African Fresh Picks: Darkoo, Qing Madi, Nasty C, Black Sherif, Teni, Khaid & More
More African artists are coming for the global spotlight in 2025.
Qing Madi, who was featured on Billboard's 21 Under 21 list last year and has been featured on Spotify and Genius' 2025 Artists to Watch lists, readied fans for her debut album I Am the Blueprint, which dropped Friday (Jan. 31) with her romantic single 'Akanchawa' arriving right in time for Valentine's Day. Darkoo pays homage to P-Square and late 2000s Afrobeats on her new club jam 'Focus on Me (All the Sexy Girls in the Club).' And Teni and Black Sherif get in their introspective bag with their new singles 'Money' and 'Lord I'm Amazed,' respectively.
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We've also changed the name of our column from 'Afrobeats Fresh Picks' to 'African Fresh Picks,' to be more inclusive of artists coming out of the continent whose music exists beyond the borders of 'Afrobeats.' While we've always featured African artists who've made alté, amapiano, highlife and more styles of music, we want that to be reflected in the title, too.
We've highlighted 10 of our favorite new songs by African acts that have come out roughly within the last month. Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and get the new year started with our Spotify playlist below.
Darkoo, 'Focus on Me (All the Sexy Girls in the Club)'
Following her frothy summer banger 'Favourite Girl' — which is nominated for song of the year at the 2025 MOBO Awards — British-Nigerian singer Darkoo gets the new year and all the parties started with 'Focus on Me (All the Sexy Girls in the Club.)' The infectious waist-whining anthem samples P-Square's 2009 hit 'Gimmie Dat' for a nostalgic Afrobeats vibe, while the accompanying music video pays homage to the iconic Nigerian duo's 2007 'Do Me' visual.
Qing Madi, 'Akanchawa'
Qing Madi is giving all her love to someone special on 'Akanchawa,' which arrived before she released her debut album I Am the Blueprint today via JTON Music. 'Akanchawa' is an Igbo word meaning 'good hands' or 'hands that bring good things,' and she's beyond grateful to have this love come into her life. And Marvey's mellifluous production enhances the sweetness of the song.
Nasty C, 'For Certain'
Nasty C gave his fans 'a little gift' at the end of 2024: the sizzling single 'For Certain.' The South African rapper touts his cool factor while reflecting on the importance of legacy when he asks, 'What is your reason for breathin'?' and 'What you go leave when you leavin'?' in the first verse.
Mabel & King Promise, 'All Over You'
After collaborating with Afroswing king Kojo Funds and Ghanaian rapper Black Sherif last year, Mabel teams up with Ghanian singer-songwriter King Promise on the tantalizing record 'All Over You.' The duo craves an intimate exploration of one another, as Mabel sings, 'That pillow talk is talking, please tell me some more/ Hands on mine, skin to skin, eye to eye.' As a fan of Asake's right-hand producer Magicsticks, Mabel traveled to Lagos to make the song with him, according to a press release, and he makes his signature log drum-infused percussion and compelling crowd vocals loud and clear on 'All Over You.'
DeJ Loaf, Runtown & Libianca, 'Up Or Down'
Def Loaf recruits Nigerian singer-songwriter Runtown and Cameroonian-American artist Libianca for 'Up Or Down.' Producer Cheekychizzy's pulsating rhythm sets the tone for the topsy-turvy tune, as the Detroit rapper sings about loyally waiting for someone to come back around. Meanwhile, Runtown wants a girl for a good time but not a long time, and Libianca croons about loving someone with commitment issues.
Teni, 'Money'
'They say money don't buy you happiness/ Money can't buy you love/ Money don't fill this emptiness/ But I want all the money in the world,' Teni croons on her latest single, a piano ballad that's a departure from the bops on her fantastic last album, Tears of the Sun. But the stripped-down song instead serves as a showcase for her vocals and songwriting, a simple yet deeply affecting entry into her growing catalog.
Black Sherif, 'Lord I'm Amazed'
The Ghanaian MC continues sketching the story of his life through his latest string of fantastic singles — many of which have appeared in this column — and 'Lord I'm Amazed' is the latest in that lineage. This is more contemplative than some of his higher-energy cuts, but it's exactly that that sets it apart, as Sherif takes a moment to step back and reflect on the blessings in his life and how far he's come. Even when he departs from his usual flow, no one sounds like him right now, which is the highest praise for an artist of his caliber.
Andy S feat. Sarahmée, 'Dracula'
The sheer ferocity that storms through from Côte d'Ivorian rapper Andy S. on this track spans languages — she raps primarily in French — and cultures, as she and Senegalese-Canadian MC Sarahmée rip through this track, bringing high drill energy over an understated beat. The song appears on Andy S.'s brand new EP Born Ready, which is six explosive tracks of all different vibes, and is a fascinating introduction to a bright and promising artist.
Krizbeatz & Tekno feat. taves & Adewale Ayuba, 'The Roof'
Veteran producer Krizbeatz took a turn as artist with his new album Daddy Daycare, and he tapped longtime collaborator Tekno to helm this track alongside saves and Adewale Ayuba. The simple hook dominates, but, perhaps unsurprisingly, it's the production that really takes center stage, pulling from traditional Afrobeats drums, R&B stylings, amapiano log drum accents and electro undertones to craft a constantly-mutating beat that provides the perfect platform for the vocalists to groove over.
Carter Efe & Khaid, 'PRAY'
Carter Eye may be best known as a comedian — certainly that's where much of his social media energy lies — but his forays into music have borne fruit, too, first with the Berri Tiga-assisted 'Machala' a few years ago and now most recently with this new cut with Khaid, one of the best young vocalists and hitmakers to emerge in the past two years. There's not much that Khaid touches that doesn't become an immediate earworm, and 'PRAY' is no different — the rising singer is destined for greatness sooner rather than later, as his catalog keeps growing with hit after hit.
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Not that the rest of the show wasn't, but this was a true moment of group catharsis. 'obsessed' 'ballad of a homeschooled girl' 'vampire' 'drivers license' 'traitor' 'bad idea right' 'love is embarrassing' 'pretty isn't pretty' 'happier' 'enough for you' 'so american' 'jealousy, jealousy' 'favorite crime' 'Burning Down the House' (with David Byrne) 'deja vu' Encore 'brutal' 'all american b—h' 'good 4 u' 'get him back!' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
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More from Billboard Young Thug Recalls Getting 'Stood Up' By Mariah The Scientist on Their First Date Chappell Roan Did the Viral 'Apple' Dance During Charli xcx's Primavera Sound Set: 'Love You B-ch!' 50 Years Ago, Elton John Became First Artist to Enter Billboard 200 at No. 1 - Just How 'Fantastic' Was the Feat? Mariah Amani Buckles grew up in Atlanta, singing from an early age. She attended St. John's University in New York and studied biology, but ultimately dropped out to pursue music. Her self-released debut EP, To Die For, arrived in 2018, after which she signed to RCA Records and Tory Lanez's One Umbrella label. She stayed in those deals until 2022 — releasing albums Master and Ry Ry World in 2019 and 2021, respectively — before leaving to continue as an independent artist. 'Over time, you start realizing [people] want you to change things,' Mariah says of her start in the industry. 'Everybody wants to control your art. I don't want to argue with you about what I want, because if we don't want the same things, I'll just go find somebody who does.' In 2023, after six months as an independent artist, Mariah signed a joint venture deal with Epic Records and released her third album, To Be Eaten Alive, which became her first to reach the Billboard 200. She then made two Hot 100 appearances as a featured artist in early 2024, on 'IDGAF' with Tee Grizzley and Chris Brown and 'Dark Days' with 21 Savage. 'Burning Blue' marks Mariah's first release of 2025 — and first new music since boyfriend Young Thug's release from jail following his bombshell YSL RICO trial. The song takes inspiration from Purple Rain-era Prince balladry with booming drums and warbling bass — and Mariah admits that the Jetski Purp-produced beat on YouTube (originally titled 'Blue Flame') likely influenced some lyrics, too. She initially recorded part of the track over an unofficial MP3 rip, but after Purp caught wind of it and learned his girlfriend was a fan, he gave Mariah the beat. Mariah then looped in Nineteen85 (Drake, Nicki Minaj, Khalid) to flesh out the production. 'I [recorded the first part of 'Burning Blue'] in the first room I recorded in when I first started making music in Atlanta,' Mariah says. 'I don't want to say it was a throwaway, but it was casual. I wrote some of it, and then I put it to the side.' Once Epic A&R executive Jennifer Raymond heard the in-progress track, she insisted on its completion enough that Mariah and her collaborators convened in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in February to finish the song. By that point, they sensed something special. Mariah shared a low-quality snippet on Instagram, but Morgan — who joined as a tour manager in 2022 — knew a more polished presentation was needed to reach its full potential. Morgan eyed Billboard's Women in Music event in late March as the launchpad for the 'Burning Blue' campaign. Though Mariah wasn't performing or presenting at the event, Morgan wanted to take advantage of her already being in glam to shoot a flashier teaser than Mariah's initial IG story, which didn't even show her face. The two decided on a behind-the-scenes, pre-red carpet clip soundtracked by a studio-quality snippet of 'Burning Blue.' Posted on April 1, that clip showcased its downtempo chorus and Mariah's silky vocal and has since amassed more than two million views, with designer Jean Paul Gaultier's official TikTok account sharing the video to its feed. Ten days later, Morgan advised Mariah to share another TikTok, this time with an explicit call to action encouraging fans to use the song in their own posts and teasing that she 'might have a surprise' for fans with enough interaction. Mariah then debuted the song live on April 19 during a set at Howard University — a smart exclusive for her core audience — as anticipation for the song continued to build. Two weeks later, 'Burning Blue' hit digital service providers on May 2, further fueled by a Claire Bishara-helmed video on May 8 that has over 7 million YouTube views. 'We're at the point where opportunity meets preparation,' Morgan reflects of the concerted but not overbearing promotional approach. '[To Be Eaten Alive] happened so fast, I didn't even know what 'working' a project meant. This time, I studied other artists' rollouts to figure out how to make this campaign personal to her.' 'Burning Blue' debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated May 17, marking Mariah's first time in the top 40. Following its TikTok-fueled debut, the song has shown legs at radio too, entering Rhythmic Airplay, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay — to which Morgan credits Epic's radio team, spearheaded by Traci Adams and Dontay Thompson. '[The song] ended up going to radio a week earlier [than scheduled] because Dontay was like, 'If y'all like this song so much, then play it!,' and they did,' Morgan jokes. With 'Burning Blue' proving to be a robust start to an exciting new chapter, Mariah has a bona fide hit to start the summer as she prepares to unleash her new project, due before the fall. She recently performed the track on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and will have the opportunity to fan the song's flames in front of festival audiences including Governors Ball in June and Lollapalooza in August. But as her following continues to heat up, Mariah's mindset is as cool as ever. 'I'll take what I can get,' Mariah says. 'As long as I can use my platform to help people feel included or understood, I'm good.' A version of this story appears in the June 7, 2025, issue of Billboard. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
