Our song of the week!
Since his breakthrough in 2019, WurlD has never really positioned himself as the quintessential Nigerian popstar. While his honeyed vocals and signature blue hair make him stand out, it's his knack for being musically innovative – constantly looking to meld varying genres to create a cocktail of refreshing music – that truly sets him apart. Love Is Contagious, his sophomore project, blends an array of sounds – Afrobeats, Afro Juju, Apala, R&B – into a fascinating fusion that he repeatedly refers to as “Fuji pop”. On his brilliant collaborative effort, I Love Girls With Trobul, with veteran record producer Sarz, he switches things up, threading Afrobeats and R&B tones with Sarz’s bright synths and electro thrummings, favouring it to the largely heavy percussive production on Love Is Contagious.
2020’s Afrosoul, as the name suggests, looked to combine his stirring soulfulness with familiar Afropop rhythms. In an interview late last year, he said: “As you guys can identify, I love experimenting with Afrobeats and soul. I was born in Lagos but I learned how to create music overseas and that gives me a certain way I see my fusion of all these sounds.”
On his latest drop MWWU, an impressive two-track pack, WurlD finds that fine balance once again, neatly fusing his diverse influences. While the groovy, Amapiano-influenced “STAMINA” is brilliant, it’s the sensual opener “SPUNK” that’s the cream of the crop. Built on warm keys, eerie synths and soft percussions, “SPUNK” exudes a familiar sultriness that’s reminiscent of some of his earlier works. But it’s the way his voice sails over the production that makes this one feel different; it’s the smoothest he’s ever been. “Every time you come around, you take charge / Hmm yeah, you got that spunk,” he sings with impassioned vocals, his voluptuary lines constantly keeping up with the track’s sensual and gloomy vibe. He’s both confident and delicate, constantly reminding his love interest that she’s “got that spunk”. You can hear the searing passion in his voice as he sings: “Girl na your body wey go ruin my life / You’re the best I know,” like a man ready to risk it all.
