Yemi Alade Reveals Why New Album Breaks Musical Boundaries
Nigerian Afropop star Yemi Alade has revealed the inspiration behind her latest album, It’s Yemi Alade, explaining why she deliberately stepped outside some of the musical sounds that have defined her career.
The singer, who recently released her seventh studio album, said the project represents a period of greater artistic freedom as she explores different genres and reconnects with some of the musical influences that shaped her.
Rather than restricting herself to the sounds audiences traditionally associate with her, Alade said she wanted to create from her own instincts and challenge expectations.
It’s Yemi Alade is built around a combination of “something old, something new and something borrowed,” according to the singer.
The album explores sounds beyond her familiar Afropop, Afrobeat and Highlife territory, including Kompa, disco and techno-inspired music. She also revisits rap, a genre she said was among her earliest musical influences.
The experimentation gives the project a broader sonic identity while allowing Alade to reconnect with different stages of her musical journey.
The 16-track album also draws from Afropop, Highlife, R&B, Lingala, dancehall and Afro-house, with collaborations involving artistes from Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Alade described the creative process behind the album as increasingly fearless, saying she has become more comfortable making decisions based on her own artistic instincts.
She explained that she is now willing to explore sounds that people may not immediately associate with her.
For the singer, the freedom to experiment is not about abandoning her roots but about expanding them and showing different sides of her artistry.
The result is an album that combines familiar elements of her sound with influences from across Africa and beyond.
The album also reflects a message Alade has been sharing with younger artistes: the importance of developing an identity that cannot easily be confused with someone else’s.
During a conversation with The Guardian, the singer described originality as a major ingredient for artistes hoping to achieve international recognition.
She encouraged emerging musicians to identify the qualities that make them different and turn those qualities into strengths rather than trying to sound exactly like established artistes.
According to Alade, an artiste’s uniqueness can ultimately become their strongest asset in a competitive global music industry.
Interestingly, the album’s title was also influenced by Yemi Alade’s fans.
The singer invited fans to submit suggestions for the project, receiving more than 200 options. According to her, “It’s Yemi Alade” repeatedly emerged as the preferred choice, eventually becoming the title of the album.
For Alade, allowing fans to participate in the naming process was also a way of recognising the people who have supported her throughout her career.
The album features a wide range of collaborators, including Don Jazzy, Spyro, Teni, Jeriq, Bien, Njerae, Sofiya Nzau, Singuila and Ferre Gola.
Alade described working with Don Jazzy as a dream come true and praised the music executive as both an influential artiste and a mentor.
With It’s Yemi Alade, the singer appears intent on showing that longevity does not have to mean staying within one musical formula.
Instead, the album presents an artiste embracing experimentation, revisiting her roots and giving herself room to evolve on her own terms.
