Oxlade

Afro-fusion singer Oxlade blends the sounds of his home country Nigeria with various other styles including R&B and gospel. He had been steadily on the rise for several years when the infectious “Away” from his 2020 Oxygene EP found some traction both at home and in North America. He continued to work hard, prolifically turning out an array of smooth and rhythmic singles as well as a follow-up EP, 2021′s Eclipse, before bolting to stardom with the massive 2022 hit “Ku Lo Sa,” which charted around the world. This set the stage for his musically adventurous 2024 full-length debut, Oxlade from Africa, which combined elements of R&B, Afro-swing, amapiano, gospel, and coupé-décalé. Born Ikuforiji Olaitan Abdulrahman in the Lagos suburb of Surulere, he took to singing at a young age after losing his mother; he was raised by his father, a lecturer at Lagos State University, and his grandmother. He enrolled for a time at his father’s university, studying history and international relations, but eventually chose to pursue his musical passions. A guest spot on Blaqbonez’s 2018 track “Mamiwota” helped Abdulrahman, who now performed as Oxlade, earn a publishing deal, followed by a record deal with the Troniq Music label. Appearances with bona fide Nigerian stars like Davido and Wizkid raised his profile, while he found his footing on early singles like “Shugar” and the DJ Tunez collaboration “Causing Trouble.” The release of 2020′s Oxygene EP and its breakout single, “Away,” effectively introduced Oxlade to fans outside of his own country; the song received a nod from Drake and even made Rolling Stone’s year-end list. He worked quickly and spent the next year issuing additional singles like the silky “DKT” and the Dolapo and Ms Banks collaboration “Interest,” the latter of which charted in the U.K. 2021′s “Ojuju,” from his Eclipse EP, and the Ice Prince feature “Kolo” were both hits as Oxlade’s star continued to rise. 2022′s “Want You” marked his first outing for major-label Columbia Records U.K., which had signed him earlier that year. Released a few months later for the German video platform ColorsxStudios, “Ku Lo Sa” became Oxlade’s breakout hit. Over a gentle rhythm and chiming guitars, his dreamy vocals caught on with fans around the world, and the song became a global hit charting throughout Europe and North America. Later that year, a remix of the song featuring Cuban singer Camila Cabello further elevated his status. With two EPs and a global smash behind him, Oxlade began assembling his debut album with South African producer Spax. The first two tracks from these sessions, “Ovami” with Flavour and “Intoxycated” featuring Dave, were released in 2023. During the front half of 2024, he continued the buildup to his debut album, Oxlade from Africa, with a series of mini-documentaries also titled From Africa in which the singer engages with creators like photographer Mous Lamrabat and entrepreneur Roger Dupé. ~ Timothy Monger