‘Sienna’ arrives as UAX’s second single of the year, following a busy 2025 that saw him revisit and re-release his 2024 project ‘Love & Hustle’, expanding what was originally a nine-track EP into a 15-track album. But rather than sounding like an artist trapped in the urgency of that period, UAX approaches ‘Sienna’ from the distance of someone who has lived through some of it. He is reminiscing, taking inventory of the road behind him and the lessons that came with it, while still keeping one foot firmly on the road ahead.

The song opens gently. Soft guitar licks sit beneath the harmony of a piano and flute before the percussion eventually settles in, slow and deliberate. It gives the record the feeling of a memory being revisited rather than a story being announced. There is no rush to get to the point because the point, in many ways, is the journey itself.

That journey comes alive in UAX’s writing. “Remember I was a learner / But I no get L for the back of my Sienna / Every single day man a chasin’ my agenda,” he sings, turning a very specific image into something larger. The learner without an ‘L’ becomes a small but effective piece of wordplay; the Sienna becomes the moving classroom. It is where ambition was carried, where uncertainty travelled with him, and where the pursuit of something better happened one day at a time.

This is where ‘Sienna’ finds its emotional centre. The car is not presented as a trophy so much as evidence. Evidence that he had moved from one point to another. The Sienna represents the modest beginnings that are often erased once the bigger picture starts to form. In remembering it, UAX is also remembering the version of himself who had not yet arrived.

His delivery moves between the confidence of someone who has survived his earlier struggles and the conviction of someone who knows there is still more work to do. “Still I go dey market until my shit sell out / See where I dey na where I dey for now,” he sings, and the lines carry the particular language of someone measuring progress without pretending the journey is finished. The flex, when it comes, is always tethered to where he is coming from.

The refrain, “No going back, no retreat, no surrender,” gives the song its clearest statement of intent. It is less a declaration of invincibility than a personal rule. UAX understands that progress is rarely a clean upward line; there are losses, uncertainty and the occasional need to begin again. His answer is simply to keep moving. Even his spirituality is folded into that philosophy: “Everything I do, I put God for the centre” The faith here is part of the machinery keeping the journey in motion.

There is also a sense of place in ‘Sienna’. UAX’s wordplay and phrasing draw from the world he knows, allowing the song to retain the texture of home even as its themes remain broadly familiar. The story may begin with his first car, but the emotions surrounding it—wanting more, working for it, remembering what it cost, and being grateful for how far you have come—belong to anyone who has had to build something from an unremarkable starting point.

The visual treatment extends this idea. UAX remains largely still within the frame while the world moves around him, creating the impression of someone looking back while time continues forward. The Sienna repeatedly appears as a visual anchor, no longer simply a vehicle but a physical reminder of the person he was and the distance he has travelled. The images feel deliberately still, almost like photographs pulled from an old album, reinforcing the song’s relationship with memory.

Ultimately, ‘Sienna’ works because UAX does not try to make the past sound prettier than it was. There is ambition in the record but also exhaustion; there is gratitude but also the acknowledgement of everything that had to happen before the gratitude could exist, and the Sienna is simply the doorway into that story.

And perhaps that is what makes the record resonate. Everyone has their own version of a Sienna—a place, a possession, a job, a room, a first opportunity—that reminds them of the person they were before things began to make sense. UAX takes his own and turns it into a meditation on movement: on staying ten toes down, putting God at the centre, and refusing to retreat even when the destination remains somewhere ahead.

LISTEN TO UAX’s SIENNA

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Seating on the number eleven spot in the midst of the confidence, self proclaimations and finesse that defines the album sits “Misunderstood,” one of the most emotional songs on the Starrgirl album.

The song begins with a guitar riff that carries the warmth of an old coming-of-age soundtrack, the kind that reminds you of Hannah Montana, School of Rock and One Direction, when children were forming bands in backyards and bedrooms, constituting a nuisance in the name of making music. There is something youthful about it, almost innocent, before Ayra’s voice enters and changes the mood.

“Little Miss Unbothered, little broken-hearted.”

It is such a simple description, but there is something about hearing those words that makes you search your own memory.

The Familiar Ache of Being Misunderstood

Beyond the production, the lyrics are where the emotion really shines.

Ayra describes a girl who is a black sheep in a white room, a lone wolf surrounded by people who have already decided what she can and cannot become. She has been told she will never make it on her own. They were wrong.

Most people will never experience Ayra Starr’s particular version of that story. However, almost everyone knows what it feels like to be told that they cannot do something they have set their mind to do.

You remember the teacher who did not think you were good enough. The relative who laughed at your plans. The person who called you rude when you were only trying not to cry.

“Misunderstood” captures that feeling without making it unnecessarily complicated.

There is a girl who has been called difficult, underestimated and misunderstood, but she is slowly learning that it is not her life’s mission to make those people comfortable.

Like “Cast,” Ayra Starr Gives Her Listeners Permission to Be

There is a thread running through Ayra’s music that has always made her feel particularly resonant with young listeners.

“Cast,” from 19 & Dangerous, felt like a Gen Z permission slip. A declaration that you could be young, ambitious, loud, confused, stylish, unserious etc. She says to let people say what they want. She reminds you that this is your one precious life and you came here alone.

“Misunderstood” feels like that same philosophy after a little more life has happened.

It is no longer just I am going to become who I want to be.

It is I have become her, and I am no longer interested in explaining myself to everybody.

Ayra is not only celebrating the woman she has become. She is making room for every version of herself that had to survive long enough to get here.

“Misunderstood” Is Ayra’s Ode To Self Love

Misunderstood is a song that carries heartbreak in it, there is uncertainty, defiance, prayer and finally, joy. 

The guitar riff carries the innocence of childhood, while the melodies carry the ache of growing up. The lyrics carry the stubbornness of someone who has finally decided that being misunderstood is okay.

Ayra went into the studio, recorded therapy and gave it to us as Misunderstood.

She may be singing about herself, but she leaves enough room for you to bring your own childhood, insecurities, and misunderstood moments into the song.

For three minutes, you get to be the black sheep, the broken-hearted girl, the misunderstood diva and still know that you are nobody’s fool.

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From there, the song gently pulls listeners into the world Pure Colour was created in.

The production is beautifully restrained. The drums keep a steady pulse while the violin quietly carries much of the emotional weight, creating the perfect foundation for Erykah Badu’s voice and lyrics to shine. Every instrument knows exactly when to step forward and when to disappear.

Lyrically, Steve Lacy leans into vulnerability with remarkable honesty. “I miss you, so I lose control of me” and “My want for you runs deep as hell” capture the kind of longing that consumes you long before you realise how deep you’ve fallen.

Then comes one of the song’s most revealing moments.

“My family thinks I’ll be my father / They don’t know shit.”

For a brief moment, the song shifts beyond romantic longing and opens the door to something much heavier. It touches on identity, expectation and the fear of becoming someone you never wanted to be. It’s a simple couplet, but it says far more than many songs manage in an entire verse.

Erykah Badu’s comforting entrance deepens the song.

“I’m high, just wanna feel lighter… Gotta try harder, ’cause I know it works.”

Her verse carries the voice of someone choosing hope, even if they haven’t fully found it yet. She isn’t pretending everything is okay and it is something to be grateful for.

The chemistry between both artists is effortless.

One of Pure Colour’s most memorable moments comes at the end when Steve Lacy and Erykah Badu begin counting backwards together.

“Ten… Nine… Eight…”

The countdown could be a reset, it could be two people grounding themselves before everything fades away or just a nice addition to the song.

Whatever it represents, it leaves a lasting impression. As the numbers disappear, Steve Lacy’s voice lingers for just a little longer, giving the song a quiet, reflective ending that stays with you long after it ends.

Pure Colour is a song that allows its emotions to exist, trusting listeners to find pieces of themselves inside them:

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From its opening moments, the production refuses to overwhelm the emotion. A laid-back reggae rhythm, understated percussion, and warm instrumentation provide enough room for D’Yani’s voice to stretch. He leans into restraint, where every lyric feels lived-in and every melody is intentionally measured, delivering a kind of performance that understands vulnerability has to be convincing.

What ultimately separates “MiSS YOU BAD” from the sea of contemporary love records is its emotional honesty. D’Yani exposes the contradictions of toxic love. Missing someone who continuously hurts you is rarely logical, yet it’s one of the most human experiences imaginable. Instead of presenting himself as either a victim or a villain, he appears fully aware of the damage but unable to silence the craving.

There’s also an evident confidence in how D’Yani approaches songwriting. As someone who has consistently described himself as both a poet and a student of music, his records often prioritize storytelling, which “MiSS YOU BAD” excels in. The lyrics articulate feelings many people struggle to put into words.

The accompanying visual extends that intimacy, reinforcing the emotional push and pull at the heart of the song. Through sensual, understated imagery, the video captures the tension between desire and self-preservation, illustrating how memories can become prisons long after relationships have ended. It complements the record, allowing the music to remain the emotional centerpiece.

For listeners already familiar with D’Yani’s trajectory—from Feelings (Remix) and Live A Little to his growing reputation as one of Jamaica’s most compelling contemporary voices—“MiSS YOU BAD” is another step for an artist becoming increasingly comfortable with emotional transparency. While earlier releases showcased charisma, romance, and optimism, this latest offering embraces discomfort, proving that vulnerability can be just as captivating as confidence.

If ‘Live Life & Prosper’ intends to showcase the full emotional spectrum of D’Yani’s artistry, then “MiSS YOU BAD” is an encouraging indication of what’s to come. It demonstrates an artist willing to challenge himself beyond conventional love songs, exploring the grey areas where affection, obsession, and healing often collide.

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The shift is instantly apparent on the album’s lead single, “Alive.” Reunited with Afrobeats heavyweight Wizkid and helmed by master producer P2J, the track avoids the over-engineered ambition that often plagues cross-continental star pairings. Instead, it feels entirely instinctual. Built on warm instrumentation and a supple, late-night pulse, “Alive” thrives on an effortless vocal chemistry. Jorja Smith and Wizkid don’t compete for space; they slip into each other’s orbits, capturing the specific, dizzying rush of a new connection.

The accompanying visual, directed by Gabriel Trautmann, treats this mood like a vignette of a sweltering Parisian night—all blurred streetlights, hotel room afterparties, and the quiet clarity of a balcony at dawn. It is an aesthetic blueprint for what What Are The Odds promises to be. Rather than a calculated pivot into club music, the 12-track project is born out of spontaneity. Following the success of her 2023 hit “Little Things,” Jorja Smith and P2J casually floated the idea of a dance record. When she walked into his East London studio in September 2025, she found two years of production sketches waiting for her. The spine of the album was tracked in just three sessions—a testament to an artist operating entirely on gut feeling.

Musically, the record is billed as an expansive map of British club culture, pulling from the syncopated buoyancy of UK Garage, 2-Step, UK Funky, and Grime, alongside the deeper textures of Afro House. But true to Jorja Smith’s songwriting DNA, the hedonism is balanced by a striking emotional gravity. This isn’t mindless club pop; it’s an exploration of the heavy truths that hit you long after the lights come up. Tracks like “For Life” reportedly tackle the painful reality of loving a friend through addiction, while “Pretend” sits with the sting of betrayal.

Most intriguing is “This City,” which features Grime icon Devlin interpolating his legendary 2010 verse from “London City.” It’s a full-circle moment that roots Smith’s new, uptempo era in the very subcultures that raised her, allowing her to interrogate her own decade-long relationship with a changing capital and a life spent in the public eye.

Landing the exact same day she co-headlines London’s All Points East festival alongside Tems, What Are The Odds feels less like a traditional campaign and more like a liberation strategy. A decade into her career, having recently ticked off milestones from scoring Riz Ahmed’s Bait to performing on the debut season of Saturday Night Live UK, Jorja Smith seems entirely finished with satisfying external expectations. If “Alive” is any indication, her next chapter is independent, uncompromised, and beautifully alive.

What Are The Odds Tracklist

1. For Life
2. What Are The Odds
3. What’s Done Is Done
4. This City (feat. Devlin)
5. Pretend
6. The Way It Was
7. I Lied, You Lied
8. Dancing
9. Alive (feat. Wizkid)
10. Young Heart
11. Make It Your Home
12. When It Gets Like That

“Alive” featuring Wizkid is available everywhere now. What Are The Odds will be released on Friday, August 21, 2026. 

Watch the music video “Alive” ft. Wizkid

The post Jorja Smith Announces New Album ‘What Are The Odds’ & Shares Wizkid Feature appeared first on Afromixx.

I was reminded of this while listening to “Memories” by Ellus.

The song begins with a simple but devastating observation: ‘life is such a bitch’. It is not a dramatic declaration. Instead, it feels like the exhausted conclusion of someone who has seen the worst that life can offer and is still trying to make sense of it.

“Memories” is Ellus’ tribute to his late brother, and from the very first verse, grief hangs over the song like a shadow. At one point, he repeatedly asks, “Where’s my brother?” with a brokenness so palpable that it almost feels intrusive to listen. His lyrics paint such a vivid picture that I can see him moving from person to person, desperately hoping someone can answer the question that has already shattered his world.

The production amplifies the emotion beautifully. The guitars, drums and background vocals give the song a haunting quality, creating the feeling of someone wandering through memories they cannot escape.

Two things make this song particularly moving:

1. The inclusion of his brother’s voice; hearing him speak transforms the record from a tribute into an archive. It is no longer just a song about someone who existed. It becomes a preservation of Papa’s laughter, personality and presence.

2. Ellus is not an artist defined by this kind of sorrow. Outside of “Memories,” his work does not carry the same solemn weight. That context makes this song feel even more significant because it is an unguarded outpouring.

Loss has a cruel way of turning ordinary moments into treasured artifacts. All of a sudden, laughter becomes precious. A voice recording becomes priceless. Memories become a place you revisit over and over again because it is all you have left.

Ellus understands this deeply. Throughout the song, he recalls his brother’s face and his laughter that lit up a room. Suddenly, the title makes perfect sense. Similar to Wandavision’s ‘What is grief if not love persevering’, this is a song about what remains after grief arrives.

Somewhere within the sorrow, Ellus sings about becoming a warrior. My interpretation is that he is choosing to fight for his life. To honour his brother by making something beautiful out of the life he still has.

 That is what makes “Memories” so devastating.

It understands that grief is not just about death but about carrying love after there is nowhere left to place it.

By the time the eulogy delivered in Yoruba closes the record, the song has already done its work. It has transformed a personal tragedy into something deeply touching.

It is painful, it is beautiful and it leaves a lasting impression on you.

The post Ellus Turns Grief Into Art In “Memories” appeared first on Afromixx.

For much of his career, Tobe Nwigwe has occupied a unique position in contemporary music. The Grammy-nominated artist of Nigerian descent has built an ecosystem where music, film, faith, family, and cultural storytelling exist as parts of the same conversation. His records explore the realities of responsibility, self-discovery, and the pursuit of something greater than personal success. His newest release, “All or Nothing” continues that tradition.

Built on a soaring refrain delivered by Labrinth, the song immediately establishes its emotional centre. “You just call me when you need me” repeats throughout the record, transforming what could have been a simple hook into something that resembles a promise. The repetition is intentional. Commitment, after all, is rarely expressed through grand gestures alone. More often, it reveals itself through consistency.

Tobe Nwigwe’s verses navigate familiar terrain for listeners who have followed his work. There are references to sacrifice, perseverance, vulnerability, and faith, all delivered through imagery that feels both personal and universal. He approaches love as responsibility, acknowledging fear, uncertainty, and failure while choosing devotion anyway.

What makes the collaboration particularly effective is the contrast between both artists. Tobe Nwigwe grounds the record in lived experience, speaking from a place shaped by Houston, Nigeria, family, and community. Labrinth brings a different energy, one that feels expansive and almost spiritual. Together, they create a song that feels larger than either artist individually.

The production mirrors that ambition: cinematic yet restrained, allowing the vocals and storytelling to remain at the forefront. There are subtle rhythmic textures that hint at the global framework underpinning the project, but the record never feels consumed by its concept.

That sense of scale becomes even more significant when viewed through the lens of ‘The Bridge’. According to Tobe, the project explores the connections between Houston, Lagos, London, and communities across the diaspora. “All or Nothing” focuses on showing up, examining what happens when people choose each other repeatedly despite distance, uncertainty, and the many pressures that threaten connection. As the first offering from ‘The Bridge’, “All or Nothing” succeeds in introducing the project’s larger vision. Tobe Nwigwe has spent years proving that purpose can coexist with popularity. On “All or Nothing”, that purpose finds one of its clearest expressions yet—a reminder that what connects us is often not where we come from but who we choose to show up for.

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