This week’s New Music Friday selection brings together 15 records that reflect the range, collaboration and cross-regional movement shaping contemporary African music. From Didi B and Davido’s headline pairing to the wider collaborations connecting artists and audiences across the continent, Friday Frequency #020 looks beyond the biggest names to consider the records that give this week’s release slate its character.
The selection draws from four regional New Music Friday submissions — Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. Some records appeared across several of those lists, while others earned their place through a more distinctive editorial contribution. The result is a playlist built around collaboration, regional reach, discovery and a deliberate balance of familiar names and less obvious choices.
New Music Friday Finds Its Strongest Afrobeats This Week
The first thing that stands out about this edition is the strength of its collaborations. Didi B and Davido open the playlist with “PARTY”, while Skepta and Asake bring another international pairing into the conversation with “Aloe Vera”. Wendy Shay and Sarkodie, King Paluta and Fameye, and Magixx and Shoday add further collaborative weight to a selection that does not rely on solo releases alone.
There is also a notable pattern of records appearing across multiple regional submissions. “PARTY” featured in all four lists, as did “Ferawa” by Magixx and Shoday, “DISTANCE” by Libianca, “Mniache Nimpende” by Ywaya Tajiri and “I Won’t Stop” by Onyach Pala and Njoki Karu. That repeated presence is an interesting editorial signal: these records were not confined to one regional selection.
But Friday Frequency is not simply a count of how often a track appears. Familiarity and reach matter, but they are not enough on their own. The final selection also makes room for records that bring a different perspective to the playlist, whether through their credited collaborations, their place in the wider African release landscape or the discovery value they offer.
This is why the playlist moves from high-profile pairings into more varied territory. “Adara” by Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 adds a distinct cultural dimension to the line-up, while “All The People” brings together Shimza, Ayra Starr, Alok and Something Else in one of the edition’s most notable cross-market collaborations. The aim is not to make every record fit the same mould, but to create a listening sequence with enough variety to keep the experience moving.
Beyond Nigeria
Nigeria remains an important part of Friday Frequency, but the editorial identity of the series has always been continental. This edition makes that distinction particularly relevant.
Ghana’s submissions contributed several of the week’s strongest collaborative entries. Wendy Shay and Sarkodie make the final 15 with “This & That”, while King Paluta and Fameye secure a place with “Good Feeling”. Both pairings help give the playlist a wider collaborative perspective beyond its Nigerian centre.
The Kenyan submission brought forward two particularly important selections: Ywaya Tajiri’s “Mniache Nimpende” and “I Won’t Stop” by Onyach Pala and Njoki Karu. Both appeared across all four regional lists, making their presence in this edition more than a gesture towards geographical variety. Nandy’s “Oya” also earns a place, adding another point of connection to the Kenyan selection.
South Africa’s contribution is equally significant. “Vume” by LeeMcKrazy and Shaunmusiq, “All The People” by Shimza, Ayra Starr, Alok and Something Else, and the multi-artist “WOZA WOZA” collaboration all make the final 15. These records help extend the playlist’s reach while keeping the focus on the strength of the individual selections rather than representation for its own sake.
The closing stretch also includes Yo Maps’ “Bitter Truth”, selected from the South African submission. Its inclusion reinforces the edition’s wider outlook: Friday Frequency is interested in the African music landscape as a connected space, not a competition between regional scenes.
The Records That Came Close
A strong release pool means difficult decisions. Several records were considered seriously but did not make the final 15.
Maglera Doe Boy, 25K and Sir Trill’s “Izinja 2.0” was among the most notable near-misses. Oseikrom Sikanii and Medikal’s “Kpo” also remained in contention, alongside Chike’s “Love Is Important” and Cruel Santino and Mavo’s “Siesta”.
Other close contenders included Moelogo’s “Oceans Milk”, Berri-Tiga’s “Motion” and Stixx, Babalwa M and De Rose’s “Amablomo”. Each brought a different consideration to the selection process, but the final playlist had to remain limited to 15 records.
The decisions were not a dismissal of these releases. They reflect the editorial reality of a fixed-length playlist: a strong candidate can still miss out when the final sequence has to work as one complete listening experience.
Editorial Highlights
🎵 Cover Story — Didi B, Davido: “PARTY”
The lead selection for Friday Frequency #020 is “PARTY”. Its appearance across all four regional submissions gives it a strong cross-regional footprint, while the Didi B and Davido pairing makes it a fitting focal point for this edition.
🤝 Collaboration of the Week — Shimza, Ayra Starr, Alok, Something Else: “All The People”
Few selections in this edition bring together such a broad set of credited collaborators. “All The People” is one of the clearest examples of the cross-market perspective that Friday Frequency aims to capture.
🔥 Breakthrough Pick — Onyach Pala, Njoki Karu: “I Won’t Stop”
A discovery-led selection that deserves attention beyond the familiar names in the playlist. Its presence across all four regional submissions further strengthens its place in this edition.
🌍 Continental Moment — “All The People”
With Shimza, Ayra Starr, Alok and Something Else on the same record, “All The People” captures the collaborative and cross-border outlook at the heart of this week’s selection.
🎶 Cultural Pick — Seun Kuti, Egypt 80: “Adara”
“Adara” brings a distinct cultural reference point to the final 15. Its inclusion gives the playlist another dimension beyond the contemporary collaborative pairings that shape much of the edition.
New Music Friday: Friday Frequency Essential 15
The definitive selection for Issue #020, presented in its intended listening order:
- Didi B, Davido — PARTY
- Skepta, Asake — Aloe Vera (feat. Asake)
- Magixx, Shoday — Ferawa
- LeeMcKrazy, Shaunmusiq — Vume (feat. Shaunmusiq)
- Shimza, Ayra Starr, Alok, Something Else — All The People
- Wendy Shay, Sarkodie — This & That
- Cooper SA, Optimist Music ZA, DJ Maphorisa, Seun1401, Tyler ICU, Mr Pilato, Tyrone Dee — WOZA WOZA (feat. Tyler ICU, Mr Pilato & Tyrone Dee)
- King Paluta, Fameye — Good Feeling
- Nandy — Oya
- Gloria Bugie, Rayvanny — Mon Ami II
- Libianca — DISTANCE
- Seun Kuti, Egypt 80 — Adara
- Ywaya Tajiri — Mniache Nimpende
- Onyach Pala, Njoki Karu — I Won’t Stop
- Yo Maps — Bitter Truth
A Wider View of the Week
Friday Frequency #020 is shaped by collaboration, but it is not limited to it. The 15 selections move between established names, multi-artist records, solo entries and discoveries that might otherwise receive less attention in a crowded New Music Friday cycle.
The regional submissions also offer a useful reminder that African music discovery cannot be reduced to one market. Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa each contribute to the wider picture, and the strongest editorial choices are not necessarily those that belong to the most familiar names.
That is the purpose of Friday Frequency: to make a considered selection, give listeners a route into records they may have missed, and keep the wider African music conversation moving.
These are the records that made the cut. This is Friday Frequency.
