Nigeria: Yemi Alade drops ‘IT’S YEMI ALADE’ album

The album draws on Afropop, highlife, Afrobeats, R&B, lingala, dancehall and Afro-house, reflecting Yemi Alade’s musical influences and her exploration of different styles.

The project features collaborations with artists from across Africa, including Kenya’s Bien, Njerae and Sofiya Nzau; Nigeria’s Spyro, Don Jazzy, Jeriq and Teni; French singer Singuila; and Congolese musician Ferre Gola.

Alade said the album was influenced by her Highlife roots and her desire to experiment with different sounds.

“IT’S YEMI ALADE is a love letter to my core fans,” she said. “It is an ode to my Highlife roots, a celebration of where I come from, and an exploration of where I am going.”

“The album is a mixture of new, old, and borrowed sounds. I wanted to experiment, to explore different textures and bring together genres and influences that feel both familiar and unexpected. This mixology of sounds is not simply about redefining Highlife. It is about elevating it, introducing it to new spaces while still honouring the spirit and foundation that made me fall in love with it in the first place.”

The album covers themes including love, celebration, resilience, identity, spirituality and African cultural experiences. Tracks such as ‘Owa’ and ‘Minister of Enjoyment’ take a more upbeat approach, while ‘Earth Song’, ‘Titanium’ and ‘Paradise’ explore more reflective themes.

Several tracks were released ahead of the album. These include ‘Ala Bekee’ featuring Don Jazzy, ‘Don’t Be Shy’ featuring Bien, ‘Yemi Mi Lova’ featuring Spyro, ‘Don’t Worry’ featuring Fave and ‘Shawa Shawa (Ashawo)’.

Alade said the album’s title was selected after she asked fans online to suggest names for her next project. ‘It’s Yemi Alade’ was among the suggestions that received repeated support and was eventually chosen.

“For the first time ever, I decided to randomly seek the help of my fans. I put the question out online and asked them what they thought my next album should be called,” she said.

“The response was overwhelming. I received so many suggestions, but one title kept coming up again and again: It’s Yemi Alade. So, in many ways, this is a fan-picked album title, even though it is also self-named.”

The album follows Alade’s previous releases, including Rebel Queen (2024), Mamapiano (2023), African Baddie (2022), Queendoncom (2021), Empress (2020), Woman of Steel (2019), Black Magic (2017), Mama Africa (2016) and King of Queens (2014).

IT’S YEMI ALADE is available worldwide through Effyzzie Music.