New Music Friday is back and we are kicking February off on a high! Award-winning rapper Nicki Minaj has released her first solo single in nearly a year while English band Bastille delivered an “imaginative” 13-track album. Lovebirds Makhadzi and Master KG collaborated on a groovy new single titled Kulakwe that’ll have you dancing away!
Take a look at all our top picks for New Music Friday.
BASTILLE – ‘GIVE ME THE FUTURE’
English pop-rock band Bastille is back with their first album in nearly three years. Apple Music describes the Pompeii hitmakers’ Give Me The Future album as their “most ambitious and imaginative album to date”.
The 13-track album has two features on it. Pop duo, BIM and actor Riz Ahmed, who delivers a monologue on Promises.
LISTEN TO ‘PROMISES’ HERE
TOUCHLINE – ‘SOON 2 (A BETTER YEAR)’
Soon 2 (A Better Year) is Touchline’s third album. The SA hip-hop star features KO, Phantom Steeze and Loki on the project.
Touchline shows off his incredible rapping skills but keeps an easy flow throughout. A standout track on the album is Six featuring CeLza.
LISTEN TO ‘SIX’
FRYA – ‘BALANCE’
Zimbabwean singer Frya is the incredible voice behind the Blood & Water theme song. On her debut album Balance, she teamed up with producer Mr Kamera, who also worked on the Netflix series’ theme song.
Frya and Mr Kamera’s Calculate is one of those tracks that’ll simply make you want to wind your waist from side to side.
LISTEN TO ‘CALCULATE’ HERE
MITISKI – ‘LAUREL HELL’
Mitiski, described as the United States’ best young songwriter by The Guardian, released her new album Laurel Hell. Speaking to the publication the musician said she wanted to channel a time when “everyone felt hopeful”.
Her 11-track album opens with a dark and eerie song titled Valentine, Texas.
LISTEN TO ‘VALENTINE, TEXAS’ HERE
ADENUKE GOLD – ‘CATCH ME IF YOU CAN’
Nigerian singer-songwriter Adenuke Gold shines the spotlight on afrobeats with his new album, Catch Me If You Can. The album features American singers Lucky Daye, Ty Dolla $ign and Fousheé. He also featured the United Kingdom’s, Stefflon Don.
LISTEN TO ‘MERCY’
MAKHADZI FEATURING MASTER KG – ‘KULAKWE’
Limpopo-born musicians Makhadzi and Master KG released their first single of the year, Kulakwe. Mzansi has been gushing over their relationship for weeks and a new single is just what we need from them!
This is a top pick on our New Music Friday list.
LISTEN TO ‘KULAKWE’ HERE
NICKI MINAJ AND LIL BABY – ‘DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM?’
In 2019, Nicki Minaj announced that she was retiring to focus on starting a family but it seems she wasn’t hanging up her mic for good. The award-winning rapper returned to music on her new single Do We Have A Problem? featuring rapper Lil Baby.