Category: Music

Shortly after Olamide presented EMPIRE founder and CEO Ghazi with the Clive Davis Visionary Award at Billboard‘s first Global Power Players event in London last month, the YBNL label boss didn’t rest on his laurels and continued refining his craft on his 11th studio album, Olamidé. The Nigerian rap legend taps in with Wizkid twice on the horn-heavy “Kai!” single (featured in last month’s African Fresh Picks column) and boastful “Billionaires Club” cut with Darkoo while linking up with American hip-hop heavyweight Dr. Dre on the smooth “Indika” collab with Spinall.

After becoming the first Ghanaian solo female act to perform at Coachella this past spring, Amaarae continues to put her cultural pride on display with her third studio album Black Star, due Aug. 8 via Interscope Records. And she fuses highlife, kpanlogo and more on the LP’s lead single “S.M.O.,” which stands for “Slut Me Out.” Meanwhile, there are new heavyweight cuts from Young Jonn, SPINALL, Crayon, BNXN and more.

We’ve highlighted 10 of our favorite new songs by African acts that have come out roughly within the last month. Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and curate your new soundtrack for the summer with our Spotify playlist below.

Odeal, “London Summers” 

Odeal is ready to be outside with a new ting on his arm on “London Summers,” the first single from his upcoming EP The Summer That Saved Me. Shae Jacobs and Jack Dine blend the shuffling percussion of house with Afrobeats and R&B’s breezy grooves to create Odeal’s latest day party jam. And his sensual lyrics, like “Headed back to your place/ I done fell in love with your taste/ Never get enough of your fragrance” capture the fleeting exhilaration of a summertime fling – as well as the hope it lingers a little longer after the season’s over.  

Bloody Civilian, “Ladida” 

The Nigerian singer-songwriter-producer returns with “Ladida,” her first single of 2025. The rousing Afro-fusion production soundtracks the hormonal rush that only her lover gives her, but the lighthearted bounciness of her “La-di-da-da-da-da” hook puts her back at ease.  

Maleek Berry feat. Wizkid, “Situation” 

Maleek Berry reunites with longtime collaborator and friend Wizkid on the sizzling highlight track “Situation” from his debut album If Only Love Was Enough. Berry finds himself stressing over a girl who’s giving him the run around, but Wiz reminds her she’d still be his even in another life. “Back in the day we understood each other very well, and I think that’s what has allowed us to keep this connection for all these years and understand each other musically for all these years,” Berry told Clash of his working relationship with Wizkid. 

Amaarae, “S.M.O.” 

Amaarae champions sexual liberation and summertime gratification on “S.M.O.,” the slinky lead single from her upcoming third album Black Star. In a press release, the Ghanaian-American star says “S.M.O.” is inspired by “Ghanaian ‘80s highlife trailblazer Ata Kak and blends it with a mean Detroit club bass, a drum roll akin to both Magic System’s ‘1er Gas ‘1er Gaou’ and Michael Jackson’s ‘Rock With You’ and an infectious zouk melody that sounds like a steel pan lipsing an evil synth.” She compares the song’s sensual messaging to Janet Jackson’s “The Pleasure Principle” and Donna Summer’s “Love to Love You Baby,” adding, “I don’t know how much clearer one can get when they ask you to ‘SLUT ME OUT.’”  

Olamide, Wizkid & Darkoo, “Billionaires Club” 

Olamide is living it up on “Billionaires Club” with Wizkid and Darkoo from his latest self-titled album. P.Priime’s blissfully laidback production provides the perfect backdrop for Olamide and Wiz’s braggadocious verses. Meanwhile, Darkoo impressively holds her own while putting her sexy touch on the third verse that brings the song to a sweeping, cinematic close.  

Olamide, “1 Shot”

Olamide’s self-titled latest album is full of outstanding collaborations with some of the brightest lights in Nigerian music right now: Wizkid, Seyi Vibez, Darkoo, Asake, SPINALL, Young Jonn and Boj among them, and he even clears space for a Dr. Dre verse. But he hardly needs help in producing a great song, and on the solo cut “1 Shot” he reminds everyone that he’s hands down among the greatest and deserves mention among his peers on the continent. It’s an instantly catchy track with throwback vibes and a swagger to it that only really he can pull off.

Young Jonn feat. Asake, “Che Che”

Long a superproducer in his own right, Young Jonn at this point can be considered at the forefront of Afrobeats as a lead artist, too, with a track record of dropping big hits for a few years straight now — and this collaboration with the young legend Asake stands alongside his other recent work in that regard. It’s an intricate production, with Jonn taking the first verse and the hook before clearing way for Asake to do his thing. 

Spinall feat. Destin Conrad and JayO, “Want You”

DJ Spinall has, like Young Jonn, made a successful foray into lead artist territory in the last few years, and seems to save his best stuff for his own projects. This one has a late-night sweaty summer dancefloor vibe, as excellently produced as anything in his catalog, with breathy vocals to match. His instrumentation has always stood out, and does again here.

Crayon, “Roju”

“Roju” is a vocal showcase for the Nigerian singer, as well as a love song to both a woman and the world. With a hard-driving drum background that belies its light and airy feel, Crayon delivers a big standout in his career in time for the summertime, with a hook that soars majestically over a swelling organ. 

BNXN & FOLA, “Very Soon”

BNXN has become one of the most reliable hitmakers in the game over the past few years, with his heartfelt and melodic vocals often shining through brightest. On this track, he and FOLA trade lines seamlessly and effortlessly, with the young singer fitting right in on the emotional track about a strained relationship that both sides are trying to save.

Oh, those summer nights. It’s been 47 years since the release of Grease, the 1978 movie musical starring Olivia Newton-John as Sandy and John Travolta as Danny, and its blockbuster soundtrack that reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and notched four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100. On Friday night (June 27), the movie-star version of Danny Zuko, Travolta himself, reemerged at the Hollywood Bowl.

Travolta — who was in his early 20s during his time at Rydell High on the Grease film set, and is now 71 — made an unannounced appearance Friday at the Hollywood Bowl’s summer Grease Sing-A-Long event, all dressed up as Danny.

The actor captured his leather jacket and slicked-back hair throwback for fans, sharing the moment later on Instagram.

“Tonight at the Hollywood Bowl, for the first time I surprised everyone at the GREASE Sing-A-Long and dressed up as Danny Zuko. No one knew. Not even the cast,” Travolta revealed in his post.

“Thank you for a great evening,” he added, directing followers to swipe to watch a video filmed during his visit to the June 27 get-together for Grease fans, which had encouraged attendees to show up in costume and was advertised as an evening “where you are the stars and Grease is truly the word! Watch Danny, Sandy, and the gang while singing and dancing along to the lyrics as shown on the screen.”

Little did they know that the OG leader of the Rydell High T-Birds would be rockin’ and rollin’ and whatnot amongst them.

“A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop, a-wop-bam-boom!” he led the crowd with glee.

See Travolta’s video clip — and a closeup photo of what Danny Zuko looks like in 2025 — on Instagram here.

Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem spends a sixth week in a row at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated July 5), earning 177,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending June 26 (down 5%), according to Luminate. The album debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 31 and has yet to cede the top slot.

With 177,000 units earned, Problem nets the largest total for an album in its sixth week on the chart since Adele’s 25 earned 363,000 in its sixth week (Jan. 16, 2016-dated chart).

Also in the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200, Benson Boone lands his highest-charting album and biggest week by units earned as his new album American Heart debuts at No. 2 with 61,000 equivalent album units earned. Karol G notches her third top 10-charting album with the No. 3 arrival of Tropicoqueta, and the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack enters at No. 8. The latter marks the first soundtrack released in 2025 to reach the top 10, and the highest-debuting soundtrack of the year.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new July 5, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on July 1. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Of I’m the Problem’s 177,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending June 19, SEA units comprise 168,500 (down 4%, equaling 220.51 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs — it leads Top Streaming Albums for a sixth week), album sales comprise 7,500 (down 19% — it holds at No. 7 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise 1,000 (up 3%).

Benson Boone bounds in at No. 2 with his sophomore full-length studio album, American Heart, earning 61,000 equivalent album units in its first week. It’s the singer-songwriter’s second top 10, highest-charting set and biggest week ever by units earned. His previous biggest week, in both metrics, came when his last album, Fireworks & Rollerblades, skated in at No. 6 with 58,000 units earned (April 20, 2024-dated chart).

Of the 61,000 equivalent album units earned by American Heart, SEA units comprise just over 30,000 (equaling 40.29 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs — it debuts at No. 5 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise nearly 30,000 (it debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales; it’s Boone’s largest sales week) and TEA units comprise 1,000.

American Heart was released as a 10-song standard album and was available via streaming services and to purchase as a widely available digital download, CD, deluxe CD boxed set with a T-shirt (sold via Boone’s webstore), two cassette variants and seven vinyl variants.

The new album was preceded by a pair of top 30-charting hits on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart: “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” and “Mystical Magical.” The cuts had climbed to new peaks on the most recently published Hot 100 (dated June 28), bumping 31-27 and 30-28, respectively. Meanwhile, Boone’s breakout hit “Beautiful Things,” from Fireworks & Rollerblades, continues to chart highly — it ranked at No. 10 on the June 28 Hot 100. Aside from one week during the holidays, the track, which peaked at No. 2 in March 2024, has not left the weekly top 40 since it debuted more than a year ago, on the Feb. 3, 2024-dated chart.

In the lead-up to the release of American Heart, Boone was a guest on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (June 4), performed on CBS’ American Music Awards (May 26) and made his debut on NBC’s Saturday Night Live (May 3). Boone’s American Heart North American arena tour kicks off on Aug. 22. Before that, he’ll play a series of festival dates in America and beyond during July.

Karol G notches her third top 10-charting set on the Billboard 200 as Tropicoqueta debuts at No. 3 with 57,000 equivalent album units earned. It follows her two top 10s achieved in 2023: MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO (BICHOTA SEASON) (No. 3 that August) and MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO (No. 1 for one week, March).

Of the new release’s 57,000 units earned, SEA units comprise 54,500 (equaling 74.64 million on-demand official streams of the set’s 20 songs — it debuts at No. 2 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 2,000 and TEA units comprise about 500.

The album was announced on June 9 and arrived via streaming services and as a digital download for purchase on June 20. The set was preceded by the Hot Latin Songs-charting hits “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” (No. 1 for 14 weeks in 2024 — Karol G’s longest run at No. 1) and “Latina Foreva” (No. 3 debut and peak on the June 7, 2025, chart). They reached Nos. 32 and 74, respectively, on the all-genre Hot 100.

Four former No. 1s are next up on the latest Billboard 200, as SZA’s SOS holds at No. 4 (47,000 equivalent album units earned; down 1%), Wallen’s One Thing at a Time is steady at No. 5 (37,000; down 7%), Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet is a non-mover at No. 6 (35,000; down 12%) and Kendrick Lamar’s GNX rises 8-7 (31,000; down 8%).

The soundtrack to the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters debuts at No. 8 with 31,000 equivalent album units earned. It’s the highest-debuting soundtrack of 2025 and the first to bow in the top 10 this year. Of the set’s starting sum, SEA units comprise 27,000 (equaling 37.48 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks — it debuts at No. 10 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 3,000 (it debuts at No. 18 on Top Album Sales; it was only available to purchase as a standard download album) and TEA units comprise 1,000.

The last soundtrack to debut in the top 10 was the Wicked film soundtrack on the Dec. 7, 2024-dated chart, at No. 2. The Wicked soundtrack went on to spend eight weeks in the top 10, with four of those on 2025-dated charts (in January). Until this week, Wicked was the only soundtrack to spend time in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 in 2025.

KPop Demon Hunters premiered on June 20 on Netflix alongside its soundtrack. In the tracking week ending June 22, KPop Demon Hunters debuted at No. 6 on Netflix’s Top 10 Movies in United States chart.

Closing out the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200, Wallen’s chart-topping Dangerous: The Double Album is steady at No. 9 (30,000 equivalent album units earned; down 5%) and PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s former leader $ome $exy $ongs 4 U is stationary at No. 10 (29,000; down 6%).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

Beyoncé was flying high over a hometown crowd in Houston, Texas, when her vehicle — an airborne car, a tour prop rigged up for her Cowboy Carter run — visibly started to tilt to the side during her performance of “16 Carriages” Saturday night (June 28) at NRG Stadium.

Sitting in the red car suspended in the air, Beyoncé held on and kept singing the Cowboy Carter ballad up until the end of a chorus, when she was heard on the mic directing her crew to “stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.” The song came to a temporarily halt, and fan concern over the car’s tilt — which looked quite alarming from certain angles in the stadium — could be heard in video footage uploaded by concertgoers.

In fan-captured clips from the concert, she maintained a calm expression and put on a smile while waiting for the car to descend.

“If ever I fall, I know ya’ll catch me,” she quipped to the audience upon her return to having two feet on the ground, on stage.

“Ain’t got time to waste, I got art to make/ I got love to create on this holy night/ They won’t dim my light, all these years I fight,” she sang as she got back to the song.

Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment released a statement about the incident post-show.

“Tonight in Houston, at NRG Stadium, a technical mishap caused the flying car, a prop Beyonce uses to circle the stadium, and see her fans up close, to tilt. She was quickly lowered and no one was injured. The show continued without incident,” Parkwood stated in an Instagram Story posted early Sunday morning.

“16 Carriages” is the penultimate song on Beyoncé’s standard Cowboy Carter Tour set list.

The show, which runs for roughly three hours, kicked off in late April and is currently set to wrap by the end of July. She’ll perform at Houston’s NRG Stadium again Sunday night.