After a short music hiatus, Olakira has fully delivered with this iconic double a-side Afropop single, titled “Ileke” and “Kisses”. His fans have been waiting for new music from him since last year’s viral track “Polongo”, and the wait has certainly been worth it as he hasn’t dropped one track, but two. On top of that, he has also released an alluring music video for “Ileke” that celebrates African women, culture, and fashion. The double a-side single follows up his collaboration single from earlier this year with The Mic, titled “Pull Up”.
Olakira, real name is Ade Ebenezer, is a multi-talented Nigerian singer, songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist, quickly rising to fame in the global music scene. His captivating Afro-fusion sound, blending Dancehall and Pop elements, has earned him over half a billion streams and recognition as one of Nigeria’s most exciting musicians. Starting as a self-taught instrumentalist during his teenage years, Olakira’s journey led him to produce and write major hits for fellow artists before securing a record deal with U&I Music. With acclaimed EPs, hit singles, and a historic partnership with Maserati, Olakira’s star continues to shine bright. Nominated for prestigious awards like ‘Rookie of the Year’ at The Headies and ‘Artist of the Year’ at the All Africa Music Awards, he’s poised to conquer the music world further with his highly anticipated debut album set to release in October. His top-streaming tracks, including “In My Maserati” which is his most-popular song with over 26.9 million streams on Spotify, the remix with Davido which is his second most-streamed track on the platform at 11.6 million streams, and his other remix – the Moris Beat Mix – which has 7.1 million streams, have all cemented his position as a trailblazing force in the Afropop genre, captivating audiences worldwide with his infectious melodies and mesmerizing beats.
The double a-side single has already gained quite a lot of traction over the 20 days in which it has been released, raking in 80k Spotify streams for each of the tracks. The accompanying music video for “Ileke”, which was released on his official YouTube channel, has quickly become a success, going on to receive over half a million views. This solidly proves that Olakira is not only on top form but he is on top of his game, and with the release of his debut album, at the end of the year, he is bound to be seen as a full-on force to be reckoned with. We’re excited to see his career play out for him in the next Couple of years.
Watch the official music video for “Ileke” by Olakira here:
Produced by Simba Tagz and Olakira, “Ileke” and “Kisses” fully allows this huge rising singer-songwriter to showcase his signature sound, his flawless vocals, and his hypnotic delivery. “Ileke” is a rhythmic track with a prominent drum progression and feel-good vibes flowing throughout. His vocals are on fire from start to finish as he touches upon his gorgeous falsetto and emotional integrity, while he switches between both the English and Yoruba languages. The lyrics delve into his feelings about his love interest, backed up by strong afrobeat chords and an ampiano-fusion sound bed. Then there’s “Kisses”, a track that really allows Olakira to shine melodically, lyrically, and vocally. The track has strong melodies that capture listeners from the very start alongside addicting vocalise that we’re sure we’ll be singing throughout the rest of the song. This second track on double a-side brings a bright, impactful and positive energy, that revolves around love and honest emotion.
As for the music video, which has been directed by Clarence Peters, we watch Olakira performing “Ileke” throughout in a strong presence, clearly meaning every word. The visual coincides beautifully with the song, capturing beautiful African women from the outset in fashionable garments that brings a sense of girl power and self-empowerment to women, and while there are moments that are typical for Afrobeat music videos from male artists, as in sexualising women in visuals, it’s clearly shot with respect and dignity, with the whole intention of empowerment for women – and it’s honestly refreshing to see, especially from a rising male artist in the Afropop and Afrobeat community. We’re excited to see Olakira continue to step up his career as he is set to become a global star.
Stream the newly released double a-side single on Spotify here:
“Ileke” and “Kisses”, both by Olakira, are available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms, via U & I Music. Look out for Olakira’s debut album, which is set to be released in October 2023.