Nigerian Afropop singer Yemi Alade has explained why she allowed her fans to play a direct role in naming her latest studio album, It’s Yemi Alade.
The singer said the decision was a departure from her usual approach, as she had traditionally selected the titles of her previous projects herself.
According to Alade, she turned to her fans online and asked them to suggest possible names for the new album. Hundreds of suggestions were submitted, but one title repeatedly emerged as a favourite — It’s Yemi Alade.
Alade said the strong support for the title convinced her to adopt it, making the project the first of her albums whose title was directly influenced by her fans.
She described the decision as a reflection of the relationship she has built with her supporters over the years, saying the album ultimately became a project that belongs to them as much as it does to her.
The album, released through Effyzzie Music, contains 16 tracks and explores a mixture of Afropop, Highlife, Afrobeats, R&B, Lingala, Dancehall and Afro-house.
Alade said the project draws heavily from her Highlife roots while also allowing her to experiment with sounds and styles outside her established musical identity.
The album features several African and international artistes, including Kenya’s Bien, Njerae and Sofiya Nzau; Nigeria’s Spyro, Don Jazzy, Jeriq and Teni; French singer Singuila; and Congolese musician Ferre Gola.
Songs on the project explore themes including love, celebration, resilience, identity, spirituality and African cultural experiences.
Speaking about the creative direction, Alade described the album as a blend of something old, something new and something borrowed. She said the “old” represents a return to her Highlife foundation, while the “new” and “borrowed” elements reflect her experimentation with different contemporary genres.
Several songs from the album were released ahead of the full project, including Ala Bekee featuring Don Jazzy, Don’t Be Shy featuring Bien, Yemi Mi Lova featuring Spyro and Don’t Worry featuring Fave.
With It’s Yemi Alade, the singer has placed her musical roots, experimentation and connection with her audience at the centre of her latest body of work.
