Spotify names Nigerian singer Solana EQUAL Africa Artist for October

Spotify has named Nigerian singer and songwriter Solana its EQUAL Africa Artist for October, spotlighting the rising musician for her distinctive sound, visual storytelling and incorporation of Yoruba cultural influences into her artistry.

The recognition places Solana at the centre of Spotify’s EQUAL Africa programme, which seeks to celebrate and amplify women artists across the continent while connecting their music with audiences globally.

Solana’s selection comes as she enters a major phase of her career, with her Yoruba-language single ‘Okunkuni serving as the featured track for the month.

The song, whose title means “darkness”, explores the difficult periods people encounter in life and encourages listeners to keep moving forward rather than becoming consumed by their struggles.

“Everyone goes through darkness from time to time. Some people see a way out, while some don't, they just get lost in it,” Solana said.

“What I tried expressing in this song [and to myself] is: keep moving forward, don’t stay in that darkness. Life is too beautiful for you to waste it away in darkness.”

The EQUAL Africa spotlight also coincides with Solana’s first performance in South Africa, where she is set to take the stage at Spotify’s EQUAL Artist Showcase in Johannesburg on October 14.

For the artist, the performance represents more than an international appearance, giving her an opportunity to introduce South African audiences to the world she has created through her music and visual identity.

“I’m a true believer of music being something that connects people and brings them together and it’s basically me bringing people into my own world,” she said.

Solana has built her identity around an evolving blend of alternative R&B, electronic music and pop, while drawing inspiration from her Nigerian heritage and Yoruba culture.

Her approach extends beyond her sound to her fashion and visual presentation, including her signature hairstyle and contemporary interpretation of traditional attire.

Her creative world also includes her fan community, known as Lanterns, whom she engages through exclusive first listens, intimate meet-ups, newsletters and other experiences.

Spotify Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa Phiona Okumu said Solana had developed an artistic identity that remained distinctly African while appealing to listeners beyond the continent.

“Solana has built a world that's so entirely her own, and yet somehow anyone who grew up African will recognise at least one corner of it,” Okumu said.

“Her sound is one that requires no passport.”

Solana said her approach to music is rooted in self-expression, describing her sound as a reflection of her emotions rather than something confined to a particular genre.

“I just use the word ‘expression’ because my sound and style is so many different things tied to one thing, which is expressing myself and my emotions in the way that feels most authentic to me,” she said.

Her musical influences stretch back to her childhood, when she listened to Nigerian music legends including King Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey. She later discovered artists such as Lagbaja through music videos on television.

Solana said music has always provided her with a means of communicating, particularly because she considers herself a person of few words.

“Music has always been a form of expression for me since I can remember. I’m a girl of few words. I don’t talk a lot, so music has always been my safe space and escape,” she said.

Her rise has also unfolded against the backdrop of the challenges women face in the music industry. Solana said she has chosen not to allow the gender dynamics of the industry to define how she presents herself.

“It’s a fact that as a woman, it’s harder for people to take you seriously, but I’ve just accepted that as a people problem, not mine,” she said.

“Consciously when I show up, I’m not showing up as a woman or a man or anything, I’m just showing up as Solana who is incredibly talented.”

The October EQUAL Africa recognition comes ahead of a busy release schedule for the singer. She is set to release her next single, ‘O Ri Mi,’ on October 16, before dropping her anticipated EP ‘Girl from the West, Act I’ on November 6.

For Solana, the EQUAL Africa recognition represents a moment of validation as she continues to carve out her space in the industry.

“Light will always shine because that’s what it is created to do,” she said. “It makes me feel seen, that no matter the obstacles, I still come out shining, and I’m super grateful for this opportunity.”

She also offered encouragement to aspiring artists and creatives who may be struggling to pursue their ambitions, urging them to remain persistent despite setbacks.

“Keep showing up for yourself. Cry when you have to, fall when you have to, but don’t stay down. Keep showing up for you,” she said.