A wave of new singles and collaborative projects from African artists arrived this week, spanning pop, R&B, hip-hop, amapiano, and reggaeton.
New Releases
- Tyla shared a new track ahead of her forthcoming album A*Pop. The song includes the lyric
“Is it love if you don’t cry?”
over a beat that bridges R&B and trap.
- Sjava, Emtee, Saudi and Ruff released a collaborative album of brooding love songs, drawing inspiration from classic supergroups like The O’Jays and The Temptations with a South African twist.
- Solana released the single “Okunkun,” produced by Killertunez. The track takes 1980s sounds and gives them a 2026 facelift.
- Marcus Harvey, a South African R&B artist, released “Mapula,” the first single from his album Son Of Elvis, due August 28. Production comes from Jordan Klem.
- Nairobi-based singer-songwriter Hadaya Eliana released “Wacha Wacha,” blending early 2000s R&B with East African influences.
- Umzulu Phaqa released “Unlimited Budget,” a track conveying a message of perseverance.
- Nyota Parker and Jay Jody released the collaborative project Confused Admiration, bridging different generations of hip-hop.
- Moliy released “Jetski (FRIKI),” a reggaeton track featuring Dominican Republic’s Yailin La Más Viral, who was recently released from a three-day jail sentence for gun possession, and French Congolese singer-songwriter Theodora. The song opens with the line
“I can make your mind want me.”
