Lojay is back, and he is wearing his heart on his sleeve. The Nigerian singer-songwriter’s silky vocals and genre-defying sound return on “Falling,” a deeply finessed, emotive track that reveals his softer, more vulnerable side. Released with the bravado-soaked “Unleash,” the new song further cements Lojay as one of the most exciting voices in contemporary Afrobeats.
“Falling” represents a palpitating confession, a song about love’s tingling hold and the fear of sinking in its depths. Over lush, atmospheric production from an all-star cast of producers Louddaaa, P.Priime, GodOmarr, and Dayo Grey Lojay gives an intimate performance that seems personal and universal. His gentle, almost plaintive vocals flow easily above a hazy mesh of Afrobeat rhythms, soft synths, and warm percussion that envelop you.
There’s a kind of undeniable magic in the way Lojay unfolds a love story. His lyrics also describe a person fully absorbed who only wants to fall after so much time, even if it means falling in love and one day suffering from pain. Coupled with the “Falling” hypnotic groove, the sincerity of his delivery makes “Falling” a song that lasts well after the last note rings out.
If “Falling” is about the graceful side of love, its twin, “Unleash,” is about the opposite. Co-produced by the British hitmaker Moon Willis and the Nigerian producer Sarz, the song is a fast-paced, swaggering anthem full of confidence and extravagance. These singles together display the other side of Lojay, the lover and the star, cementing him as both an artist with range and depth and a man of palpable charisma.