Lagos the music was hitting and the performances were amazing but Tiwa Savage arrived about an hour later and the energy went from good to great.
She was joined by Taves, Shine TTW, her PR Manager Vanessa Amadi, Simi Badiru of TRACE and other members of her team.
We spent all night dancing to her songs- both classics like “Kele Kele Love” “Eminado” “Love Me” “Diet” “Loaded” and new ones from the new album like “You4Me” “On The Low” “Holding It Down” and more and like the hypeman kept reminding us, it was hit after hit after hit.
Other celebrities like Uti Nwachukwu, Jay Jay Okocha Flavour N’Abania were also there to support her.
Tiwa Savage was in high spirits, as she danced and passed out shots of Don Julio around.
The night finally ended at around 4 am. I was so tired but I’d had the time of my life.
A 10 over 10 night for real.
German artist Giddens is back with a new single “Obroni Kokoo” a blend of Afrobeats, Afro fusion and Afrohouse rhythms.
“Obroni Kokoo” blends Ghanaian Pidgin storytelling and the title means “Red Foreigner” in Twi — a nickname he grew up with as a mixed-race kid between Accra and Germany.
This track captures hi dual identity: diasporic roots, raw emotion, and global sound.
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Canadian singer-songwriter Fançois Marius has released a new single “Midnight in Paris ”
It’s a ballad with Latin pop, reggae , blues and folk music influences.
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Nigerian-American artist Onyaka has released a new single “Hook” an Afro-fusion track built yhypnotic rhythm and a chant-style chorus.
It blends Lagos Street energy with a trap bounce and is designed to catch attention right away.
“The track carries the same kind of instant pull you hear from Burna Boy, Rema, or Asake, but with more grit and bounce that sticks after the first listen,” says Onyaka.
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Paris-based artist Visceral Design has released a new single “Give It Time” an emotional heartbreak song that addresses the breakdown of a passionate relationship between a man and a woman.
The first verse is sung from perspective but contains all the same narration, feelings and emotional turning points as her partner.
The chorus is through his perspective hoping that it’s just a dark impasse and that with time he can make things right.
While the second verse sees the both of them trying to break free from their “trauma tourniquet” and turning a new page in their lives.
Tyler Kaufman is a science-artist, composer, producer, and multi- instrumentalist with a specialty in sound design and sitar.
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Lebanese artist Mar1bardawil is highlighting the the depth and complexity of his country’s capital city on his new Afro House single.
Written and produced by Marwan Bardawil, “Deep Beirut” features Joya on vocals and Marcel Ghrayeb on the Santur, with Marwan on guitar and background vocals.
The music combines an afrohouse music style with the oriental Santur instrument and arabic vocals to create a distinctive sound and feel while the lyrics combine English and Arabic and begin to describe the unique depth and complexity of Beirut.
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Canadian producer Spacey Panda has released a new single titled “Explorer” featuring guitarist, Orange A Bloom.
The track is a cosmic journey through melodic textures, pulsing bass, and dreamy atmospheres.
On the inspiration behind her music, Spacey describes herself as a cosmic music producer with “a knack for blending experimental beats and interstellar vibes that sound like they were produced on the dark side of the moon.”
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Lusophone music reaches a new dimension with “Where Are You”, the track by Danni Gato featuring Nelson Freitas and Djodje.
“Where Are You” brings together three generations and three artistic visions in a single beat, marking the culmination of mutual admiration spanning decades. Danni Gato, the leading name in Cape Verdean House Music, meets his lifelong idols: Nelson Freitas and Djodje, two Cape Verdean legends who have shaped not only his career but an entire generation of Lusophone artists.
“Having Nelson and Djodje on this track is a childhood dream come true. They were the voices that accompanied me when I began to understand what I wanted to do with music. Now, producing for them feels like closing a circle,” says Danni Gato.
The track represents the natural evolution of Afro House in a more electronic and international direction.
It is the sound of three artists at the peak of their creative powers, united by mutual respect that resonates in every beat, melody, and verse.
But “Where Are You” goes beyond music.
“Danni represents everything that’s best about the new generation. Seeing how he honors our roots while creating something completely new is inspiring. This track proves that our culture is in good hands,” emphasizes Nelson Freitas.
“This collaboration represents everything we are: a musical family without borders. Danni brought a fresh energy to our voices, and we brought the soul he always sought. ‘Where Are You’ is Cape Verde in 2025,” adds Djodje.
The track’s production team represents the best of the scene: Danni Gato and Rizzo on production, with Pedro Serraninho on mix and master—the most respected names in today’s music landscape.
The music video, directed by Eva Mina and featuring actor Igor Regalla, takes a bold conceptual approach: the artists themselves do not appear in the video. Instead, the piece critiques contemporary screen-dependent society, creating a powerful contrast between the humanity of music and the digital coldness of our times.
ABOUT DANNI GATO:
DJ and producer Gato, was born in Faro with Cape Verdean roots, he transformed the soulful rhythms of morna and coladeira into a universal electronic language.
His distinctive Afro House sound has taken him to prestigious stages worldwide, from Ibiza to Dubai, Bali to New York, and Boston to Paris.
In Portugal, he has earned multiple gold and platinum records, sold out the Pavilhão Carlos Lopes in Lisbon twice, and performed at the country’s largest festivals, including Rock In Rio Lisboa, Brunch Electronik, and MEO Sudoeste. Tracks like “Xaguada”, “Gratitude”, “Hulk”, “Pedrinha”, “Oskey”, and “Num Tás a Ver” are staples in the playlists of the world’s top DJs, consolidating him as Portugal’s ambassador for global Afro House.
ABOUT NELSON FREITAS:
With over 25 years of career, Nelson Freitas is a Lusophone music legend. Born in the Netherlands to Cape Verdean parents, he has always been the bridge between tradition and modernity, between Cape Verde and its global diaspora. From the pioneering days with Quatro Plus to solo hits like “Rebound Chick” and the recent “Black Butterfly” (2024), Nelson continues to define Ghetto-Zouk and contemporary Lusophone music.
ABOUT DJODJE:
Djodje is the voice of a generation raised between tradition and revolution. Born into a musical family in Praia, Cape Verde, he is the son of Israel ‘Toto’ Silva, guitarist of the legendary band Os Tubarões. Transforming the morna legacy into a global language of Afropop and Kizomba, Djodje remains one of the most celebrated voices in Lusophone music, recognized by the BBC and boasting a fan base across four continents
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