Following huge international hype around her single “Addicted” this past July, multi award winning Nigerian artist Niniola dropped her highly anticipated album “Colours and Sounds” this month.
Celebrated as the “Queen of Afro-House” across the globe and endorsed by international giants like Beyoncé and Drake, this Nigerian singer unites the continent and the African Diaspora on her latest offering.
Incorporating influences from South Africa’s hypnotic amapiano sound to Jamaican dancehall and elements of vintage afrobeats, the album is unique in its undertaking.
The album was co-produced by musical icon and Verzuz co-founder Timbaland, Niniola’s long-time collaborator Sarz, Nigerian beatmakers Kel-P and Nonso Amadi, South African Shuffle Muzik and Teflon Zincfence from Jamaica.
The album is also filled with collaborations from across the globe. British Afrowave boss Afro B appears on “My Body,” while South Africa’s Busiswa brings gqom flavour to the hypnotic “Oh Sharp.”
Nigerian music icon Femi Kuti adds his distinctive sax tones on the afrobeat-inspired “Fantasy,” and Kenyan quartet Sauti Sol brings a mix of reggae and Afropop sounds to the sunny, Kel P-produced “So Serious.”
With such diverse musical flavours throughout the album, Niniolas vocals always remain singular and authentic as she brings her A-game to all 13-tracks.
“My music is colourful and vibrant -- it’s travelled across borders and it's being played by different ethnicities, whether black or white,” said the “Maradona” hitmaker.
“Even though my root genre is Afro-House, I can do it all, R&B, pop and folk. So I am basically a girl of many Colours and Sounds.”