Davido, Wizkid, Wande Coal, Taves and More on New Music Friday

It is not often that a new Davido song drops on the same day Wizkid and Wande Coal decide to link arms. That combination alone should have been the first indication that this New Music Friday was not playing regular games.

The veterans showed up and reminded us why they have remained at the top for so long. Meanwhile, a new generation of artists stepped into the conversation with enough confidence to hold their own alongside some of the biggest names on the continent.

This week's releases offered a little bit of everything. There were victory laps, love songs, nostalgic callbacks, talking drums, club-ready records, and moments that made you stop and replay a section just to make sure you heard what you thought you heard.

The result is a rich lineup of songs that could become some of the year's most replayed releases.

Let's get into it:

Wande Coal, BNXN & Ruger — “Gbesunmo”

When you put Wande Coal, BNXN, and Ruger on the same record, the expectations become reasonable.

Wande alone has one of the most recognizable voices in Afrobeats. BNXN has spent the last few years proving he can float over almost any production. Ruger, meanwhile, brings enough charisma and swagger to make sure nobody gets too comfortable. On paper, "Gbesunmo" should be a problem.

Thankfully, it mostly is.

Wande opens the record exactly how you'd expect him to; smooth, effortless, and melodic. His voice glides over the beat with the confidence of someone who has spent nearly two decades reminding us why he's one of Nigeria's greatest vocalists.

Then the song gets interesting.

At exactly 0:51, the energy shifts. Wande's soft melodies give way to the repeated "Gbesunmo" chants and suddenly the record feels bigger, louder, and far more urgent. It's one of those moments that makes you instinctively look up from whatever you're doing because you can feel the song changing shape in real time.

BNXN slips into the pocket comfortably, delivering the kind of melodies that have become second nature to him. Ruger  arrives with his trademark confidence, adding a little grit and attitude to balance out the smoother edges of the song. It's a combination that works.

Does "Gbesunmo" completely justify the sky-high expectations that came with three heavyweights sharing a record? That depends on who you ask.

It's catchy, energetic, and packed with enough memorable moments to earn a place on your weekend rotation. 

Davido, JAZZWRLD & GL_Ceejay — “I Know Who I Be”

From telling his senior colleagues in the game that he's badder than all of them to proudly crowning himself 001, Davido has never been shy about singing his own praises. "I Know Who I Be" continues that tradition.

It's a feel-good, chest-out celebration of self-belief that sits firmly within the lane Davido has spent years perfecting. If you've been riding with him since the early days, the energy feels familiar in the best way. This is Davido reminding everyone exactly who he thinks he is and daring anybody to disagree.

The production leans heavily into Amapiano territory, with log drums, bouncy percussion, and that unmistakable South African bounce filtered through a Lagos lens.

Then comes the pocket between 2:08 and 2:2 that captures a very specific feeling. 

‘You're deep in the function, the lights are low, the crowd is loud, the DJ throws on a beat nobody seems to recognize, but everyone is dancing and for a few seconds, life is exactly where it should be.

It's easily the most exciting moment on the record.

The only issue is that it doesn’t blend seamlessly into this song.

Still, this is Davido doing what Davido does best; loud, confident, celebratory, and completely convinced of his own greatness.

Wande Coal & Wizkid — “Oshe”

"Oshe" feels like the musical equivalent of arriving at a party and immediately finding where the fun people are standing.

Wizkid opens the record in familiar territory: money, enjoyment, good vibes, and absolutely no intention of stressing himself. From "Money come mo gbe mi o" to "Nobody fit do am like me o," he sounds relaxed, confident, and completely at home over the production.

The chorus is where the song really shines.

"Ó ṣe, oh, ó ṣe / Mo dẹ̀ mọ b'ó ṣe ń ṣe."

It's simple, repetitive, and ridiculously catchy.

Wande Coal arrives easily reminds everyone why he's still one of the smoothest vocalists in Afrobeats. His verse feels playful, flirtatious, and effortlessly charismatic. One minute he's comparing himself to King Solomon, the next he's singing about a woman whose body is "like a weapon." It shouldn't work as well as it does, but Wande has always had a gift for making even the most outrageous lines sound believable.

The real magic of "Oshe" is how comfortable both artists sound and of course, the talking drums.

They give the song extra bounce and make the final stretch feel richer than what came before. It's a small detail, but it's one of the reasons the record sticks. It's arguably one of the strongest releases from this week's New Music Friday.

Wizzy and Wande sure did a thing here.

Taves — “Uche Jombo”

Sampling a Wizkid record is one thing.

Sampling one of the most recognizable Wizkid records (Don’t dull)  and naming the song after Nollywood actress Uche Jombo is an entirely different level of confidence.

The moment the beat drops, there's a brief second where the brain expects to hear Wizkid's "see you sitting in the corner, don't dull" Instead, Taves appears, and somehow it works.

Rather than feeling like a tribute trapped in nostalgia, "Uche Jombo" manages to carve out its own identity.

Built around flirtation, admiration, and plenty of swagger, Taves spends most of the record singing the praises of a woman he clearly can't get enough of. Comparing her beauty to Uche Jombo, Agbani Darego, and even the Mona Lisa might be excessive, but that's part of the charm. 

Vocally, Taves sounds right at home. His smooth delivery glides over the production effortlessly, carrying the playful energy of lines like "You fine pass Uche Jombo" and "Baby girl, you know your ex-boyfriend wanna be like us."

The repeated "awọn eleyi" chants give the song an infectious quality, while the production balances nostalgia with enough freshness to keep the record from feeling like a remake.

More importantly, Taves avoids the biggest trap that comes with sampling a beloved song.

He doesn't try to outdo the original.

He simply has fun with it and that's exactly why "Uche Jombo" works.

La Soülchyld, Soundlykob & MAUIMØON — “Take Control”

Rwandan artist La Soülchyld joins forces with Soundlykob and MAUIMØON on “Take Control,” a smooth, flirtatious record that feels like the musical equivalent of sustained eye contact.

The song opens with a warning, but not the kind anyone should run from. Instead, it unfolds like the beginning of a late-night conversation between two people who already know where things are headed. From the opening lines, La Soülchyld leans into desire, vulnerability, and attraction with an ease that makes the record feel effortless.

What stands out most is the atmosphere. References to Kampala traffic, coconut scents, blue bubbles, and quiet oases give the song texture and personality. Rather than relying on generic love song tropes, the artists build a world that feels lived in and specific.

The hook is undeniably infectious. The repeated "She want me, she want my body, take control of me" paired with the Luganda refrain "Ayagala Nze" lodges itself in the listener's head almost immediately. It's simple, effective, and perfectly suited for repeat listens.

Lyrically, the song captures that space between caution and surrender. One moment there's hesitation, the next there's complete abandonment. By the time La Soülchyld admits that he "can't do the tip" and prefers the deep end, the emotional direction of the song is clear. This isn't casual attraction. This is the kind of chemistry that makes good decisions difficult.

The production deserves credit too. The beat never overwhelms the vocals. Instead, it creates enough room for the artists to glide across it while maintaining a steady groove that feels equally suited for headphones, car rides, and dance floors.

This Friday proved African music is in a sweet spot right now.

The veterans, especially Wande Coal, showed up like they had something to prove, reminding everyone why they've remained relevant for so long. The younger artists swung big too, leaning into bold samples, genre experimentation, and cultural confidence without losing themselves in the process.

We got talking drums that elevated records, Amapiano moments that felt like stepping straight into a Lagos function, and risks that actually paid off. More importantly, we got songs with personality.

Not every record needs to change the world. Sometimes great music simply needs to make you dance, make you feel something, or make your journey home a little more enjoyable.

This week's releases did all three.

So whether you're stuck in traffic, heading out for the weekend, or looking for your next obsession, there's something on this playlist waiting for you.

Hit play and enjoy the ride: