Niniola. Photo: Edesiri Ukiri
NINIOLA takes listeners on a tour of Africa’s ever-evolving dance music landscape with her dynamic sophomore album, Colours and Sounds, out today on all DSPs through her own Drumroll Records and Naija Review.
Celebrated as the “Queen of Afro-House” by outlets from Rolling Stone to OkayAfrica and endorsed by the likes of Beyoncé and Drake, the Nigerian singer unites the Continent and the Diaspora on Colours and Sounds, incorporating influences from South Africa’s hypnotic Amapiano sound to Jamaican dancehall and vintage Afrobeat.
Producers include music icon and Verzuz co-founder, Timbaland; Niniola’s long-time collaborator Sarz (Beyoncé, Drake) and fellow Nigerian beatmakers Kel-P (Burna Boy, Wizkid) and Nonso Amadi; Jamaica’s Teflon Zincfence (Chronixx, Koffee); and South Africa’s Shuffle Muzik.
U.K. Afrowave boss Afro B appears on “My Body,” while South Africa’s Busiswa brings gqom flavor to the hypnotic “Oh Sharp.” Nigerian music icon Femi Kuti adds his distinctive sax tones on the Afrobeat-inspired “Fantasy,” and Kenyan quartet Sauti Sol bring a mix of reggae and afropop vibes to the sunny, Kel P-produced “So Serious.”
While the musical flavors are many, NINIOLA’s performance is singular as she brings her A-game to all 13 tracks. “My music is colourful and vibrant — it’s traveled across borders and it’s being played by different ethnicities, whether black or white,” NINIOLA says. “Even though my root genre is Afro-House, I can do it all -— R&B, pop, folk. So I am basically a girl of many Colours and Sounds.”
NINIOLA today also shares the video for the Shuffle Muzik-produced “Look Like Me.” The clip, directed by Clarence Peters, finds NINIOLA playing an array of colorful characters, reflecting the track’s celebration of individualism and women’s empowerment. For more on NINIOLA and her mission, watch her appearance on this week’s edition of CNN International’s African Voices HERE.
TRACK LISTING:
- NIGHT AND DAY feat. NONSO AMADI
- INNOCENT (FAGBO)
- SO SERIOUS feat. SAUTI SOL
- ADDICTED
- LOOK LIKE ME
- BODA SODIQ
- OH SHARP feat. BUSISWA
- SKIT (TIMBALAND)
- FIRE feat. TIMBALAND
- MY BODY feat. AFRO B
- FANTASY feat. FEMI KUTI
- DESIGNER feat. SARZ
- OMO RAPALA
- BANA
- ADDICTED (EXTENDED MIX)
ABOUT NINIOLA
NINIOLA is one of the most successful and acclaimed female artists in African music. Hits like “Maradona,” “Designer” and “Boda Sodiq” have won her glowing endorsements from Drake and Timbaland: Beyoncé looked to “Maradona” for inspiration when crafting “Find Your Way Back” from 2019’s The Lion King: The Gift and 2020’s Black is King. An all-around entertainer who writes all of her own lyrics, NINIOLA is also focused on giving back through philanthropy. In 2015, she founded Adopt A Child’s Education. The charitable organization has assisted the education of over 5,000 students in Nigeria through the awarding of full scholarships; payment of tuition and fees; and the donation of school supplies and learning facilities. She released her debut album, This Is Me, in 2017.