Afropop queen, Yemi Eberechi Alade, popularly known as Yemi Alade, is back with a bang, and she’s not holding back. The songstress has just dropped her latest single, Shawa Shawa, and it’s a game-changer.
Produced by longtime collaborator and Grammy-nominated musician and audio engineer, DeeYasso, Shawa Shaw is a bright and colourful fusion of afropop, with the timeless tilt of calypso and highlife music, wrapped in Yemi Alade’s signature vocal prowess and captivating performance. It’s a thought-provoking track from the music diva as she begins to tease towards her 2026 album and accompanying world tour.
Released on Thursday, November 13 via Effyzzie Music, Shawa Shawa caps off an eventful 2025 for the Johnny hitmaker, which began with her first solo Grammy award nomination, two cover stories with Forbes Africa and OkayAfrica, birthed a series of chart-topping and fan-favourite hit singles including Worry featuring Fave, My Padi, and Mbali, and culminated in the launch of her bold cosmetics brand Yem Beauty.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the single and how it came about, Yemi Alade says, “Life happens all around us every day and this song merely just touches on the oldest profession in the world, and Shawa Shawa takes you back to the basics of celebrating the roots of African culture. Many stories have been told through this medium and that was exactly my goal when I wrote this song.”
With its radiant soundscape, unforgettable chorus, and relatable perspectives, Shawa Shawa reaffirms Yemi Alade’s evolution as a prolific storyteller and a standard-bearer for African pop music. It also sets the stage for her highly anticipated seventh studio album arriving next year, accompanied by her second world tour in less than three years.
The groove is warm and percussive, the hooks instant, and the storytelling candid, inviting listeners to dance while reflecting on the everyday truths that shape community life across the continent and far beyond.
With an award-winning discography that already includes six critically acclaimed albums, four stellar EPs, and a plethora of essential hit singles such as Johnny, Baddie, Africa, Oh My Gosh, Ferrari, and Tomorrow, Yemi Alade is revered as one of the biggest female afro-pop artiste on the African continent.
