Lyno Casino is a melting pot of vibrant genres, cultures and sounds. Influenced by cities including Onitsha, Lagos, Warri and Accra, this multifaceted UK-based artist is crafting her own blueprint in the global music scene. Born Cynthia Sunday, Lyno does more than just dabble in various genres — she immerses herself in them, absorbs a wide variety of sounds and then redefines these sounds to create music that simply cannot be replicated. With the release of her bold new single, On Guard, Casino cements herself as one of the most exciting voices in modern music. On this track, Amapiano meets Afrobeats and Dancehall to create a sonic experience that will rouse audiences to their feet and keep them moving throughout its duration.
The track opens with the tried and true whistles and bounce that announce Amapiano bangers before the lyrics even drop. We are treated to a few beats of the track’s stunning instrumentals after which Lyno slides onto the track with a laid back, yet self-assured charm. Her voice floats over the beat, soft as whisper while still commanding attention in the midst of the feast of drums, instrumentals and echoing chants that run throughout the background of the track.
“If you look down on me / I am more than you see”. With these lyrics, Lyno confronts stereotypes with the grace of someone who has lived through trials most artists only mimic in lyrics. Her music is her armour, and her story spanning from studio sessions in Lagos to near-brushes with incarceration is the fire behind her fierce delivery.
A predominantly male dominated space, women in Amapiano might feel the need to embody a certain aggression to mark their own territory in the genre, but on On Guard, Lyno subverts this approach entirely. While the lyrics of the track assert an unshakeable confidence, her stance, her delivery and her voice, even while maintaining an understated strength throughout the track remains soft, airy and ultra-feminine.
From the moment the hook lands, “If you really know me, me I no dey waste time / all about my Money me I no dey lose guard” there’s no mistaking the self-assurance and comfort in her sound. On Guard is both a sonic flex and a personal mantra, driven by pulsating rhythms and defiant lyricism that calmly dares you to underestimate her.
Lyno Casino’s sound is hard to box in. It’s raw yet refined, fierce yet melodious. She doesn’t need to say too much to get her point across — she brings the gritty truth of street dancehall and fuses it with Afro-fusion elegance, layering amapiano log drums beneath sultry verses and razor-sharp hooks. In a music era where authenticity often comes pre-packaged, Lyno offers the real thing unfiltered, unbothered, and wholly magnetic. With the repetitive chants of the track reminding listeners that Lyno is not one to be easily cast aside, she masters the art of creating music that while simple on the surface, has the often elusive quality that allows audiences to get lost in the melodies without getting distracted by verbose lyrics and complicated songwriting. On Guard is made for easy listening, for dancing and for letting your body interpret the music that echoes in your mind; “Listen to my music / Make you dance and party”.
Having collaborated with icons like Timaya, Iyanya, and Jaywillz, and producers like Deetunes and Drey Beat, Lyno’s journey has been one of steady evolution. Her remix of Baller with Iyanya was a melodic masterstroke, layering flutes and swagger into an irresistible anthem. With On Guard, the bounds of Lyno’s artistry are pushed further to show that in a world of fleeting trends, her music offers permanence rooted in identity, sharpened by resilience, and designed for stages far beyond her beginnings. She isn’t just dropping a track, she is issuing a warning: this is only the beginning.
