Nine African artists have released new singles this week via ONErpm, spanning gospel, Afrobeats, Afro-R&B, and Afro-fusion.
The batch includes collaborations across borders, debut directions, and returns from established names, with themes ranging from romantic attraction and emotional recovery to spiritual celebration and the pressures of public life.
Nigerian gospel singer Monique opens the week with “Praise Connect,” a high-energy worship record that continues the tradition she established with her 2014 breakthrough “Power Flow.” Built around lively rhythms and bright melodies, the song moves between congregational celebration and quieter moments of prayer. “Joy is something I choose every day,” Monique says.
Majeeed, a Lagos-based songwriter whose credits include work for Tiwa Savage and Seyi Shay, returns with “Miss Me,” an Afro-R&B reflection on emotional overinvestment and the clarity that follows. The repeated refrain “You go miss me” frames the song as a reckoning rather than a lament, tracing a narrator’s shift from attachment to self-awareness. It follows his 2022 single “Yawa No Dey End.”
Congolese artist Ihomarix teams up with Tanzanian star Harmonize on “Possible,” a cross-border collaboration blending urban rumba and East African sounds around themes of hope and renewal. Ihomarix addresses listeners in states of doubt or setback, while Harmonize delivers a more insistent call to act and move forward. The single is Ihomarix’s latest outing as an independent artist.
Port Harcourt-born rapper and singer Majesty Lyn delivers “Happy With Yourself,” a minimal, introspective record confronting mental exhaustion and the gap between outward composure and private struggle. The track, built on restrained production and sharp writing, centres on the question embedded in its title. Majesty Lyn first came to wider attention in 2018 with a viral acoustic cover of “Amaka” by 2Baba and Peruzzi.
Nairobi singer-songwriter Rita Wangui, together with fellow Kenyan artists M. Rumbi and BasicCity, releases “Chasing Calm,” a soulful, sparsely produced record about creativity as a coping mechanism. The recurring line “I write cause I’m chasing calm” anchors the track, which acknowledges both the uncertainty of a creative life and its emotional necessity. “Sometimes writing is the only way I can make sense of what I’m feeling,” Wangui says.
Keji Hamilton — born Suleiman Shuaib, a former lead guitarist for Fela Kuti and now an ordained minister — releases “Ole,” a sharp Afrobeat track issuing a warning to opportunists and those with concealed intentions. The word “ole,” meaning thief in Yoruba, drives the chorus, which Hamilton frames through themes of spiritual protection and personal vigilance. “Not everything that comes near you is for you,” he says.
Nigerian-British singer Khaleedthefirst, known for the 2022 “Top Boy Remix” featuring Odumodublvck, follows that early momentum with “Crucifix,” a romantic Afrobeats record set against a harmattan backdrop. The track opens with humour and moves into genuine attraction, blending playfulness with sincerity in its account of an unexpected connection.
Lucky Yay! releases a dual single, “Wizmel Is Lucky,” comprising two tracks that sit in deliberate contrast. “Tilda” is a grief-driven account of sudden loss, built on repetition and emotional rawness. “My Gist” turns the lens outward, offering a playful commentary on rumour and social media visibility. “These songs came from real moments in my life, one dealing with loss and the other dealing with pressure,” the artist says. Lucky Yay!, a 4th runner-up on Next Afrobeats Star, was previously linked to producer Sarz early in his career.
Rounding out the week, producer-turned-performer Deeyasso releases “Let Me Know,” an upbeat Afrobeats record about mutual attraction and the ease of connection. Drawing on English, Yoruba, and street-inflected expression, the track follows earlier singles including “In Love” featuring Chike.
All the songs are now available on all streaming platforms.