Oxlade, the sensational Nigerian musician, captured our hearts five years back with his melodic track Away from his debut EP Oxygene, a track and EP that marked a turning point. Not so long after, he blessed the whole world with one of the most standout Afrobeats tracks that ears have heard, and that is with KU LO SA, a track that truly brought the world’s attention to his sound. Following the release of his debut album in September 2024, Oxlade has now followed up with the release of OFA: Deluxe Edition, upping the length of the tracklist to 20.
As the album’s theme is to tell the story of Oxlade who is from the soil of Africa, the album opens with an intro that sets the tone for the journey Oxlade is about to take us on, using his music to inspire and motivate, as Bobi Wine mentions in the heart-thumping background voices and noise during the End Sars protest when his manager suffered brutality of brain damage. This intro takes fans on the journey that many young, creative Nigerians and Africans face in the journey of chasing their dreams.
In the next track OLAITAN-OLAOLUWA, Oxlade uses his voice to sing and reflect on his journey, citing God as a figure that has truly walked by him, and given him the diving talent to bless the mic and ears across the globe, stamping that there is more and he will never run out of blessing fans and listener around the world no he has been oil by God, a very interesting reference that can we linked to many great men in the Bible who were oil by God divinely.
On BLESSED, Oxlade continues on the previous track’s theme, testifying how blessed he is and how his blessings are divine and untestable as he sings in the chorus. He distinctly taps Jamaica legend Popcaan, as they both flow on the mid-tempo reflective track, leading up to INTOXYCATED, the third track that features a UK brilliant rapper.
On this track, Oxlade uses his vocals to tell us, listeners, a story by giving a glimpse of his intimate life on a love that doesn’t seem to be as he wants it to be, singing how he feels love is overrated with his experience, as Dave comes through with his descriptive lyrics, one that pairs up with Oxlade pain, both artists passed their message seamlessly and melodically.
On the fourth track, IFA, we hear Oxlade tap the legendary Fally Ipupa on a dance track produced by Edgar Boi. In a track where Oxlade declares the things he would do for his love interest, it all seems Oxlade got to find a girl he is crazy for after being intoxicated. Fally Ipupa did not fail to bring his original sauce, singing in his language, a balanced bilingual dance tune.
The fifth track is a single that truly brought the world closer, and that is none other than KU LO SA. This song perfectly fits the last song’s theme; we hear the melodic, honeyed voice of Oxlade, yearning for his lover to get closer, to ignite their feeling and make their affection for one another spark better. In track six, OVAMI, Oxlade comes clean with his confession, still declaring his feelings for his lover and how it’s written all over him. This time, he invites lover man Flavour, as he adds his native flavors to the love-filled track.
In the seventh track, ARABAMBI, we have Oxlade yearning for love, but this time, he wants more, like waking up next to her like in a fantasy movie. He melodically plays with some words, teasing steaming intimate things he wanna do with his lover. After this yearning, we get an interlude titled TAMUNO INTERLUDE, a minute and forty-two-second track where the Ibani language is chanted, preparing listeners for the next part of the album.
Immediately after this, we get into the ninth track, ASUNASA – HOLD YOUR WAIST, and as the title says, Oxlade sings about holding his lover’s waist. His star guest, Wande Coal, uses his voice to allude to Oxlade’s intention, mentioning how his hands on his lover’s waist will cure his sorrows. On the tenth track, PIANO, produced by P.Priime, Oxlade describes his lover and how she knows how to press his buttons. On the eleventh track, we get OLOLUFE, and Oxlade comes through with Ghanaian legend Sarkodie. Both artists blended their musical skills, from Sarkodie’s rapping skills to Oxlade’s soothing vocals, to make a sweet number.
On the twelfth track titled RMF, we hear Oxlade on a bouncy, groovy beat, singing about how his main focus is getting the money and how he is all about the life of a super-rich individual and a mega superstar star life. This track leads to ON MY MIND- OMM, a fast-paced instrumental that features Tomi Owó and Ojahbee singing about how they always have their significant other on their minds. It is followed by KATIGORI, where Oxlade flows on the instrumental as he sings about levels and how he has been elevated over the regular category. This stands as a reflective track on his journey, story, and legacy.
The album title track, OFA, which fully means Oxlade from Africa, has Oxlade singing about his origin while reminiscing on the enemies he conquered, ringing his name throughout the track. The next tracks contain the four new additions to the album. On DOINGZ Oxlade continues on the theme of love and lavish spending on his lover and how his doings burst her head, Oxlade plays with grooves with cheeky charisma, while OMALICHA, have Oxlade singing on a mellow voice, admiring his lover and expressing how he goes crazy for her, with a very soothing hook that keeps you dancing.
SHO MI, produced by Duktor Sett, offers a gospel-tinged ode to divine guidance as he goes through life fulfilling his dreams. The title translates from Yoruba to English as ‘watch over me,’ with Oxlade using a bit of a verse from the Book of Psalms in the Bible to affirm that God is truly the one that watches over him. VANITY has Oxlade pouring his heart and paying homage to his grandmother’s teaching and advice. Oxlade reflects on how everything in this world is truly nothing at the end of the day. VANITY serves as a reflective track to close the album.
OFA: Deluxe Edition is a vibrant celebration of Oxlade’s roots, and the album’s production elevates this vision. Every track pulses with distinctly African rhythms, textures, and soul, courtesy of production masterclasses by P.Priime, Magic Sticks, Timmy, Dre Skull, Spax, Gear Boi, and others.
Oxlade also showcases his songwriting prowess and unshakable gift for melody, complemented by standout guest artists who deliver effortless contributions: Wande Coal’s smooth vocals on ASUNASA – HOLD YOUR WAIST, to Dave’s introspective input on INTOXYCATED, Fally Ipupa’s native verse on IFA, to Popcaan’s Jamaican vibes on BLESSED, Flavour’s vocal aura on OVAMI, down to Tomi Owó’s soothing voice on ON MY MIND- OMM and Sarkodie’s fiery verse on OLOLUFE.
Notably, Oxlade bridges continental sounds, collaborating with legends like Congo’s Fally Ipupa and weaving cultural depth into tracks like TAMUNO INTERLUDE, which features a haunting chant in Nigeria’s Ibani language. A bold fusion of tradition and modernity, the album not only honours Oxlade’s heritage but invites listeners worldwide to experience Africa’s sonic richness.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Standout Tracks: KATIGORI, BLESSED, VANITY, OFA, RMF, OMALICHA
