In 2016, Nonso Amadi shot into the limelight with his hit single, Tonight and quickly went mainstream with one solo EP, a joint EP with Odunsi and several stand-out features. A few years later, he put out his sophomore 2019 EP, Free, two features and nothing else until now; choosing to step away from social media and take a deeper dive into his artistry.
Today, the Canadian-based Afro-R&B, soul singer, songwriter, and producer returns with a new single titled Foreigner backed by label partners UMG Nigeria, Def Jam Records and Universal Music Canada. In the new song, Nonso shows off his smooth and seductive vocals, layered with African drumlines, trance-like saxophone instrumentation and other soulful jazz elements.
Talking about the new single and the decision to return to music, Nonso explains;
“During the process of creating Foreigner, I was driven by the idea of making a song that addressed both my disappearance from the music scene and the typical love drama my R&B-self is typically drawn to making. The way I achieved this was by having the song feel like it has emphatic highs and lows. It starts heavy with the drums and chant but then it breathes a little in the verses; allowing me to sing calmly about the topics I mentioned earlier before going back to a heavily drum-laid chorus. I felt like I needed such a pronounced yet groovy re-entry to the scene to express all the pent-up feelings I’ve held in while keeping it light and easily palatable for listeners.”
Prior to the new song, Nonso was at Bob Marley’s Roots ’77 Birthday Concert, an Earthstong celebration event featuring legends like Marcia Griffiths, Bugle, Amanyea, Tony Rebel, Gyptian and Queen Ifrica. He performed original tracks like Better featuring Simi, No Crime, as well as a tribute performance of Bob Marley’s song Africa Unite.
Nonso, who is currently recording his debut album, is set to perform live for Lagos fans at the Mainland Block Party on February 27, 2022.
Listen to his new single, Foreigner;