Ayra Starr has ditched her braids and wigs for a pixie cut, Asake said goodbye to the dreads and picked up a skateboard, and Rema seems to have taken up smoking?
From braids to buzz cuts, dreads to designer grills, Nigeria’s pop stars aren’t just evolving – they’re shapeshifting. In an age where deleting your Instagram feed and changing your hairstyle can signal a creative rebirth, fans have come to expect that a new look means new music. But what happens when the visuals scream transformation while the sound stays the same? In this piece, we take a closer look at the “era” phenomenon in Afrobeats through the lens of three artists – Wizkid, Rema, and Adekunle Gold – unpacking how image, sound, and storytelling come together (or don’t) to define their ever-changing musical identities.
WIZKID
Wizkid’s debut era borrowed heavily from the skater aesthetic that dominated hip-hop at the time, courtesy of artists like Lil Wayne, and his signees. With his debut, Wizkid became the first Nigerian popstar to visually brand an era of music with an easily identifiable dress code – baseball hats flipped to the side, neon skinny jeans, ironic tees, wayfarer sunglasses, and colorful headphones, all gained popularity during this period thanks to Wizkid. Like his wardrobe, his sound during this era was also heavily hip-hop inspired, with the almost noisy electronic production which was characteristic of mainstream hip-hop music in the early 2010s. Influenced by his mentor, Banky W, who was part of a repatriate class of Nigerian musicians, Wizkid managed to localise a very Western sound and with his melodic “rap-singing”, putting out a series of hit tracks that encapsulated the roguish confidence consistent throughout his debut era, including Holla at Your Boy, Don’t Dull and No Lele which defined a new age of Afro-pop.
With his sophomore project, Ayo, he began hybridising the American influences in his sound with a celebration of his Yoruba heritage. The cover art for the project’s lead single, Jaiye Jaiye borrowed elements from Fela Kuti’s visuals, further utilizing this in the bright red aso-oke agbada on the cover for the album, the end result being an aesthetic that till date, is the most ‘traditional’ we’ve ever seen Wizkid. While his previous album was more hip-hop leaning, this album was primed for the Nigerian dance floor. With standout tracks Caro, On Top Your Matter and the award winning Ojuelegba, Wizkid went in a more Afropop direction, with less electronic production and instead opted to incorporate more drums and keys to create a fully African listening experience.
By the time he dropped Sounds from the Other Side in 2017, Wizkid’s legend had grown sufficiently to the point where he was being invited to different parts of the world to perform. Aided by his signing with RCA records, this era marked a major stylistic transition, as well as a major musical rebrand. The (over)production of the early 2010s was stripped back to make room for the smooth, relaxed and more western-friendly Afro-pop sound that Wizkid is known for today. Having already established himself as an Afro-pop legend, what Wizkid demonstrated with this album was the impressive ability to create a melting pot of genres – dancehall, r&b, reggaeton, pop – this album was, if nothing our introduction to the Wizkid that could crossover into the international mainstream without losing his distinct sound. The highlight of the era was without a doubt, the critically acclaimed Come Closer which was our introduction to the more sensual style he would fully lean into in subsequent eras. International recognition and a bigger budget led to a major marketing rebrand — tinted sunglasses, blonde hair, gold chains and designer labels were the hallmarks of this era. With guest appearances from a host of Western artists, this era was fully intended to formally introduce Wizkid to the global audience. A far cry from the fundamentally African sounds of his debut era.
After taking Afrobeats global, Wizkid returned to Lagos in 2020. Swathed in monochromatic ensembles with wrists weighed down by Van Cleef bracelets and diamond-encrusted watches, this era saw Wizkid embody a ‘stress-free’ persona. Having already established himself as an international act and feeling no pressure to present himself as an ‘African’ artist, cashmere sweaters, silk shirts and casual co-ords were the hallmarks of this period, a statement to emphasise quiet luxury, rather than public signalling through recognisable brands. Upon first listen, fans hailed the album as an escape from the gruelling monotony of adulthood, citing his cool, effortless approach to the project, characterized by intoxicating, mellow melodies embracing the alternative sub-genres coming out of Nigeria at the time. Sonically, this era was different from anything he had done previously; with the laid-back production from P2J highlighting his growth as an artist.
With a string of successful rebrands under his belt, this is arguably where Wizkid’s stylistic and musical evolution comes to a screeching halt. In his fifth installation as an international Afrobeats act, Wizkid seemed unperturbed by the pressure to re-invent his sound. He took the safe route with his focus resting more on the mellowed-out sound that gained massive attention with Made In Lagos. The amapiano laced Bad to Me was the lead single of More Love Less Ego, but the track doesn’t show musical evolution as much as it shows that Wizkid is not above jumping on trends and this album, although enjoyable and more explicitly sensual than any of his previous works, doesn’t really represent a change in style or sonic presentation. If anything, it felt like a continuation of the Made In Lagos era.
The criticism of MLLE as lacking in evolution can also be applied to Morayo. The months leading up to its release spelled out a massive rebrand; the album title hinted at a reflective body of work that would honor his late mother and there had been the infamous Instagram rant from earlier in the year where he denounced Afrobeats and urged fans who longed for his Pakurumo (traditional Afro-pop) days to not “download this new album.” Anticipation of a departure from the sounds we’ve come to associate with Wizkid were dashed upon the album’s release: other than the return of traditional african drum patterns, the project wasn’t much different, sonically, from the two before it.
REMA
Newly signed by Mavins, Rema dropped a series of EPs exploring his various musical identities ahead of the release of his debut album. We see both his trap and afro-pop personas, delivered with the boyish charm that was consistent throughout all three releases from his teenage “debut” era. His wardrobe, like the music, consisted of tell-tale signs of his age – whether he was wearing the dark Carti-esque costumes that signalled his musical influences, or the brightly colored athleisure uniform of late 2010s Nigerian teenagers, it was evident that this was a young boy making his way unto the mainstream music scene.
Although his eponymous Rema EP was released first, the Freestyle EP contained songs we had heard earlier, during his car-video freestyle days. We met teenaged Rema as a trapper, with a wardrobe that matched his Atlanta rap references; skintight long sleeved tops, equally form fitting pants, chains and pendants, his dreads matted into two or three bulky braids and consistently dark colors. His melodic rap cadence and ad-libs were all over tracks such as Boulevard and American Love, presenting a sound that the Nigerian audience had never quite heard before.
The trappy, emo persona gave way to the Afro-pop sound he embodied during the Rema EP era. Characterized by hits like Dumebi and Corny, the trap influences were still there, but Mavin records seemed adamant on positioning him for the mainstream. The dark, Atlanta influenced aesthetic was replaced by the athleisure look that was popular with teenagers at the time – bright colors, chunky sneakers and of course, his signature teddy bear were the visual markers of this project.
Considering the fact that all three EPs were released in the same year, it can be argued that all three projects were part of the same era – one where Rema presented all his sounds and influences before releasing a full length album. Whatever the case may be, the trap/hip-hop influences seen on Freestyle were much more present on his Bad Commando EP, sitting alongside the Afro-pop sound he had displayed on his Rema EP. Arguably an early peek into the boastful, confident Rema we see on HEIS, this project saw the return of the trap wardrobe – dark colors, almost always dressed in black, heavy chains, cross earrings and a new addition – balaclavas for him and his teddy bear.
Having gained his footing in the Nigerian mainstream, Rema debuted properly with a slightly more mature look and sound. His bulky plaits were replaced with shorter locs, cross earrings shed for plain gold bands, and his athleisure/form fitting clothes were replaced with a more clean cut look – he is either bare chested, showing off sculpted abs, wearing light vests or swathed in leather and denim. He began to incorporate designer pieces, sturdy boots and in addition to his diamond encrusted chains, he donned gold grills. With his Rave & Roses era, he sheds his childlike innocence for a slightly more intense persona. While the rap influences are still evident from his aesthetic, the album is mostly filled with love songs presented in a way befitting of a boy in his early twenties – hypersexual (Soundgasm), boisterous and full of edge (FYN). He leaned into the melodic Afro-pop sound explored on his Rema EP, ultimately resulting in an album with broad commercial appeal and a creative deftness, with record breaking, award winning standout track Calm Down. While earlier releases were more playfully experimental, filled with teenage angst, here, Rema is more grown up, and fully aware of his place in the Nigerian music industry.
Black and red, rockstar imagery, heavy reference to his Edo heritage and cultural aesthetics. The introduction of the bat and the dark horse. Cue illuminati allegations. The RAVAGE era marked Rema’s transition from loverboy to full on anti-hero, and it was at this point that the “Rave Lord” was born. His instantly iconic O2 arena concert, Ravage Uprising, was the highlight of this rebrand. Featuring a replica of the Queen Idia mask and a stationary horse — both significant pieces of Benin art, the concert was an explosive announcement of his musical evolution. This era witnessed Rema moving away from the romantic, Rave & Roses sound towards a more confident, introspective, and even aggressive, “trouble-making” persona with a darker, more intense energy, exploring themes of self-discovery, societal expectations, and personal boundaries. The cover art sees a skeletal Rema riding a horse on fire and the 5 track project drew from a plethora of influences, combining elements of afropop, amapiano and alté music into a rich, kaleidoscopic sound.
Building on this momentum, he released HEIS the following year. The self-dubbed ‘Afro-rave’ album expertly traversed hip-hop, house, dancehall, punk and Afrobeats. In a 2024 interview with Apple Music, he expressed that the album was intended to be a “reset to the fanbase’s ears,” and indeed it was. This album treated fans to an explosion of masculinity; we see Rema building on the bravado he previously displayed with Bad Commando, FYN and Troublemaker, audaciously cementing himself as one of the greats. Pictured on the album cover shirtless, adorned with a massive jewel encrusted gold chain with a bat shaped pendant, we experience Rema like never before – this is arguably his Magnum Opus. He is almost menacing and maintaining the dark energy introduced on RAVAGE, he borrows from his earlier trap inspired wardrobe (black, form fitting clothes) but executes this with a much more mature twist, aided by his scattering of tattoos, his heavy jewelry and his newest accessory- his cigarette.
ADEKUNLE GOLD
While dreamy, folksy ballad Sade wasn’t his debut single, it was the song that catapulted Adekunle Gold into fame before he signed with YBNL and was the standout track of the Gold era.
Adekunle Gold had a unique Yoruba Highlife/Juju sound that matched perfectly with his fashion signatures: Agbadas and Adire. His classic prints and Afrocentric style spotlighted indigenous fashion and branded him as someone connected to his Yoruba roots. In this era,Adekunle Gold produced lush, charming tracks characterised by Highlife baselines, including songs such as Orente, Paradise, and Ready from his classic debut album, Gold. He continued his Highlife inspired sound on sophomore, About 30 with heartfelt ageless tunes like Fame and Ire. With features from Flavour, Seun Kuti and Simi, this era is characterized by its decidedly African sound.
By the time he released his third album, Afro Pop Vol 1 in 2020, Adekunle Gold had significantly shifted his style and overall sound. This was our introduction to “AG Baby”, the start of Adekunle Gold’s progression from a lovelorn lover to a legitimate hitmaker whose desires are bound to be met. It was during this era that he went from begging Sade to having us literally singing his name on AG Baby.
Bringing an entirely new sound to the table, Adekunle Gold was no longer the same folk artiste with the Adire that we saw at his debut. He experimented with more pop-leaning melodies in songs like Something Different, infusing the track with contemporary elements and a more mainstream sound, palpable to international audiences. The album was a slow burn, a measured display of musical dexterity while maintaining his fundamentally African highlife sound that made the persona change feel natural, authentic. The Lagos Review crowned the project Adekunle Gold’s “finest album”, noting the leisurely approach to his new sound, which undermines any arguments alleging that he was chasing hits. This experimentation was not limited to just the sound; it extended to the lyrical content and wardrobe as well, as seen on the Patoranking assisted Pretty Girl where he introduces more sensual and hedonistic themes, moving away from the wholesome, family-friendly messaging of his previous era. Pictured on the album cover in shoulder length braids adorned with beads , chains, rings and an open silk shirt, this project experimented with R&B, pop, indie and dancehall; all with a flair of afrobeats. The styling for this era incorporated modern clothing and styles with vintage influences, including tailored suits and loose fitting linen sets, all in shades of colorful pastels.
Anchored by the upbeat, afro-amapiano staple High assisted by Davido, his Catch Me If You Can project introduced us to yet another persona – Tio Tequila, aided by a handful of guest features from Western artists – Foushee, Stefflon Don, Lucky Daye and Ty Dolla $ign. He began working on Catch Me If You Can while still recording his previous album, Afro Pop Vol. 1 in 2020, initially planning to release it as a continuation of that era. This is evident, as the album, although positioned for increased global presence, is sonically and aesthetically similar to the one before it. While High stands out as a track fusing genres AG had not previously explored, the rest of the album doesn’t differ much from the hypnotic Afro Pop Vol 1 sound. What it does, however, is introduce us to Adekunle Gold’s smash hit making ability, which until High, was previously unexplored. He already demonstrated his ability to create melodic and beautiful tracks in various genres, but with this album, he shows that he can create club favorites as well.
The 2020s have seen Afrobeats artists insisting on being included in the international popstar conversation, and that was the statement we saw Adekunle Gold make with Tequila Ever After.
Launched with the energetic Party No Dey Stop featuring Zinoleesky, this era built on the global positioning he started with his Afro-pop era. “Tio Tequila” returned adorned with tinted shades, gold grills, vests, slacks and intricate weaving to create the clean, modern look flaunted by Nigerian popstars in recent times. The sound, thankfully, has evolved since the last album. Ogaranya, Don’t Be a Baby and Wrong Person with ODUMODUBLVCK place the singer firmly in dance hit-making territory. The project is laced with amapiano and spacey production on most tracks, a signature of 2020s afro-pop. He has come far from his folk music days, has mastered Afro-pop and its various subgenres and is now decidedly a mainstream hit maker. The album is the most upbeat he has delivered so far, primed for dance floors. All in all, a successful rebrand, the very definition of a new era.
