{"id":2281093,"date":"2026-02-13T21:02:33","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:02:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2281093"},"modified":"2026-02-13T21:02:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:02:33","slug":"the-african-music-you-need-to-hear-this-week-feb-13-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/the-african-music-you-need-to-hear-this-week-feb-13-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The African Music You Need to Hear This Week \u2013 Feb 13, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-element-guid=\"ecba85ea-e183-4c01-9b99-9238afc4d66f\">\n<p class=\"kicker \" style=\"\">MUSIC<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subtitle \" style=\"\">Stream the best African music this week and listen to new releases from Sun-El Musician, Karun, Wande Coal-x-Qing Madi, Blxkcie, and more.<\/h2>\n<p><figcaption itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"\">Wande Coal recruits Qing Madi for the ethereal \u201cDearly.\u201d<\/figcaption><figcaption itemprop=\"author\" class=\"\" data-byline-prefix=\"Photo\">by Starstruck Management\/Symphonic<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-element-guid=\"b45528e3-c55a-4bda-ece0-48af7e9bc97c\">\n<p>Every week, <span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">OkayAfrica<\/span> highlights the top <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/tag\/african-music\">African music<\/a> releases \u2014 including the latest <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/okayafrica.com\/tag\/afrobeats\">Afrobeats<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/tag\/amapiano\">amapiano<\/a> hits \u2014 through our best music column, <span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">African Music You Need to Hear This Week<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Read ahead for our round-up of the best new African music tracks and music videos that came across our desks this week.<\/p>\n<p><!-- placeholder(#1) --><\/p>\n<h2>Sun-El Musician &#8211; &#8220;I&#8217;ll Be There (For You)&#8221; feat. Manana<\/h2>\n<div data-element-guid=\"d795fd7c-8c24-4dd6-ace2-a30a68848ca6\" class=\"column youtube small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12\">\n<div class=\"content \" style=\"\">\n<div>\n<p>\n                    <iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/Z2s2P6gFtfM\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Sun-El Musician<\/span> built his career meticulously, imbuing every block with intention, undeniable talent, and a strong ear for songs that hit. He also invested in others, ensuring he didn\u2019t have to navigate murky waters alone, surrounding himself with an army of capable generals. Beneath the star we witness and enjoy today lies a simmering passion, a hunger anchored in the producer and deejay\u2019s ability to hold his own regardless of the shifting sonic landscape. He continues that pursuit on his new album, <span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">Under The Sun<\/span>. \u201cI\u2019ll Be There (For You)\u201d draws from the same well that made \u201cUbomi Abumanga\u201d with <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Msaki<\/span> possible: hope, reverence, a regal regard for word and sound, an endless quest for the divine. <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Manana<\/span> takes it beyond the surface. He unearths meaning and weaves his words into the folds of the music.<\/p>\n<h2>Wande Coal &#8211; &#8220;Dearly&#8221; feat. Qing Madi<\/h2>\n<div data-element-guid=\"6e699b74-d945-4916-bd00-39925ce8a230\" class=\"column youtube small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12\">\n<div class=\"content \" style=\"\">\n<div>\n<p>\n                    <iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/w-iORzK8Xno\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/interview-nevermind-the-legend-talk-wande-coal-just-wants-to-make-good-music\/122323\"><span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Wande Coal<\/span><\/a> is certified. A legend with 20 years in the game, his influence on Afrobeats cannot be overstated. He is still at it, delivering thrilling one-liners that catch you off guard (\u201c<span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">I never see anybody weh love you pass me<\/span><span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">\/ \u2026 \/ you no dey jazz me<\/span>,\u201d a cheeky nod to <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Don Jazzy<\/span>, who first signed him in 2006). The lines hold your attention long enough for the majesty to settle in. On \u201cDearly,\u201d he links with <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Qing Madi<\/span>, a formidable presence in her own right, to sculpt a love song built to last.<\/p>\n<h2>Blxckie &#8211; \u201cAlupheli\u201d feat. Young Stunna<\/h2>\n<div data-element-guid=\"e86ddf2b-1d47-44f0-9ac6-25436fab0d21\" class=\"column youtube small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12\">\n<div class=\"content \" style=\"\">\n<div>\n<p>\n                    <iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/D3N4bZXjwBs\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>When <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/interview-its-blxckies-time-to-shine\/161377\"><span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Blxckie<\/span><\/a> released the first instalment in his <span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">4LUV<\/span> series, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/south-africa-mourns-the-loss-of-rapper-riky-rick\/270904\"><span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Riky Rick<\/span> was still alive<\/a>, and the world was reeling from COVID, unsure whether the pandemic was receding or here to stay. A few years later, the landscape has shifted irreversibly. Blxckie\u2019s mentor is gone, and South African hip-hop, the scene he is closely aligned with, is changing course, uncertain of where it will land.<\/p>\n<p><span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">4LUV2<\/span> occupies this in-between moment. It speaks to honoring tradition while giving listeners exactly what they came for. Joined by <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Young Stunna<\/span> on \u201caluphelile,\u201d they cook up a love anthem worthy of a standing ovation, a declaration of unending affection irrespective of differences. It\u2019s a generational link-up, and Blxckie sounds unstoppable.<\/p>\n<h2>Aema &#8211; &#8220;Coconut Cream&#8221; feat. taves<\/h2>\n<div data-element-guid=\"dc5c44c9-be57-4db0-a69f-79435727fb25\" class=\"column youtube small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12\">\n<div class=\"content \" style=\"\">\n<div>\n<p>\n                    <iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/fRn_tIXAIAg\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>There\u2019s an undeniable sensuality in \u2018lover\u2019s rock,\u2019 the UK variant of Jamaican reggae that focused on matters of the heart, that embraced softness instead of calamity, briefly transforming a scene into a nexus of romantic love. In <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Aema<\/span>\u2019s hands, the one-drop riddim extends yearning while maintaining a close relationship with reality. It conjoins time periods, collapses distance, and holds steadfast to that which flickers. \u201c<span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">Y<\/span><span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">ou\u2019re one in a million\/\u2026\/ wish I could give you all you ask for<\/span>,\u201d she confesses, heart in hand, mind fixed on the prize. <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">taves<\/span> pulls through, adding flavor to the mix. His tone is a cerebral counterpoint, unclenched, fully open. Come for the romance, stay for the subliminal guitar solo at the end. Phenomenal.<\/p>\n<h2>Zhus Jdo &#8211; &#8220;Crashout&#8221;<\/h2>\n<div data-element-guid=\"ffeaabd1-5fef-4cff-b185-1df6e82a6b33\" class=\"column youtube small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12\">\n<div class=\"content \" style=\"\">\n<div>\n<p>\n                    <iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/XMv18H0xsBw\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Zhus Jdo<\/span> comes in strong on \u201cCrashout,\u201d riding a drill-centric beat infused with Afro elements. It\u2019s a wild ride. The raps take in everything from high living (<span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">\u201cmy money long, I do what I want\u201d<\/span>) to seduction (<span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">\u201cI see it in your eyes, you like that shit, oh baby\u201d<\/span>), and somehow it all holds together. Zhus Jdo is part of the wave of underground artists rippling through Nigeria and across the continent right now.<\/p>\n<h2>Muyeez &#8211; \u201c17\u201d<\/h2>\n<div data-element-guid=\"8bb2b87c-48cc-4364-b1f2-894e6ee5a9d3\" class=\"column youtube small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12\">\n<div class=\"content \" style=\"\">\n<div>\n<p>\n                    <iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/vdxLNMTOIsQ\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201c17\u201d opens with football commentary, a nod to the sport\u2019s energy and exhilaration. It soon gives way to a subdued Afrobeats rhythm, a progression that gently sets the mood. Everything shifts once <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Muyeez<\/span> comes in, drenching the track in his smooth timbre and lyrics that heighten the excitement. At just under two minutes, it leaves quickly, sending you back to the start to catch every football reference. Exquisite.<\/p>\n<h2>Somadina &#8211; &#8220;Omoge&#8221; feat. Le Mav<\/h2>\n<div data-element-guid=\"f412595b-a484-4035-9885-cb5c5a5bbcb6\" class=\"column youtube small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12\">\n<div class=\"content \" style=\"\">\n<div>\n<p>\n                    <iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/WRGbFFIfLRo\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Built on a driving garage beat that recalls the early \u201900s, \u201cOmoge\u201d is the modern-day equivalent of the pop anthems that soundtracked a generation\u2019s triumphs and tribulations. <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Somadina<\/span> shuns convention, opting for a refined palette that rejects conformity and pushes away from familiarity toward uneven terrain where blending styles feels natural, even necessary. There\u2019s a sense of wonder, an ear polished by copious pop consumption, and a determination to be heard in her fullness.<\/p>\n<h2>Karun &#8211; \u201cFeel You\u201d feat. Bigfootinyourface<\/h2>\n<div data-element-guid=\"c6f95a48-0959-46c7-9681-29d45c7c08e2\" class=\"column youtube small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12\">\n<div class=\"content \" style=\"\">\n<div>\n<p>\n                    <iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/z77psfwJXyw\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Karun<\/span> is royalty, a modern Kenyan music gem who helped pave the way for others to shine. From her early days as part of <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">Camp Mulla<\/span> to her solo run, where her talents continue to carry both her and us, she has never loosened her grip. \u201cFeel You\u201d is like being wrapped in soft arms, the sound of safety, security, and serenity. The lyrics cut deep \u2014 \u201c<span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">I just wanna see you walking through the door, like you did before when we were in love<\/span>\u201d \u2014 cradled by harmonies that fill the gaps with yearning and a fractured sense of self that only a lover can restore. This is heartbeat music.<\/p>\n<h2>El Mehdi &#8211; Salam [EP]<\/h2>\n<div data-element-guid=\"cebae4c8-b64a-4148-a4d1-7903a112864c\" class=\"column youtube small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12\">\n<div class=\"content \" style=\"\">\n<div>\n<p>\n                    <iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/XsMzHEsAdRc\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">El Mehdi<\/span> occupies contested territory. His personhood reads like a contradiction: queer and Muslim. His existence is political and speaks volumes before the first note or phrase is uttered. <span data-lab-italic=\"italic\" class=\"italic m-italic\">Salam<\/span>, the new five-track EP, is maximal \u2014 an immersion into the sounds that shaped his understanding, the contours that map onto his body. He fuses the ancient \u2014 Maghrebi and Arabic influences \u2014 with the modern: lush electronic textures and pulsating beats, all poured into an expansive, embracing whole. This video, directed, choreographed, edited, and costumed by El Mehdi himself, is a highly stylized entry point into the Moroccan-Canadian\u2019s disparate yet contained worlds, worlds that unify under his watch.<\/p>\n<h2>State Off &#8211; \u201cBig Tune\u201d feat. BAMBII<\/h2>\n<p><span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">State Off<\/span>\u2019s take on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/is-south-africas-gqom-music-taking-over-nigerian-pop\/187296\">gqom<\/a> is fascinating and refreshing. The Amsterdam-based Zimbabwean artist brings a sense of abandon, the sonic influence of a thousand global palettes, and the technical fluency to make it all cohere in just over four minutes, as he does on the tasteful and colourful \u201cBig Tune,\u201d alongside <span data-lab-font_weight=\"font-weight-bold\" class=\"font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold\">BAMBII<\/span>. In the past, he has borrowed liberally from baile funk in his pursuit of rhythmic precision, and this time is no different. The vocal sample at the song\u2019s core is steeped in Jamaican dancehall culture, anchoring the track in celebration while revealing the stratospheric pleasure unlocked when sounds find resonance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.okayafrica.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>MUSIC Stream the best African music this week and listen to new releases from Sun-El Musician, Karun, Wande Coal-x-Qing Madi, Blxkcie, and more. Wande Coal recruits Qing Madi for the ethereal \u201cDearly.\u201dby Starstruck Management\/Symphonic Every week, OkayAfrica highlights the top African music releases \u2014 including the latest Afrobeats and amapiano hits \u2014 through our best [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2281095,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2281093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1771016552_The-African-Music-You-Need-to-Hear-This-Week-\u2013.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2281093","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2281093"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2281093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2281097,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2281093\/revisions\/2281097"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2281095"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2281093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2281093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2281093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}