Hot Girl Summer : Afropop version
TYLA, WE WANNA PARTY!
Tyla turned WWP into a global passport. From festivals in London to Lagos, all the way to Asia this fall, her project has been drawing massive crowds. This summer, the party had only one motto: We Wanna Party!
Released at the end of July, her WWP EP extends that same energy. Inspired by a South African chant, it blends amapiano, afropop, and R&B. With tracks like Dynamite (feat. Wizkid), Bliss, and Is It, Tyla channels the spirit of communion she creates on stage and the virality she fuels online.
JOHANNESBURG FIRST
But behind the euphoria, debate has also emerged. In the United States, Tyla’s decision to identify as coloured — a common term in South Africa but one with heavy connotations in the U.S. — sparked reactions. She responds to this with “Mr Media,” a track where she refuses to be boxed in or pressured to fit American norms. The song opens in Tswana, a reminder that her center remains Johannesburg.
With We Wanna Party, Tyla proves she doesn’t need the United States to be a superstar — and she’s right. She’s redefining her world from South Africa, embodying the purest, boldest version of Hot Girl Summer.
SABI IS THE NEW BADDIE
In Nigerian Pidgin, sabi means “to know, to master, to be aware.” A sabi girl is someone who excels at everything she does. Ayra Starr embodies this concept perfectly.
With Hot Body, Ayra Starr delivered the ultimate sabi anthem of the summer. She celebrates mastery and self-confidence over an afrobeats–meets–dancehall production. Ayra claims her power and control—both on stage and over the way others perceive her.
The track was so strong that it left us wanting more, eagerly waiting for her next album, which is expected to push the boundaries of her universe and influence even further. And why not with surprising features, worthy of an artist capable of moving seamlessly from afrobeats stages to Coldplay stadiums?
THE BLACK (SUPER)STAR
Amaarae is the wildcard of afropop.
Where many artists aim for immediate efficiency, she chooses experimentation, sensuality, and provocation.
With Fountain Baby (2023), she cemented her singularity: a bolder, more conceptual project where each track explores a different facet of her world.
On Black Star, she extends that creative freedom, paying homage to Ghana and her roots while carrying a message of empowerment. The album moves across multiple registers—intimate (Stuck Up), provocative (Girlie-Pop!), and hybrid or experimental (ms60, Starkilla). And always at the center: the Black Star, a symbol of independence and national pride.
Between afropop, alternative R&B, and electronic music, Amaarae turns this identity into both an intimate and political statement.
OUR FAVOURITE OF THE SUMMER: ODEAL
If Tyla, Ayra Starr, and Amaarae embodied Hot Girl Summer, the season also found its more intimate counterbalance with Odeal.
With The Summer That Saved Me, he offers another reading of the season: less flashy, more introspective, but just as impactful.
Born in Lagos and raised in London, he blends afrosound and R&B with ease—his music reflects the meeting of his two influences, colored by the nostalgia of a late summer, like a sunset.
Where the girlies embodied celebration, confidence, and provocation, Odeal delivered an ode to healing and vulnerability.