New Music Friday: 10 Songs to Spice Up Your Weekend Playlists

In case you missed the memo, it’s Friday. Welcome to another weekend, a chance to rest and catch up on some much-deserved recreation, or, if you’re like this writer, tackle a backlog of work before the new week begins. Whichever way your weekend is planned, we hope you have the best time (Our Sabi Girl has an album on the way. If that isn’t enough reason to have a good time, what is?)

As you plug in your earphones or drive across town to run errands, enjoy some of the best new music released this Friday. Special care has gone into ensuring that your taste is assuaged with a diverse selection across genres. Have a lovely weekend! And cheers to wonderful jam sessions. 

Bank Alert – Muyeez, Zerrydl, Ayo Maff, Famous Pluto

Since Nigerian rappers have stopped releasing posse cuts, the singers have stepped up in their stead. Muyeez recruits two-thirds of the Uzama boys and Bariga’s ‘Prince of the Street’, Ayo Maff, for a quick number on making money. Zerydl’s signature rolling double-time flow shines here, paired with his brother’s quickfire rhymes that somehow reference both Blaqbonez and Ozumba Mbadiwe, and Ayo Maff’s melodious interpolation of Bella Shmurda’s Verily. What you see is exactly what you get. 

follow – Lodù 

Soft soprano calls of “I’ll never, never, never, never, never, never let you go” form the background of the chorus on R&B and folk songstress Lodù’s latest single. If you’re a fan of Sewa, Sola Allyson, and Teledalase, then this is music you’ll enjoy. follow is perfect for weddings, cosy picnics, and cheesy Saturday mornings with one’s partner, when cleaning can wait. And even if you don’t have yours yet, it’s the sort of song to soothe your longing as you battle these Tinubu times. 

Isn’t it Beautiful? – Taves

Ibadan’s Taves, reaches back in time and taps into disco on Isn’t it Beautiful?. Producer Arieenati laced the singer’s vocals with sultry saxophones and 80s 808 drums, as accompaniments for his crafty lyrics about why lying isn’t such a bad thing if it makes love work. You know what they say about Ibadan boys. Not that it’s true, but we do trust that you know what they say. 

My Lover – Morravey

The artwork for this song says it all: pink acrylic nails with the words ‘My Lover’ written on Morravey’s index fingers, wrapped around a bare back in the foreground, while glossy lips adorn the upper region of the image. “I’m wasted/I’m drunk on your love”. “Really, really, every city, na you be oga”. “Bam bam, call me, and I go pull up”. She doesn’t mince words. No metaphors either. Just straight up, “Hey, we’re making out tonight” rumba music. 

FL STUDIO II – scottyolorin, R33NZO, Champz

Fresh off a stellar showing at Our Homecoming 2026– three different on-stage outings after his initial performance– scottyolorin taps Champz, for a remix of his underground hit with R33NZO, FL STUDIO. Champz adopts a roadman flow on the intro. scotty maintains the same energy as the original. R33NZO closes with a lax hypeman-esque verse. We share the grace. The only thing missing here is an ARTSALGHUL verse. 

Yemi Mi Lova – Yemi Alade, Spyro

Yemi Mi Lova suits fans of that cheesy brand of Afro-pop popularised by PSquare and Bracket, perfected in the early 2020s by Spyro and Bad Boy Timz. Its elements are perfected down to a tee, including pseudo-choral call-and-response and amusing pidgin lyrics about one’s betrothed being responsible for everything from exhausted data to a little love-induced delirium. Easy listening music for the family. 

SHABA – SPINALL, Mavo, DETO BLACK

Upson Martin might not know it, but he’s headed to heaven for designing such beautiful artworks as on this song, SPINALL’s March 2026 Jazz EP When Lagos Sleeps, and Cruel Santino’s Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN–the first two inspired by the anime Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures. Pardon the digression. 

Either side of DETO BLACK’s playful verse, Mavo sings huskily about his partner’s thought-disheveling features. There’s not so much of a chase, and one can almost visualise the scene; dinghy bar, jazzy highlife instrumental, a dance floor full of slow rockers seeking an escape, and SPINALL coordinating it all from a DJ booth in the corner. 

TOO HOT – NO11

“Make you try relax, you’re too hot/Your lamba is too much!” NO11 gives compliments and asks for caution in the same breath; self-aware king, if you ask us. It’s an Amapiano record, but oddly reminiscent of Naeto C’s rap singles in terms of finesse. 

ACL (V2.0)– Blaqbonez

Ladies and gentlemen, we’re displeased to declare that the great Nigerian rap beef continues. The original ACL was removed from Spotify over a week ago, with Blaqbonez’s adversary Odumodublvck claiming to have bought the beat and sharing supposed screenshots of conversations between the original beat owner and Blaqbonez’s affiliates. So, imagine internet users’ surprise when they woke up this morning to a new version of the song on his NO EXCUSES deluxe LP. 

This version, co-produced by the rapper’s longtime collaborator, Ramoni, and original producer, DONTWORRYABOUTIT, features soul sample chops and a scathing third verse. We’ll leave you to form your opinions on the updates. 

SHE DID IT AGAIN – Tyla, Zara Larsson

SHE DID IT AGAIN is the first collaboration and second single from multiple Grammy Award-winner Tyla’s forthcoming sophomore album, A-POP. It’s a fusion record with dancehall, pop and R&B elements; more than likely to top the charts. Zara Larsson as a feature matches the South African’s pop sensibilities vocally. And if CHANEL hints at anything, this could be a hit. 

Bonus Pick

Jam – Fally Ipupa, Wizkid

You were always going to find this one even without our help. Fally Ipupa, the biggest Congolese superstar since Awilo Longomba overshadowed Africa with his soukous, and the biggest bird himself, Wizkid, join forces on this mid-tempo rumba record about–to quote the chorus–” jamming your [read: love interest] body. ” Fally Ipupa’s vocals are quite the treat.