The soothing guitar riffs that open Rela’s RnB-Pop jam, “Taste”, usher in the ambience of an exciting tune. Tucked with Afrobeats percussion, the song is a step further in the Nigerian musician’s odyssey in showcasing his distinct sound.

Reminiscent of his 2023 best-seller, “Fadekemi (remix)” featuring Nheyoo The Hype and Tiana Virgo, Rela rings through with his catchy enjambing cadence and mundane lyricism. The song tells a story of love, professing his affection to his lover and requesting her love in return. It has an overall catchy production that helps drive home the message.

The cherry on the cake for this record is its arrangement and catharsis. The song wraps one with a toddler’s grip, gentle but fierce, from the bridge to the chorus. It’s chorus, “…money make the world go round, now you have got it from me/ now you have gotten it from me, can I have a taste?”, feels sticky with the monotoned chorus. It’s also probably the most memorable part of the song, without being unfair to the supporting verses which actually show good storytelling.

Another laurel of the song is its subtle dancehall feel, accentuated with a rich blend of backing vocals and adjoining sounds or effects like whistles and log-drums. The music feels very danceable and it achieves its ambition of being a mood-lifting record. Save for its slow-burn start which could falsely showcase the song as sombre, the song is a mid-tempo airy tune that commands strong replay value.

Rela is an Independent Afro-beat artist currently based in the United Kingdom. His dynamic fusion of traditional African rhythms and contemporary sounds was positively received amongst Afrobeat lovers globally.

Born and raised in Lagos, Rela has been commended for his undeniable passion for storytelling through music. His journey into music began at 12 in church, where he honed his craft as a drummer. Over the years, his love for music evolved, leading him from being a disc jockey to a songwriter, artist and performer.

Rela burst onto the Afrobeats scene, in 2022, and has sustained his efforts as a musician with a string of hit singles, including ”Fadekemi,” “Let Them Know,” “Superstar,” “Everything,” and, now, “Taste.”