South African artist Medskolar has released a new single “Motion” is a soulful blend of Hip Hop, Afrofusion, and R&B that captures the energy of resilience, love, and forward momentum.
Medskolar’s storytelling style fuses sharp lyricism with melodic rhythms, creating a track that speaks to both personal growth and universal connection.
“Motion” is more than a song; it’s an anthem for those pushing through challenges and chasing their own rhythm in life,” says Medskolar.
Inspired by the likes of Burna Boy, J. Cole, and Tems. Medskolar is an emerging voice redefining Afro-inspired hip hop — bold, reflective, and emotionally charged.
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.”
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.
Tiwa Savage’s “This One Is Personal” debuts at #1 on the iTunes UK R&B/Soul Albums chart pic.twitter.com/jWt87PswZC
— Afrobeats Head Loves Timothee Ideh (@AfrobeatsHead) September 3, 2025
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!
Kelele Love. Still remember the very first time I saw the video. MTV Base or Trace I was mopping my uncle’s house in Abuja.😂 I was hooked!
— Afrobeats Head Loves Timothee Ideh (@AfrobeatsHead) April 20, 2022
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.
Tiwa Savage at her This One Is Personal album release party sponsored by Don Julio
She was joined by Taves, Shine TTW, her PR Manager Vanessa Amadi, Simi Badiru of TRACE and other members of her team.
Tiwa Savage and Flavour share a hug at her album release party
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.
Uti Nwachukwu walks the red carpet at the Tiwa Savage and Don Julio event
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.
We’re outside with Tiwa Savage and Don Julio to celebrate her album “This One Is Personal”
In a genre dominated by celebration, Llona positions himself not as a party-starter, but as a preacher of introspection. He draws on pain and trauma from his experiences within his nomadic community, offering a form of musical self-therapy.
While his message is potent, its consistent solemnity may limit his commercial reach—a trade-off that arguably strengthens his artistic authenticity. His music delivers a piercing resonance, a reflection so potent it makes the hairs on your skin stand on end.
His recent release, “Dead Flowers,” solidifies his place among Afrobeats‘ growing emotional voices. The track is a vital contribution to an expanding “afro-emotion” subgenre. Llona frames himself as a change agent, singing, “I believe / yes, I believed / I will build a future that’s just not for me / take away the chaos, advocate for peace.” He emphasizes an internal competition, needing no external validation: “I don’t care who is next / not the reason that I’m here.”
This is more than an expression of past pain; it’s a declaration of arrival. He signals a readiness to reveal the “hidden Super Star” he has realized he is.
This artistic identity was forged in his debut album, “Homeless,” which marked him as a distinctly introspective voice. The project expressed vulnerability, struggle, and resilience, often using dark humor to navigate despair. In “Still Scared,” he sings, “stuck in the place where they can’t save us… running and running like a stray dog / death is the only thing that saves us.”
Llona is actively building the foundation to become the face of “Emo-Afrobeats.” A key strategy is his ambitious “Homeless” nationwide tour, a rarity in the Nigerian music scene due to significant economic and logistical challenges. While major artists often focus solely on commercial hubs, Llona leveraged this tour to connect with the grassroots, performing in cities like Ogbomosho, Benin, Lokoja, Awka, Owerri, Lafia and Abeokuta. This grassroots focus builds a dedicated fandom and gives audiences what they yearn for “to see artists perform live”.
His music might not be “party flow,” but it speaks to the everyday Nigerian’s reality. The “Homeless” tour has skyrocketed his listenership, proving that his message of vulnerability and self-found therapy is not just artistically sound, but a viable path to building a legacy. Llona is a phenom to watch, potentially steering clear of his peers by forging one of the most strong, connected fandoms in the industry.
About the Author
Ibeh Fortune Chidinma is a media creative, podcaster, and culture writer passionate about music and entertainment space. He explores Afrobeats and African pop culture with a focus on the artists shaping today’s sound. When not writing, he is hosting the Spillers Podcast, where bold conversations meet social commentary. Follow him on X @Datafricanboy .
“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.
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.
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.
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.
