People listen to music to relax, be amused, informed, and so on. In summary, music fulfills several functions in daily life. This is why we may say that music is a part of life. To put it another way, music is life.
Africa has inspired some of the finest works by artists in the diaspora, both as a location and as an idea. For many, writing songs about the continent is a means to reconnect with their African roots. Many budding diaspora stars cemented their spot in the charts in the first half of 2022 with some magnificent works of art. It’s time to dig into the latest African diaspora music to add to our playlist and get dancing.
Put on your headphones and begin tapping your toes.
Lade – Adulthood Na Scam
Lade, a young Nigerian artist, wrote this anthem. The song initially gained fame on Tik Tok and is now spreading to mainstream media. Lade has established herself as a rising star in the music industry, and her passion for the craft is unrivaled. Her voice, known for immaculate renditions of famous tunes, speaks volumes about her. This soundtrack will undoubtedly bring a grin to everyone who hears it. This is Lade’s first successful song, which discusses the world we live in as adults. The musicians in her song noted that as children, things do not always go as planned and that as we get older, nothing gets better. Everything you thought you knew about maturity was a lie.
9umba, TOSS & Mdoovar – uMlando
The hook “namhla senz’ umlando,” which roughly translates as “today, we’re creating history,” and its accompanying dance, has been one of the most significant cultural events of 2022. Letlotlo-la-bakuena Letlatsa and Mduduzi Memela created it. It debuted at number three in South Africa and was certified platinum after exceeding seven and a half million streams on digital streaming platforms. Last year, 9umba put in so much effort. He collaborated with Mdoovar to release “Ekasi Lami” with ilovelethu & Pabi Mash and “Amaviki” with Jadenfunky & Stitchgawd. Also, with Mdoovar, he contributed to the T.D.K. Macassette song “Umsebenzi.” The song is another one that you should have on your playlist.
Kelvyn Boy – Down Flat
Kelvyn Boy, a renowned singer, has been a frontrunner for afro-beat in Ghana and has always been regarded as a top star. Down Flat is a combination of afro-beats and highlife made by KullBoiBeatz and mixed and mastered by Mix Masta Garzy. In this song, the musician professes his romantic feelings for the lady of his dreams. Later, the song became popular on TikTok when a dancer devised a choreography. This elevated the music to new heights. Down Flat is one of the Ghanaian songs to make it into Billboard’s Afrobeats Songs Chart upon its inception.
Nomfundo Moh- Soft Life
Nomfundo Moh has unveiled the music video for her current track, “Soft Life,” comprised of her brilliant album Amagama. The video version brings the song’s concept of rising from modest origins and striving for a comfortable, better existence, sometimes known as a “soft life.” In the whole album, Nomfundo Moh discusses her observations and life experiences, celebrates love via realistic anecdotes, and gives spiritually-infused doses of encouragement and inspiration through her life narrative. The artist had just graduated from college, and the manifestation-inspired song played as she walked across the stage, completing a well-deserved circle for a musician whose career started to take shape during college.
Zuchu – Mwambieni
Zuchu, a Tanzanian female singer on the rise and a W.C.B. Wasafi Records diva, has released a new track titled Mwambieni, produced by Mr. Lg. Her song features a classic bongo sound that harkens back to her beginnings. Zuchu started singing at a youthful age and later worked with her mother, Khadija Kopa, on the song “Mauzauza” off her first E.P. named “I am Zuchu EP.” Her career took off when Diamond Platnumz presented her as the newest member of W.C.B. Wasafi. Her sound is quite wide and transcends all creative constraints; while the track explores several musical genres and concepts. “Mwambieni” is a fantastic piece of music that you will want to add to your playlist and play over and over again.
Anand Subramanian is a freelance photographer and content writer based out of Tamil Nadu, India. Having a background in Engineering always made him curious about life on the other side of the spectrum. He leapt forward towards the Photography life and never looked back. Specializing in Documentary and Portrait photography gave him an up-close and personal view into the complexities of human beings and those experiences helped him branch out from visual to words. Today he is mentoring passionate photographers and writing about the different dimensions of the art world.
