It could be argued that 2023 was African music’ biggest year ever. The stars shined brighter, the hits went further, and the global music industry is taking notice. 

To wit, the Recording Academy announced the 2024 GRAMMY nominees for its inaugural Best African Music Performance award. Some of the continent’s biggest talents are getting the spotlight: Rising artists like Ayra Starr, ASAKE, and Tyla will compete against global megastars Burna Boy and Davido in a history-making category. 

But there was much more going on than hits and highlights. Afrobeats embraced continent-spanning sounds, from traditional genres to South African club music. Female artists from the continent shined as brightly as their male counterparts. Across the board, bold, experimental new sounds began to creep into the landscape. As an exciting year in Afrobeats and African music comes to a close, take a look at some of the trends that defined this broad soundscape in 2023. 

Afrobeats Stars Are Crossing Over in America

Even if the GRAMMYs hadn’t decided to shine a light on Africa’s music industry with the Best African Performance category, Afrobeats artists made major inroads into the American music market in 2023. ASAKE appeared on "Good Morning America" and "The Tonight Show" to promote his album Work of Art, and recently released a collab with H.E.R. And Burna Boy — one of the genre’s biggest forces — sold out Citi Field in New York and played to a massive Coachella crowd. 

Afrobeats artists played festivals across the country, none more significant than the first-ever stateside editions of AfroNation. Burna Boy headlined both legs of the genre-specific festival alongside WizKid in Miami and Davido in Detroit, while each one featured an undercard full of incredible artists. Rema, ASAKE, Ckay, and BNXN performed in Miami, while Detroit featured Kizz Daniel, P-Square, Stonebwoy, and others. 

But in terms of chart success, one song dominated above all. Driven by a remix featuring Selena Gomez, Rema’s "Calm Down" smashed Billboard records. The song became the longest-running No. 1 in the history of the U.S. Afrobeats chart, spending more than a full year at the top. It eventually crossed over to the Hot 100, also spending a on the chart and becoming the longest-charting African song in its history, although it fell short of the top, peaking at No. 3. 

There’s more where that came from. Rema’s success with "Calm Down" shows the potential Afrobeats artists have to connect with audiences across the world, including North America. Some are already looking for ways to integrate American music into their own songs.

Amapiano Is Everywhere

South Africa’s long history of flirting with house music — from kwaito in the post-Apartheid ‘90s, to the Afro-house of Black Coffee and Da Capo — is finally taking the country’s music global thanks to amapiano. The dance genre typified by sweltering grooves, sizzling shaker rhythms, and the bombastic log drum, was all over Afrobeats this year. 

Heartthrob Ckay tapped the sound on "Hallelujah" with Blaqbonez. Davido collaborated with Musa Keys on his GRAMMY-nominated track "Unavailable" [fellow nominees in the Best African Music Performance category are "Amapiano" by ASAKE & Olamide, Burna Boy's "City Boys," "Rush" by Ayra Starr, and Tyla's "Water."]  And Mr. Eazi recruited Focalistic, Major League DJz, and others for the debut record of his ChopLife Soundsystem side project. Artists as far away as China are also putting their own spin on the sound, such as Vinida Weng with "WAIYA." 

But no one in Afrobeats has embraced amapiano quite as much as ASAKE. His inventive take on the genre incorporates Indigenous sounds from Nigeria to create a totally new and personal style. Songs like "Basquiat" and "Amapiano" reverberate with amapiano log drums and cymbal samples as well as choral background vocals. 

America has caught amapiano fever as well. South African starlet Tyla’s R&B-inflected "Water" became a crossover hit, unseating Rema from No. 1 on the Billboard Afrobeats chart and reaching (as of this writing) a record-setting No. 1 10 on the Hot 100 — the highest-ever for a South African artist. Both U.S. legs of AfroNation also featured a Piano Power stage, with sets by Maphorisa, Musa Keys, Major League DJz, DBN Gogo, Focalistic, TXC, and Uncle Waffles, who also performed at Coachella. 

Female Artists Are On The Rise

Although Afrobeats has largely been dominated by male artists — especially the big three of Burna Boy, WizKid, and Davido — the genre’s female stars are also proving their might. Tems gained fame thanks to features on songs like WizKid’s "Essence," but stepped further into the spotlight following the release of 2022’s For Broken Ears. Her latest song, "Me & U," is a soul-searching track that doubles as a love song and a paean to the almighty. 

Tems' continues to receive industry recognition as well. At the 2023 GRAMMYs, she took home a golden gramophone for Best Melodic Rap Performance "Wait for U," a collab with Future and Drake. Her work co-writing Rihanna’s "Lift Me Up" from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack earned an Oscar nomination, and the song is nominated for Best Song Written For Visual Media at the 2024 GRAMMYs, alongside Barbie The Album's "Dance The Night," "I'm Just Ken," "What Was I Made For?" and "Barbie World.

Ayra Starr, meanwhile, is universally seen as Afrobeats’ next big thing. The Benin-born starlet’s triumphant song "Rush" notched a GRAMMY nod, and she’s continued her dominant streak with singles such as "Sability" and "Stamina" with Tiwa Savage and Young Jonn. She’s also featured on tracks by WizKid, Ninho, David Guetta, and Tyla. 

And speaking of the South African, Tyla’s success with "Water" also highlights the power of female Amapiano artists, none are as mighty as Uncle Waffles. The eSwatini native gained a huge hit with "Tanzania," and played it out to feverish crowds at Coachella and AfroNation Miami. 

Ghana’s Scene Is Buzzing

Two countries away from Nigeria, Ghana’s music scene is bursting with creativity. For proof, look no further than Atlanta-raised AMAARAE’s Fountain Baby, one of the most buzzed-about pop releases on either side of the Atlantic. The record fuses Accra-attitude with 2000s R&B futurism for a bold, dangerously sexy sound that’s totally unique. 

Black Sherif, meanwhile, reps the streets. As a major representative of asakaa, the country’s take on drill music, the rapper has taken the gritty sound of Ghana’s ghettos to new places this year, touring his 2022 record The Villain I Never Was and its hit single "Kwaku the Traveler" at the MOBO Awards in London, Wireless Festival in Abu Dhabi, and events across the U.S. His latest track "OH NO" goes into ambitious new territory with influences added from highlife and soul. 

Finally, Mr. Eazi may be Nigerian by birth, but Ghana is where he made his name and developed his signature "banku" sound, mixing Afrobeats with highlife and other local influences. After 10 years in the business, he finally released his debut album The Evil Genius with a uniquely artful twist: Every track is accompanied by a painting executed by an African artist. Eazi has called the album his most personal work yet. 

Afrobeats Artists Are Defying Genres

Burna Boy took on hip-hop and pretty much everyone else hopped onto amapiano, but in 2023 artists in Afrobeats and beyond took turns trying to expand the genre. Fresh off the success of "Calm Down," Rema delivered a scorching new EP. Ravage flung the singer into dangerous new territory, with dramatic lyrics and dark, hyperpop-leaning production on tracks like "Don’t Leave." 

Up-and-coming artists are also trying to break away from the pack with experimental new sounds. Blaqbonez, featured on Ckay’s "Hallelujah," spits over bouncy Igbo drumming on "NYEM EGO." Brazy, meanwhile, blended Afrobeats with Jersey Club on "omg." 

Last but not least, one of the most interesting Afrobeats-adjacent songs of the year was made in London. Nigerian-British Jim Legxacy’s "dj" boldly fuses hyperactive Afrobeats drums with Midwest emo guitars and a warbling, R&B-esque vocal performance. "You used to promise me you’d teach me how to DJ" may be one of the most instantly devastating opening lines of the year. 

2023 In Review: 10 Trends That Defined Rock Music

To say that the past year has been an eventful one in the dynamic world of Afrobeats would be, at best, a gross understatement. The genre's list of global accolades has continued to swell in size, including multiple nominations at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards, expansive cross-border collaborations, and inaugural appearances on some of the world’s most coveted stages.

Simultaneously, Afrobeats has been undergoing something of an identity crisis, in which listeners have criticized sonic monotony and Western pandering of some artists. In the immediate wake of this criticism, as though on cue, came a slew of forward-thinking projects from the genre’s biggest stars, igniting the mainstream scene’s creative progression. Among these stars is 23-year-old Afrobeats sensation Anthony Ebuka Victor, known widely as Victony.

His debut album, Stubborn, is barely two months old yet has already received high acclaim from top Afrobeats pundits and laymen alike. Therein, Victony tells his life story for the first time, complete with vivid songwriting that delves into themes of childhood, romance, and dogged resilience. With features from Nigeria’s Asake and Shallipopi, as well as American acts Teezo Touchdown and Saint JHN, Stubborn's sonic meter explores Afrobeats with unending - and unmatched - innovation.

Victony, however, is no novice when it comes to putting out pristine bodies of work. His 2020 EP Saturn sounded nothing like a 19-year-old’s debut; singles “Jo Riddim” and “Space and Time” revealed serious sonic maturity. His subsequent EP Outlaw, which followed his breakout as the feature on Mayorkun’s “Holy Father,” included addictive hits “Apollo,” “Jolene,” and “Soweto.” The latter, of course, took the world by storm and led to a remix featuring Don Toliver and Rema, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Afrobeats chart.

Between this, his debut on the ColorsxStudios platform, his assist on Burna Boy’s “Different Size,” and his record deal with the L.A.-based Encore Records, it is difficult to tell just when this young boy from Ojo, Lagos became a continental and global star. What’s more, he’s soon to push his story outside of Nigerian borders, kicking off his Stubborn North American tour on Aug. 6. 

Ahead of this tour, Victony sat down with GRAMMY.com to discuss his creative process, the importance of telling his story, and all things Stubborn.

'Stubborn' features excellent songwriting about your life experiences, though it's not the first time you've done so. What makes 'Stubborn' different from the other work in your discography?

Stubborn has my story; it’s where I get to properly introduce myself. The [Outlaw] EP is like Yeah, this guy can sing, he knows all this Afrobeats stuff. Let’s put a good body of work together for people to enjoy. The Stubborn album is saying, This is Victony. This is where he’s from. This is what he’s about.

You’ve mentioned before that veteran Nigerian rapper Olamide encouraged you to make 'Stubborn' a full-length album as opposed to an EP. Had you been ready for an era shift at the time that you spoke to him?

I was prepared for an era shift, but my mind was just stuck on an EP because that was the plan since last year. Sometimes, you can’t even see what everything looks like when you’re really in it. You have to extract yourself from the situation and really look at it. But speaking to Olamide, once he mentioned the album, it felt possible. I was like, Why am I not even thinking about an album? 

'Stubborn' is an incredible testament to resilience, but you also explore other themes like love and betrayal. What is the overarching message that you wanted the project to convey?

Resilience is the boldest statement that the project has. But within all that, there are other things that I’ve been through, like the stuff that you mentioned, that didn’t change me as a person.

I still have the ability to love, and I still have the ability to receive love. So obviously, that reflected in a few songs on the project because I still go through those emotions. I’m still human regardless of everything I've been through.

Your feature list is quite expansive — we have Shorae Moore, Shallipoppi, Saint JHN, Teezo Touchdown, and Asake. Did you have an idea of who you wanted on the project beforehand, or was your feature selection process more organic?

I’m always curious to see what this and this will sound like, or what doing this and this will look like. So I just make songs and think about who will be perfect on those songs. I didn’t think of it as, I want an album, who are the guest features? 

One thing that the features all have is authenticity. These people have a voice, they have a style, they have something that they stand for. And that is something that Stubborn is also preaching — authenticity. So collaborating with these people helped to bring very interesting ideas to life. Because one wouldn’t ordinarily imagine a Victony and Asake feature, or a Victony and Teezo feature. But when somebody who is authentic collaborates with somebody who is authentic, something has to happen. We were just trying to create something, and I love creating. 

Learn more: Meet The Latest Wave Of Rising Afrobeats Stars: AMAARAE, BNXN, Oladapo & More

You have a U.S. tour coming up which is extremely exciting. You’ve toured with Rema before, but this will be your first-ever solo tour. How are you feeling? 

I’m actually very excited. We’ve been planning what we want the tour to feel like, because it’s important to think about the feeling that you want to leave people with. I think that this tour is the biggest opportunity to showcase what the album is really about. Having to go on stage, perform for an hour plus. I don’t think I've ever done that nine times in a row in nine cities. So we’re planning everything to make that all come to life.

What do you want your U.S. audience to take away from your tour?

I want my U.S. audience to feel the essence of my journey and connect with my music. This tour is a journey through my experiences and my evolution as an artist. You'll get the party anthems as well as the soul-stirring ballads. I want them to leave each show thinking, This is what that Victony guy is about: raw talent, authenticity, and a sound that resonates deeply.

Give us your Afrobeats predictions for the year — what should we expect from the scene?

I just feel like it’s about to be a madhouse. Tems just dropped, Ayra Starr just dropped, Ruger & BNXN just dropped. And Wizkid is yet to drop, Davido is yet to drop, Fireboy DML is yet to drop. I don’t think we’ve had a year like this. Ever. It’s like everybody is dropping a project this year.

Read more: Tems On How 'Born In The Wild' Represents Her Story Of "Survival" & Embracing Every Part Of Herself

My prediction is that this is the start of something for Afrobeats. Before now, what people would tell you is that Afrobeats artists all share one fanbase. But everything is about to change because of the volume of music coming out. It’s going to really push structure with the fans.

Looking back from your debut EP to the present day, what comes to mind? Did you foresee yourself becoming what you are now?

I always knew that everything that’s currently happening would happen. I just didn’t know what was going to make it happen. I didn’t know that this was the direction. It’s been interesting because at one point, you just have life experiences that influence your art, and then the direction changes. That’s what it’s been for me because I like my art to reflect who I am at any given time.

So, who knows what’s going to happen next? After Saturn, I didn't foresee my story changing. And now new experiences have come, and those have also changed me. I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but one thing’s for sure, the journey is just beginning. I’m excited to see where this path leads and to continue sharing my story with the world.

This year's Lollapalooza is set to electrify Chicago's Grant Park from August 1-4, showcasing stellar performances from music's top talent. Headliners include Megan Thee Stallion (replacing Tyler, The Creator for the first night), The Killers, Blink-182, SZA, and Future x Metro Boomin.

Founded by Jane's Addiction lead singer Perry Farrell, Lollapalooza has evolved from a modest alternative musical gathering in 1991 to a cultural phenomenon with international editions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Sweden, India, and France.

Read more: 'Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza' Recounts How An Alt Rock Fest Laid The Blueprint For Bonnaroo & More

Beyond the headliners, Lollapalooza's eight stages will feature an array of other incredible artists over the four-day festival. Here are 10 must-see acts you shouldn't miss:

FLO

Thurs., Aug. 1 at 7:45 p.m. (Bacardi Stage)

The London trio, FLO, is revitalizing R&B with slick, catchy songs saturated with '90s nostalgia. Consisting of Renée Downwer, Stella Quaresma, and Jorja Douglas, FLO debuted in 2022 with the hit song "Cardboard Box." Since then, they’ve garnered praise from the likes of SZA, Missy Elliot, and Victoria Monét. FLO has seemingly achieved the impossible — reviving the girl group concept. 

"We definitely want to be the face of the resurgence of girl groups," Douglas told Variety in April. "It's all healthy competition, we want there to be girl groups that can exist in the same space. For now, at least." Last year, the group won the Brits' Rising Star Award and the BBC's Sound of 2023. FLO took Coachella by storm in April, and their Lollapalooza performance promises to be no different.

d4vd

Thurs., Aug. 1 at 3:45 p.m. (Tito's Homemade Vodka Stage)

This prodigious talent is becoming known for genre experimentation as well as expressive lyrics. The innate melancholy on d4vd's single "Romantic Homicide" resonated with the masses in a major way when it was released in July 2022 and has garnered over 1 billion streams across various platforms. Since then, the artist has become known for crafting vulnerable love ballads with a tinge of potency as heard on tracks like "Here With Me" and "There Goes My Baby."

On the songwriting process for "There Goes My Baby," d4vd stated: "This is a song I wrote about letting go of someone you love and letting them become their own person. Watching them become that person and realizing that you may have been the problem, but also being happy for the person they've become." After completing his fully sold-out "My House Is Not A Home" international headline tour, d4vd's presence at Lollapalooza is a welcome one. 

Tyla

Thurs., Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. (T-Mobile Stage)

The GRAMMY-winning South African singer has had an epic year following the immense popularity of her amapiano-infused hit "Water." Tyla's self-titled debut album, released in April, became the highest-charting album on the US Billboard 200 Albums Chart by a female African soloist in history. Over the years, the star — who is of Indian, Zulu, Mauritian, and Irish descent — amassed an impressive following on TikTok with her dance routines and song covers going viral. 

Tracks like "Jump" (featuring Gunna and Skillibeng) and "On My Body" (featuring Becky G) showcase Tyla's versatility and her ability to bring her distinct sonic style to life. Tyla's catalog also shows that music found in the African diaspora also contains elements of pop. Her infectious energy will light up not just Lollapalooza, but festival stages all summer long.

Kevin Abstract

Fri., Aug. 2 at 7:45 p.m. (IHG Hotels and Resorts Stage)

The wildly imaginative and talented emcee — who also served as the frontman of the hip-hop group Brockhampton — reminded audiences of his solo capabilities with last year's "Blanket." While that project saw Kevin Abstract experiment with darker and heavier rock sounds ("When the Rope Post 2 Break," "Blanket"), his first love was and will always be hip-hop, as evidenced on his 2014 debut album MTV1987.

In addition, Abstract has been passing his time recently with some stellar collaborations. After teasing his song featuring Lil Nas X, "Tennessee," at Coachella earlier this year, Abstract officially released the track in May (the pair attended the same high school in Georgia before they knew each other.) He was also featured alongside Lev on Toro y Moi's latest single "Heaven." Abstract's sonic malleability has always been his greatest and most exciting strength.

Stray Kids

Fri., Aug. 2 at 8:30 p.m. (Bud Light Stage)

This K-pop band — often abbreviated as SKZ — formed on a reality show back in 2017. Stray Kids have had a slew of hits, including 2019's "MIROH" and 2020's "God's Menu," which showcased the group's pop proclivity and unrelenting fan base. Their fourth studio album, 5-Star, was released last year and was a huge commercial success, reaching number one in the U.S., South Korea, France, Austria, Greece, and Portugal. Their latest album, ATE, released on July 19, marks the next chapter of the band's evolution. Member Bang Chan stated that on ATE, "a lot of the songs [are] all very different…what we recorded, it's just showing a different side of Stray Kids."

Read more: K-Pop Sensation Stray Kids On Their New LP, 'Go Live': "We Wanted To Show Everyone What Our True Colors Were"

SiR

Sun., Aug. 4 at 5:45 p.m. (IHG Hotels and Resorts Stage)

SiR released his fourth studio album, Heavy, earlier this year, cementing the Inglewood, California R&B crooner as a bona fide star. The GRAMMY-nominated singer is a proud Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) stalwart, with 2019's Chasing Summer being acclaimed for its musicality, joviality, and warmth. On Heavy, SiR — who has been open about his past struggles with addiction — bravely puts his demons on wax as he tells the story of how he became a better man. 

Featuring appearances from Anderson .Paak, Ab-Soul, Ty Dolla $ign and Isaiah Rashad, the project is a beautiful testament to the "John Redcorn" singer his devotion to the depth of his artistry. "With this album, I feel like I was under so much pressure as I was writing the songs — all I could do was make diamonds," he told GRAMMY.com earlier this year. SiR’s Lollapalooza performance is a stop mid-way through his “Heavy” tour, which runs through late August.

Read more: On 'Heavy,' SiR Wants People To See The Weight Of His Humanity

Slow Pulp

Sun., Aug. 4 at 2:45 p.m. (T-Mobile Stage)

Slow Pulp — consisting of Emily Massey, Henry Stoehr, Teddy Matthews, and Alex Leeds — specialize in the kind of syrupy and saccharine melodies that launched them straight into the indie-rock stratosphere. Their sophomore project, Yard, was released last year and blissfully combines elements of shoegaze with Massey's somber lyricism. The frontwoman often lets themes of reflection bleed into her work. 

On "Doubt," the second single from Yard, Massey confessed that insecurity is at the core of the track. "I wanted people close to me to validate the things I hated about myself," Massey wrote in a statement for Consquence’s “Track by Track” series. "Self-doubt had found a home in me, it felt safer to stay in this familiar negative space than to like myself. I thought if others shared that with me I wouldn't have to do the work to change." Slow Pulp's weepy yet addictive catalog is sure to stand out over the weekend.

Dominic Fike

Sun., Aug. 4 at 6:45 p.m. (T-Mobile Stage)

Dominic Fike released his debut EP in 2018, Don't Forget About Me, Demos, featuring  viral hits with Halsey and Brockhampton. Fike's debut album, What Could Possibly Go Wrong, followed two years later. On tracks like "Good Game" and "Politics & Violence," Fike takes a somber look at his reality while perfecting his hip-hop influenced brand of pop. 

In 2022, he was cast on Season 2 of the HBO hit series "Euphoria" where he played Elliot, a drug user who finds himself in the middle of a love triangle between Rue (Zendaya) and Jules (Hunter Schafer). Last year, his sophomore LP, Sunburn, explored addiction, heartache, and remorse. Fresh off his biggest headlining tour, Fike dropped the visual project "14 Minutes" in May, proving that the phrase "tortured artist" can very much be a real thing.

Huddy

Sun., Aug. 4 at 2:10 p.m. (BMI Stage)

This viral TikTok sensation has managed to stand out from his pop-punk peers with a pulsating, upbeat sound that transports listeners back to the early aughts. Huddy's 2022 hit song, "All the Things I Hate About You," dominated social media, reaching #1 on TikTok and YouTube. It also became his first entry on the Pop and Alternative radio charts. 

The California native's 4-track EP, Love Bites, was released on May 15 (his 22nd birthday) and embodies his feelings on romance. "The title 'Love Bites' is a double entendre: it not only alludes to a hickey, but it also means that love can bite you in the ass if you let it," Huddy explained to Ones To Watch. "With each track, I dig deeper into my emotions, unafraid to embrace the raw and the vulgar, because that's what love is — messy, unfiltered, real."

The Last Dinner Party

Sun., Aug. 4 at 5:15 p.m. (Bacardi Stage)

This British rock quintet became quite the sensation after the viral success of their explosive track "Nothing Matters," released in 2023 (garnering over 26 million streams on Spotify). 

The Last Dinner Party — consisting of Abigail Morris, Aurora Nishevci, Emily Roberts, Georgia Davies, and Lizzie Maylan — released their debut album earlier this year titled Prelude to Ecstasy, which contains the same infectious fervor heard on their breakthrough hit. The influence of '90's alt-rock can be heard on another one of their singles, "Sinner." Additionally, "My Lady of Mercy" contains a wispy, ethereal ambience that could very well become their signature sound. The refreshing nature of The Last Dinner Party is as empowering as it is fun — their theatrical reverie is sure to translate to the stage.

Before Afrobeats icons Burna Boy, WizKid, and Tyla became globally recognized household names, Yemi Alade was the continent’s biggest pop star. On July 26, she will release her sixth studio album, Rebel Queen, which expands her repertoire with a world of adventurous pop sounds.  

The Nigerian singer/songwriter burst onto the African pop music scene in 2014 with "Johnny," a now-classic tune that gained acclaim by its iconic video featuring a TV news reporter tracking the titular womanizer. The video made her the first Nigerian female artist to hit 100 million views on YouTube.  

Since then, Alade has had an illustrious career, collaborating with artists including Rick Ross, earning another 100 million-view video for "Oh My Gosh," and featuring alongside fellow Africans Mr. Eazi and Tekno on the Beyoncé-curated soundtrack for The Lion King.

Her latest album, Rebel Queen, includes high-profile collaborations with Angélique Kidjo, Ziggy Marley, and dancehall star Konshens. The album promises a genre-jumping journey across the globe, incorporating amapiano ("Soweto to Ibiza"), highlife ("Chairman"), and even reggae ("Peace and Love") and dancehall ("Bop’).

Ahead of Rebel Queen’s release, GRAMMY.com caught up with Alade about her progression as an artist, what it was like to work with Beyoncé and her team, and bridging international success.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Your new album, 'Rebel Queen', contains influences from all over Africa and beyond. Was that intentional?

Yes, you're correct that I wanted to make sure that the album had sounds that I actually genuinely love, from the amapiano influence to dancehall. And also, I personally wanted to go back to the foundation of Afrobeats, which are sounds and genres that I listened to growing up as a kid. When my parents took me to family parties, there were certain melodies and guitar strums that I fell in love with. And I wanted to revisit those nostalgic moments and put it all in this album.

There are a lot of high-profile collaborations on this record, such as Anjélique Kidjo and Ziggy Marley. How did you decide who to work with on 'Rebel Queen'?

Honestly my life is a roller coaster, same for every touring artist. We try to gather as much as we can while being in motion. Anjélique Kidjo is like my music mum, I love her. And when I made the record, "African Woman," who else would I feature on such a song if not Anjélique? And as for Ziggy, he and I have a song that we did previously ("Look Who’s Dancing Now"), which was his song, and he featured me. And I wanted a tit-for-tat moment. So I sent the song to him. I felt like, who else but him? Every feature was necessary to complete the melody for each song, they are such a huge part of each one, not just in the fresh vibe that they bring. 

Learn more: Watch Yemi Alade's Enchanting Performance Of "Tomorrow" | Global Spin

It’s been ten years since you broke out with the massive hit "Johnny." Back then, African pop music was relatively unknown in America. Since then, African artists have gained global recognition. Do you see yourself as a pioneer for the current Afropop movement?

I agree with you 100 percent, there is no way you authentically go through the history of, you know, building a bridge between Africa and the rest of the world via music without mentioning a song like "Johnny." It's definitely an honor for me to be the vessel that delivers such amazing music to the world. Of course, there were people way before me who also did the same thing. We're talking about Fela [Kuti]. We're talking about King Sunny Ade. At the end of the day, yes, music is metamorphosing into so much more. And definitely, I'm a pioneer [laughs].

You have a strong sense of storytelling, especially in your music videos. "Johnny" has an entire storyline about a news reporter investigating a womanizer. How important is that kind of storytelling to your music?

Storytelling is a big part of my artistry, because I feel everybody loves a good story. I find that even when I'm writing most times in the studio, there's always a picture I'm trying to paint, and it only makes sense for the visuals to kind of match that most of the time. Except sometimes we decide to make it a performance video because I just feel like dancing.

What’s the most memorable video you’ve ever done?

Every one of my videos has taken a lot of pain, sweat, and even some tears. But I think "Johnny" is such a masterpiece, because it resonated with the entire world, and Africa especially. And it pretty much helped me to stay on my way through the industry, because it became my identity. That song and that video was the platform for the brand and everything that I am today. you know, so that is definitely the most memorable, in a good way.

You've traveled to and performed in America several times in your career. What's your overall impression?

I think I've done four or five American tours. And yo, America is so big [laughs]. My first American tour had me in shambles, because of the flights. I didn't realize that to go from one city to another, I might have to connect once or twice depending on how far I'm going. So the flights had me in shambles, but the energy of the people? Oh my days, lit! America is definitely one of my favorite places. I’m always reminding my agents to make sure that they include American cities on my tours, which is why even for the album listening parties for Rebel Queen, we did the first one in Paris, then London, and then we had to come to New York as well. And then just yesterday, we had one in Lagos as well.  

Since you first became popular, a lot of Afrobeats artists have gained a following abroad like Burna Boy and WizKid. It seems as though, at least looking at the artists that break outside of Africa, that the genre is still very male-dominated. Do you agree with that? And do you think there’s potential for more female artists to break out internationally?

Honestly, when I started out, the odds were really way more against women than they are right now, in that, there were female artists sprouting maybe once every two years, or once every year, and barely hanging around long enough. But now, the story is different. And I give kudos to all the women before me and all the women with me. Yes, in a male dominated society, it seems as though my male counterparts get their roses and their flowers for a second. And you know, once in a while someone comes back and remembers, "Oh, there's Yemi Alade." Do you know what I mean? 

I was speaking to someone earlier today and I was saying, I think what surprises me the most is that, I feel like there are no expectations of female artists. So like, if we do or we don't, people are just moving on. But I'm not the one to play victim, never. Despite the odds, you see that the females continue to be resilient, because we know. I know deep within that my existence is definitely of value to so many people out there.

What do you think of the upcoming generation of talent like Tems and Ayra Starr and Tyla, who recently won the first GRAMMY Award for Best African Music Performance for "Water?"

Exceptional, exceptional artists. As you just mentioned, they're doing amazingly well. And, you know, these women are unique in their own ways. And I want to just say that I believe it's just the starting point for them. There's so much to come. And there's so many other females that are still en route to greatness.

How have you seen the music industry in Africa evolve? And what sorts of challenges do you think African musicians face today?

I personally feel like, with all the momentum that Afrobeats has got, we need authentic platforms that can actually check the streaming numbers that are coming in for music, especially within Africa. Because at the moment it’s mostly Apple, Spotify, etc. But there are other platforms here in Africa that most Africans use, and they have more of a database compared to Apple and Spotify. We've come to a point where we need to have more credible numbers, because there's millions of people streaming music in Africa that are not on those platforms.

So you think that these local platforms need to be counted alongside Apple and Spotify?

100 percent. In Nigeria there’s two: Audiomack and Boomplay. Boomplay is a big deal.

You’re going on a decade in the industry. In all that time, what's one moment or one achievement that gives you the greatest sense of accomplishment? What are you most proud of in your career?

That’s a big question…I think I have an idea, because there've been so many moments in my life and in my career that have aligned with my dreams coming true. Number one is each time that I'm approached by a complete stranger and the stranger tells me "Oh my God, Yemi. You don't know what your music has done for me. Your music has gotten me through so much grief." Some people walk up to me and tell me that they just had the biggest struggle in their life and they listen to my music, and it always sends them into a realm of joy and happiness. Honestly, I feel accomplished in those moments, because when I record my music, I always say, the thing I'm trying to spread through my music the most is love, joy and happiness. So to have people testify to that, it means to me that the magic is complete, that my job is actually effective. So that makes me feel very accomplished. 

On a personal note, an accomplishment that I am most grateful to is the fact that I'm always able to comfortably take care of my family. It's something that I would never play down. You know, I'm just grateful to God for that. 

And lastly, aside from winning a GRAMMY through Angelique Kidjo — you know, I've met a lot of amazing people, and Beyoncé is one of them. So at the end of the day, it's a full circle moment for me. I'm just enjoying the ride.

You know, it’s funny you mentioned Beyoncé, I was just about to ask you what it was like to work with her. 

Oh my days — wow, working with her, it was such an experience for myself and my team. It was like, we're literally awake, walking in the dreams that we have dreamt for so long.The process of her team contacting us was a bit weird, because my management didn't realize that Parkwood [Entertainment] was a real company, that they were emailing them and talking about Beyoncé. They assumed that it was some kind of scam artist. But when they had sent it to me, I was like "What? Parkwood? Who doesn’t know Parkwood is Beyoncé?" 

So it turned out that it was for real, and we went to L.A. where the studio was, and I lost my voice for 24 hours — I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t sing. I just soaked up all the vitamin C's and hot teas and Throat Coats I could get. I managed to regain a little bit of my voice back and that's what I was able to record that day. That was a miracle for me. But one of the most memorable moments was actually meeting her in person. After the album, Lion King, came out, the movie was being premiered in London, and I happened to be in London at that time. We had met her in person, we met Jay Z. It was such a full circle moment. Honestly, that lady has really touched my life in a way that I will never forget. Because she could have lived her life without doing what she did, but she decided to reach out to people she felt were pillars of African music and pay homage to Africa. And I'm happy to have been part of that moment.

No one else sounds like KOKOKO! —  they are a truly unique aural experience, an emphatic statement that does justice to the exclamation point in their name.

The experimental live electronic group out of Kinshasa — the active, populous capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo — is a reflection of their city. Their shouted and chanted lyrics reflect people's frustration with their government, as well as the sonic signals of industrious local vendors. Even their DIY instruments are an example of their resourcefulness: Although DRC is a resource-rich country, that wealth has been extracted by and for Western powers for centuries. Locals are left with limited resources and experience regular power outages and intense, ongoing conflict.

KOKOKO! was born after French electronic producer Xavier Thomas — who makes left-field, globally-influenced electronic music as Débruit — met talented local singer and musician Makara Bianko on a visit to Kinshasa. He was captivated by Bianko's large, nearly daily outdoor performances with his massive dance crew. The group, which also consists of locals Boms and Dido who fashion DIY instruments, incorporate much of Makara's improvisational and interdisciplinary energy into their music and energetic live show, while Thomas brings in synths, drum machines and other electronic elements.

After releasing their powerful debut album Fongola in 2019 on indie label Transgressive Records, KOKOKO! started getting booked at music festivals around the globe, as well as on NPR's Tiny Desk series and Boiler Room. Now, the cutting-edge group is pumping up the BPM and bringing the lively Kinshasa nighttime to the rest of the world via their urgent, high-energy sophomore album, BUTU, on July 5 on Transgressive.

Read on for a chat with Thomas and Bianko about their captivating new album, the music scene in the Congo, how their music reflects Kinshasa, and much more. (Editor's note: Bianko's answers are translated and paraphrased from French by Thomas.)

What energies, sounds and themes are you harnessing on 'BUTU?'

Xavier Thomas: "Butu" means night in Lingala [one of the national languages of the DRC]. The album is all about that high energy, specific atmosphere that happens when the night falls in Kinshasa.  

It's a very loud and crowded city. It gets pitch-black quite quickly because it's on the Equator. The sun sets really fast all year long. The sounds of the city kind of wake up [at night]; the generators are plugged in and the club music and evangelical church music [start] competing. All the inspirations are from all these sounds and everything that happens in the night in Kinshasa. 

The band plays a lot of DIY instruments; what instruments are on this album and can you point to their specific sounds? 

Xavier Thomas: There're the go-to things and then there's the found objects or the ones you can build. Simple things that are kind of ready-made, like detergent bottles — you can play it with a stick with a little bit of rubber, and it kind of makes bongo sounds with a slight natural overdrive.  

And you can also build your own string instruments with what you found on the street. For example, there's plastic chairs that have metal feet, and you can do a kind of metallophone with; if you chop the tubes, you will get different pitches, etcetera. You can find something in a mechanic shop that sounds really good straight away when you hit it; metallic percussion. So that's all the different DIY instruments or found percussion that you can make or work with. 

Was it mostly the same instruments as the first album, or were there some different things you were incorporating as well? 

Xavier Thomas: There are different things. Also, on this one, we use a little bit more of electronics, as it's a bit more upbeat and influenced by the club and the small music production studios of Kinshasa. 

There are also some field recordings. For example, on some tracks, there's horns from moto taxis that we pitched and made melodies with. But yeah, it's roughly the same instruments. 

The term DIY is often attached to the band. Of course, you just talked about the instruments, but I was also curious what DIY and improvisation looks like in your music-making process and performances. 

Xavier Thomas: It was an all-over DIY thing when we started. I used to make a lot of the videos. We [still] work with a small team, so we always have problems getting visas. We're doing a bit of everything just to keep going forward and traveling and to get our music everywhere. So, the DIY is not just the music, it's [all very] hands-on. Even on stage, we don't turn up with a big team, it's pretty much us at the moment. 

The DIY aspect came out of necessity for the music and instrument creators, of not being able to afford to buy or rent an instrument. So it started like that, trying to make a one- or two-string guitar, a two-string bass, and a drum set. And then it went beyond that, realizing we can find original and new sounds if we're not copying existing instruments. 

When I met Makara, he was doing five-hour public rehearsals six times a week on his own with 40 or 50 dancers. He had to work out all the technical problems with power cuts and amplifiers exploding. Makara still has that energy, even when we're sound checking. A lot of that DIY intuition is still coming in. 

The recording process has to be DIY because you're recording in outside music studios in little compounds or in difficult neighborhoods of Kinshasa, so there's a lot of sounds in the background. You just grab the moment where the energy, the music, the inspiration feels right. That's another DIY part of the project, it's pretty much recorded outside of recording studios for the most part. 

How does that also speak to access to instruments, internet and music studios for music-making in the DRC more broadly? 

Xavier Thomas: Well, there's some big artists in the Congo that have a lot of money and travel to play even in the U.S. and France. A few artists have everything they want and they're very famous and wealthy. But most of the studios I've seen are a tiny room in the corner of a compound, yet people are doing the most impressive productions and recordings with very little, whether it's electronic or live music. It's very resourceful and sometimes you don't hear it, you could not imagine it would be coming from such a small studio. 

I wish I could ask about every song on the album, because it feels like there's so much energy and context in each one. Can you tell me about the opening track, "Butu Ezo Ya" — the energy starts out so strong. Is there a message behind that song? 

Xavier Thomas: The first track is kind of an invitation. It's saying the night's coming, be ready. We have all the sounds that we grabbed in the streets. That's the track where the horns of the motorbikes are pitched and turned into melodies. It's an invocation, an invitation, to the listener to step in the Kinshasa night because it's really something.  

We wanted the opening track to be a little bit overstimulating, which is the impression you have the first time you step into the night in Kinshasa. So that's the idea, to [channel the] overwhelming street sounds that suddenly from chaos become organized and become the opener of the album to invite you to the more organized music after. [Chuckles.] 

Makara Bianko: I'm inviting people to step into the night, step into the album.

The album's next track, "Bazo Banga," is really captivating as well.

Xavier Thomas: "Bazo Banga" means they are scared. Sometimes people chant it when they're protesting. It can also be used in sport events about the other teams. There's a lot of frustrations in Congo; the population is a bit abandoned by the government. Sometimes there are political things that can't be said or expressed because it's a bit dangerous. So, in this track — Makara has explained the lyrics to me before — it's a way to regain a bit of control by trying to impress the other side. 

Makara Bianko: There's another angle mentioned at the end of the track: We're bringing so many new sounds that their hips are not going to hold. They are scared they are out of date, that they will not be matching our energy or be able to move because we're going too fast. During the track, I'm quoting a lot of images of why they could be scared. 

Xavier Thomas: In Kinshasa, our sound is still very different. At the beginning, with all the music, art performers, people who do body performance as well, who gravitate around our music and are sometimes part of the videos; [other] people thought we were all so crazy. The music didn't fit any standards there, even though Makara has a lot of influences, more when he was younger, in more standard music like Congolese rumba or ndombolo. I think people can still be a bit scared of our style and our energy, the people we work with, it's a bit different. 

In what ways is your music incorporating — as well as radically shifting — traditional and popular Congolese music? 

Makara Bianko: Growing up in Kinshasa, there's a lot of Congolese rumba and nbombolo. I'm also influenced by [Congolese] folk music, really old rhythms and chants. Congo is so big that this has just been mixed in our music, but we are presenting it like it's a new recipe. It doesn't taste like what you're used to even though the ingredients are there. There's also influences [in our music] from outside countries like Angola or South Africa. 

Xavier Thomas: What struck me the most when I first met Makara at this concert — from my Occidental angle — he has a very punk energy. Even though people aren't listening to punk music in Kinshasa, Makara would stick his mic in the speakers and play with feedback, and he has a very powerful voice and sometimes a very threatening singing tone. It was not influenced from punk; it was his own energy, his own frustration. 

I think music helps express the frustration a lot of people have in Congo, and people see that in him, through his anger and when he talks about things people encounter on the street that they can relate to. So yeah, some of the old folk music is there as influences, but it's very important to him to not do the same thing that a lot of artists have done for the last 40 years and to bring something new. 

What's going on in Kinshasa and the DRC in terms of electronic music? Are there other DIY electronic acts coming up?  

Xavier Thomas: There's a lot of electronic music now, I think the big scenes are in South Africa or Nigeria for big pop electronic music. Congo used to influence a lot of West Africa and Central Africa and now Nigeria and South Africa have quite strong industries, so sometimes there's a bit of that influence.  

With more Congolese rhythms for electronic music, you can have the whole range from very pop to very alternative. In the neighborhood where we started, there's a few more bands coming up now with DIY instruments who play a bit more like folk music from the Equator region in the north of the country. In Europe, I've noticed three bands since we started that now work with more DIY instruments. There's a music producer, P2N, from the southeast of Congo who makes repetitive electronic music in a kind of hypnotic, dance way. 

The band has been touring quite a bit since the first album. Locally, are you an active part of a scene, or is it more like you're doing something different there and bringing that around the world? 

 Xavier Thomas: We're still quite unique in Kinshasa, and if we play there it would be more of a block party. Makara has a lot of dancers in his crew, and dancers would join from the youngest at the beginning [of the show] to the more experienced, bridging between classic Congolese dance and more contemporary dance. There's a lot of theater in the dance as well.  

When we play there, it's still alternative. Once in a while we might play a bigger stage, but we play out [of the country] way more in front of way more people. We try not to play too often [here]. It's a huge city, so it can be tricky with the power cuts and everything. It's more of the art scene and people from the performance art school and dancers who gather if we do an event in Kinshasa, it's not huge crowds. 

You've performed on some pretty big platforms, as well as at global music festivals. What goes into your energetic live performance; is there improvisation? 

Xavier Thomas: It's key that we are still incredibly passionate, and we feel the music and leave a lot of space for improvisation. Then we can surprise each other, even during a gig. One track can be one length or double the next time, depending on the feeling, the crowd, the sound system and the time we play. 

Usually, people end up really moving, sometimes without realizing. We don't spare any energy. You end up drenched in sweat. I think because our excitement is real, the music is not over-rehearsed. We're still always excited at every show. I think people can feel that it's not staged. There can be unexpected things happening, which keeps us energetic, motivated and surprised on stage. 

How does the band usually feel after a performance? Is it a cathartic experience? 

Xavier Thomas: Well, we have our kind of ceremonial thing. We usually talk together at the beginning; we gather and stick our heads together, and we say where we are and what we want to achieve. At the end of the concert, the whole hour or so feels like it's passed by really quick, and you're still left with that rhythm or energy, even though you might be super tired, sometimes traveling and playing every day. Sometimes we have more energy at the end. At the beginning, we feel tired, and then the energy really comes in, and we feel super energized and super sharp and really awake at the end. It's good for us. 

What does Kinshasa sound like to you? 

Xavier Thomas: For Makara and I, to explain to somebody who's never been to Kinshasa, it's a very sonic city. I've never seen [anything like it]. It's so crowded; I think it's 15 million or 18 million people now. [Editor's note: 17 million is the latest estimate.] Everybody lives on the ground floor. There aren't too many high buildings, so the density of people is very high. For this reason, it's visually a bit crowded and overwhelming with people, cars, colors and everything.  

Therefore, to be noticed or stand out, everybody needs to have their own little signal or jingle. You can tell who's around you with eyes closed. A nail polish vendor would just bang two little glass polish bottles; that sound carries far away and they have their rhythm. People who sell SIM cards have a loop on their megaphone. 

Sound is how to be noticed; how to sell yourself, what's your role, what's your identity. That's obviously, without talking about music and sound systems. Churches have their own huge sound systems and they can clash with the club in front. Also something very typical in Kinshasa; it goes to the fullest, to the max, everything is used at its highest potential. The sound is pushed in overdrive and distorted because you want to be louder than the next person. It's all these little sound signals that can tell exactly who's around you or sometimes where you are as well. For me, that's the sound, plus the traffic. 

Wow. It must be so different going somewhere more remote, or just where it's quieter. It must feel almost like something's wrong. 

Xavier Thomas: There's not many moments with silence because at night the city is still alive. People like to go out. You can have a church next to you with a full live band and a huge PA sound system at 3 a.m. Quiet moments are rare.  

Makara: It's hard to deal with silence. I don't feel comfortable in silence because I've never really experienced it.