Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Adekunle Gold joins Nandi Madida via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest track, “Ogaranya.” He also discusses his forthcoming album, ‘Tequila Ever After,’ and how a tweet from Pharrell Williams changed his life.
The Big 5
Nandi Madida shares the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Khaid, PsychoYP & King Perryy, Oxlade feat. Dave, Jux & Diamond Platnumz, and Drega, Sun-El Musician & Maline Aura.
Africa Rising
South African rapper and singer BELO SALO is the latest artist featured from Apple Music’s Africa Rising playlist, a campaign which shines a light on the next generation of African superstars, and this week’s show features his singles, “timing (feat. Blxckie)” and the A-Reece collab, “Nightmare on Bryanston Dr.” Listen HERE.
Nandi’s Song of the Week
Each week, Nandi Madida chooses her favourite track from one of Apple Music’s African playlists. This week she spotlights late South African rapper AKA and his collab with Sjava, “Sponono (feat. Baby S.O.N & 031choppa),” from Apple Music’s Mzansi Hip-Hop playlist. Listen HERE.
Tune in to Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida this Friday, July 7th at 9a Lagos/London / 10a Johannesburg/Paris / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1.
Adekunle Gold tells Apple Music about his Album, ‘Tequila Ever After’
I’m on level five of my adventure game and it’s all fun. It’s happy, it’s a party, it’s more confidence, all better off. When you take tequila, it’s all better off – you don’t give any dman, you just say whatever you want to say, and that’s what ‘Tequila Ever After’ means. It’s a metaphor for where I am in my life right now. I’m in a very happy state – like very, very happy – and I want it to shine through the music.
Adekunle Gold tells Apple Music how Tequila Inspired his New Album
I discovered tequila for the first time last year – yeah, I know. We had moved my ‘Catch Me If You Can’ release that day, and I was so upset about it. I wanted the album to come out at a certain time, so I was just upset and obviously they knew I needed an antidote or something. They brought me a bottle of Patron and I had just one shot… I’m telling you, tequila makes everything better. My mood lifted so much and I’m like ‘sheesh!’. It felt so good.
I pay attention to things a lot and I’m like wait, this experience should not just happen like this without me talking about it. I wondered what if people listen to my music and this is how they feel? I made a song that day and it was a beautiful song and I’m like you know what, I’m going to carry on with this energy. I’m going to let people feel this way after one shot.
Adekunle Gold tells Apple Music how Pharrell Williams Changed His Life
Pharrell changed my life with this tweet – I think it was as far back as like 2011 or 2013 – he said something about ‘you are that person already, just put yourself in that place’, and ever since I found that tweet, my perspective of life changed. I stopped being afraid and I started to put myself out there more, moving like a superstar.
One of the things I tell people is if you believe in yourself, you rig the game. You rig the game by just being yourself. Those words changed my life and working with Pharrell on this album? An absolute beauty. Everything about this album is a manifestation that’s happened already.