With roots divvied up between Lagos, Nigeria, and New York City, United States, Kah-lo lucked out with music ties to two major cities in the world identified by their strong music foundations, among other things. On the back of this, coupled with her zeal and skills, Kah-Lo has carved her own niche within the music scene stemming from her affiliations with UK producer Riton whose single with the former, Rinse & Repeat, earned them a Grammy nomination in 2016, a solo debut single, Fasta, which earned her a crown seat on BBC’s Radio 1 Dance charts for five weeks in 2017 and hit single, Fake I.D. which became the lead song for the U.S. arrival of TikTok, among other feats. Whether it’s collaborating with Idris Elba on Ballie or Selena Gomez on Back To You Remix or having her songs on a myriad of TV placements, Kah-Lo shines. Having emerged as a global phenomenon from 2016 with millions of streams to her name, Kah-Lo moves towards making a solid imprint in music industries around the world this month, by way of a five-track debut EP, the aptly titled, The Arrival.
On the five-track project, the rhythm-charged singer, fuses wild rhythms, dancefloor-ready beats, and skyscraping hooks together to yield an energy sprawling debut that serves as a strong nod to her roots. The opening track, Ouch is an exciting Afro-House anthem with hysterical lyrics. Meanwhile, on follow-up track, Fire, neon keys bounce underneath her slick verses before she drops the red-hot hook, “I look so fire bitch, I am the match.” The high-energy Commandments features a chanting chorus set for club speakers while cadenced closer, Candy, is a pop song with a head-nodding beat punctuated by old-school beeper chirps and a thick bassline.
Kah-Lo’s eponymously titled debut, The Arrival is more than a party-starting mountain of songs, but also a body of work that underlines her piquant persona and preps us for a woman “on fire” lighting her path to peak dance music greatness.