Afropop Queen and global music superstar YEMI ALADE will release her highly awaited new album REBEL QUEEN on July 26 through Effyzzie Music Group and IDOL. Rebel Queen will be Yemi Alade’s sixth studio album and tenth overall project, continuing her stellar history and cementing her reign as Africa’s Queen of Afropop. The album title ‘Rebel Queen’ represents Yemi’s boundless, unapologetic love for her African heritage and her unwavering commitment to charting her own path in the music industry. The exquisite music on the album showcases her signature blend of vibrant afropop, dancehall, amapiano, lingala, afrobeats, reggae, and R&B, creating a rich tapestry of sounds that will resonate with music lovers.
Known affectionately as Mama Africa for her celebration of African heritage, Yemi Alade’s multilingualism shines through in Rebel Queen, as she sings in Yoruba, English, Igbo, French, and Swahili. This cross-cultural approach underscores her commitment to spreading African music and culture across the globe. Tracks like ‘Karibu’, a Swahili-infused intro, pay homage to Africa, while ‘Tomorrow’ preaches the wisdom of living in the present moment. ‘Happy Day’ celebrates joy and resilience, and ‘African Woman’ is a powerful anthem celebrating the might and grace of African women, while ‘Peace and Love’ calls for compassion, adding a poignant and timely message to the album.
The superb 16-track album also features an impressive lineup of collaborations, including Beninois French legend Angélique Kidjo on ‘African Woman’, Jamaican icon Ziggy Marley on ‘Peace and Love’, Congolese rap star Innoss’B on ‘Lipeka’, and dancehall sensation Konshens on ‘Baddie Remix’. These collaborations highlight Yemi’s ability to seamlessly blend different genres and styles, creating a dynamic and eclectic album. Each track is a unique capsule of her thoughts, melodies, and a truckload of nostalgia, offering something new, old, and borrowed. This album stands out not only for its musical diversity but also for its emotional depth, capturing a wide range of human experiences and emotions.
Yemi Alade delves into personal themes with songs like ‘Ije Love’, an irresistible serenade to a lover, and ‘I’m Sorry’ and ‘Chairman’, which are anthems for living life unapologetically. ‘Bop’ is a dancehall number about overcoming life’s challenges and staying positive, while ‘Big Connection’ embraces Yemi’s superstar status and lavish lifestyle. ‘Big Vibe’ brings out her sensuality, as Yemi yearns for a lover’s strong emotional and physical connection, and ‘Looking Nice’ celebrates enjoying life without worries. The aptly titled ‘African Woman’ sees Yemi honouring the strength and grace of African women, while she extols the virtues of living in the present on ‘Tomorrow’. All in all, this versatile collection will resonate widely across the world, capturing the essence of Yemi Alade’s multifaceted artistry.
Speaking about the inspiration behind her Rebel Queen album, Yemi Alade says, “I created this album with the sole purpose of creating music I grew up loving, and the variety of African music that I have grown to love now. I was inspired by the core African music of highlife and different genres that got us excited as Africans. I channelled older African music that could be played at parties, weddings, clubs, and all sorts of occasions, where we really started enjoying African music, and spreading our culture and heritage across the continent. This album has something new, old, and borrowed. Every song is unique and a capsule of my thoughts, melodies, and truck load of nostalgia”.
Offering further context behind the soundscapes on Rebel Queen, Yemi Alade adds, “Growing up, African pop music was a mixture of music that carried messages and helped us through different situations in life. This album is a blend of what my playlist consists of right now including the new and old pop music that cuts across generations and boundaries. There are a lot of discussions about ‘what is African music’, ‘what should afrobeats or afropop sound like’, so I wanted to strip everything down and go back to the core and essence of African feel-good music that has heavily influenced Africans globally, and reflects our different sounds across the continent. I am a true rebel in words and in action. I have always charted my own course and walked the path less travelled, and this album shows that”.
Revered as one of Africa’s best live performers and one of the continent’s biggest touring artists, Yemi Alade will also be heading back on the road with this new album Rebel Queen at the end of the summer for a massive world tour. Aptly tagged the ‘African Rebel’ tour, it kicks off at Pop-Kultur Berlin on August 30, and Zénith Paris on September 21, and the jaunt comes on the back of last year’s incredible ‘African Baddie’ summer world tour, which spawned sold-out shows and electrifying live performances across Royal Festival Hall in London, Chicago’s Millennium Park, Nuits d’Afrique in Montreal, Sweden’s Uppsala Reggae Festival, and Melkweg Amsterdam, just to mention a few.
Yemi Alade’s journey to ‘Rebel Queen’ is a testament to her originality, bold spirit, and global domination, proving her mettle in a male-dominated industry. With this album, Yemi Alade not only cements her place as a leading voice in global music but also invites listeners to embrace the diverse and vibrant sounds of African music. As she embarks on her ‘Rebel Tour’ following a successful ‘African Baddie’ world tour, ‘Rebel Queen’ promises to be another milestone in her stellar career, showcasing her as one of Africa’s most influential and dynamic artists.