When an artiste reaches the decade-mark in an industry as fast-moving as African pop, the temptation to rest on established formulas is high. Yet, Afropop queen Yemi Eberechi Alade has never been one for comfort zones; she continues to stand as a pillar of unapologetic African authenticity. For over a decade, she has stood not at the edges of pop culture but at its centre, steering its direction. Whether filling arenas in Paris or connecting audiences across languages and borders, she is a living picture of the power, vibrancy, and endurance of the African woman in music. In her landmark self-titled album, It’s Yemi Alade, the multi-award-winning powerhouse delivers a cross-continental master-class that marries fearless reinvention with deep-rooted authenticity. Named after suggestions from her fans, the 16-track project reflects her willingness to experiment, reconnect with her roots, and explore sounds beyond Afrobeats and Highlife. From working with Don Jazzy, Ferre Gola, Bien, Teni, and Fave to embracing disco, Kompa, and techno influences, the queen of Afrosounds in this interview with DANIEL ANAZIA breaks down the drive behind the project, the magic of her cross-continental collaborations, and why true originality will always be the ultimate bestseller.

You have a new album out now. Can you tell us what makes it different from your past projects?
The album is a very special one to me, especially because I made it in a way that is very spectacular. It is a fan-titled album. For the first time ever, I felt like I wanted to share the process of giving my album a title with the people who matter the most — my fans, and they came through for me. They sent several titles, over 200 options. But the name that kept coming up; the title that kept coming up, was ‘It’s Yemi Alade’. They wanted a self-titled album, and I went for it. Aside from that, the most spectacular part of everything is the composition of the album. I went with the strategy of “something new, something old, something borrowed.” Something old is me going back to my roots, my highlight days, and really pushing that forward. Something borrowed would be me jumping on sounds that I don’t necessarily do; sounds outside of Afrobeat or Highlife, like the kind of techno music that you listen to in Ibiza. I explored Kompa, I also infused disco at some point, and I fused that with highlife. And something new would be me almost rapping, because I started off falling in love with music through rap.

My journey towards becoming a musician started with me truly falling in love with rap music.

You collaborated with some music industry heavyweights like Don Jazzy on the project. Tell us about that and any other collaboration?
The album features several collaborations from Nigeria, East Africa, and different parts of the world.

It’s a very rich celebration of African sounds, cultures, and musical collaborations. I had opportunity to work with Don Jazzy, and honestly, that was a dream come true for me. Beyond his incredible artistry, he’s someone I deeply respect and see as a mentor, so having him on this album means a lot to me. There’s also Ferre Gola, and who doesn’t know Ferre Gola? He recently sold out a 60,000-capacity stadium in Paris in July, which is an incredible achievement. I’m really excited about what we created together. I also have two incredible female powerhouses from East Africa, Njarae and Sofiya Nzau, both from Kenya. They’ve done tremendously well for themselves, and I can’t wait for the world to hear what we’ve created together. There’s also Bien from East Africa, who is like a brother to me. He was previously part of the group Sauti Sol, and he has gone on to build an incredible career of his own.

Beyond the music, he’s such a genuine soul, and I’m really happy we got to collaborate. Then I have Teni and Fave, my ladies. For the first time ever, I actually have more women than men featured on my album, and I think that’s pretty spectacular. It’s not necessarily about gender. I’m simply a genuine fan of these artistes and their music, and I’m truly happy to have them be part of this project. And, of course, there’s Jeriq from the East of Nigeria, because, you know, you have to represent. Ultimately, the focus throughout this album was very simple: good music and good music only. I wanted to work with people I admire, explore different sounds, and bring together artists from different parts of Af­rica and the world to create something that feels fresh, authentic, and truly special.

What experiences were unique to making this new body of work, and how would you say your sound has evolved over the years?
I think the word that best captures the evolution of my sound, the unique experiences I’ve encountered, and the journey of creating this album, It’s Yemi Alade, is audacious. I’ve been fearless about creating sounds that people may not traditionally associate with me, and about speaking my mind regardless of outside opinions. I’m making music on my own terms, enjoying the process on my own terms, and allowing myself the freedom to explore. More than anything, I hope this music connects with people who are living, evolving, discovering themselves, and embracing their own individuality. Because for me, this album is about freedom, the freedom to be unapologetically myself.

If you were to describe this album as a course food dish: starter, main dish, dessert – what would it be?
I think I’ll give you two starters because I like options. The starters would be Don’t Be Shy, the song with Njarae, and General Market. For the main dishes, it would definitely be Al Beeke, featuring Jazzy, and Coco Na Yam, featuring Ferre Gola. Then, for dessert options: Alhaja and the song with Njarae and Sofiya Nzau, which is the Earth song.

The world is listening to Afrobeats now. What advice would you offer to the upcoming generation of musicians about scaling their craft to global standards?
My advice to the new generation of musicians trying to scale their craft and take it to the global level is simple, originality is a bestseller. It’s so important for every one of us to find our own version of originality and run with it. Don’t be afraid to sound different; don’t be afraid to be yourself. Find that thing that makes you unique and make it your strength, because ultimately, your originality is your special power. It’s what sets you apart, and that’s what the world will remember you for.

Let’s go back down memory lane, before the ‘Peak Talent Show’, which brought you into the limelight and made the whole world know the kind of talent that you embody. Who was Yemi Eberechi Alade?
I was just a young teenager trying to navigate the idea of life, obviously attending school. School was the basis of my living, literally, but I loved music; I lived for music; I loved to dance. I grew up in a very strict household. And so the only way I could feel like I was alive was to soak myself in all the extracurricular activities that were in school. So from dance to acting to all of that, I was that girl that was out there. But my deal with my mom was that I had to make sure that I brought home good grades. So growing up, I was just that girl trying to understand life, who loved music and dance.

Many wonder how you took on music, a career that has transcended genres, cultures, and languages, and taken it to another level. You’ve taken the stage for great collaborations. Did you find music, or music found you?
I just knew that I wanted to be a mega superstar, and I didn’t know how, and I’m thankful that I surrounded myself with the right people who believed in the vision. I feel like Africa chose me before I even chose Africa. And I feel like music also chose me before I chose music because music was my hobby.

But I had no plans of really making it a proper career, like the one thing that I would use or do as a source of living. I never really considered that 100 percent. I mean, I pursued music everywhere from the church to the school choir, but I was just having fun. It was a hobby for me, but the inspiration to now make it an actual career dawned on me when I won the talent show, a contest that I participated in. When I became the winner, it just occurred to me that I could actually get more from this hobby than I had actually thought, because it wasn’t logical for me.

You have excelled in a space — the entertainment industry — that is considered hard for female folks. How are you able to do it?
Which space is easy for women? There is an unwritten rule that we have to work double the time, double the hours, and put in double the effort to rise above all possible doubts. And these are rules that were not written anywhere. It is just in the atmosphere; it’s as if the systems of the world are structured in a way that limits the woman and makes the woman push herself beyond her own boundaries just to prove one point. And I think the secret is that even when, as a woman, you find yourself in a world that seems to be against you, you just have to do it irrespective. And most importantly, don’t wait for them to give it to you; earn it; take it; break down the walls. Break down the doors and take what’s yours because what’s truly yours might be delayed but cannot be denied, you know.

Is it getting easier for women now on the continent?
Easier for who? On this continent, people are just a little more accepting. I feel like people are just a little more accepting and women need to continue coming out in their thousands and millions to continue to push the envelope to continue to take and conquer and occupy space. The more we occupy space and the more we remember that we should also open the door for the woman next to us, we will continue to continue to better ourselves.

Talking about self-worth and value: how are you able to demand your worth?
It’s simple: demand, ask, and it shall be given. You have a mouth; use it and say what you want, and while you’re doing it, back it up with your work.

You are one artiste who sings in different African languages. What does that representation mean for you?
The first language that I translated my music to was actually French, and it was born out of curiosity. I felt a very strong calling from a lot of French-speaking African countries, and I would see them at my performances on the front stage. They’ll be singing my songs and they don’t speak English. They don’t speak pidgin, they don’t speak any of my native languages, and I just thought, why don’t I do something that’s even dearer to them. Sing in their language and just show them that I truly hear them. And that’s where my curiosity and my desire to start translating my music started. And from there, I went on to Swahili to Portuguese. I don’t necessarily have to speak a language completely because, as a musician, I have certain songs on my playlist that I don’t know what the person is singing, but I can feel what they’re singing. And it’s that emotion, that connection that led me to want to translate some of my songs to other languages so that I can connect truly and wholeheartedly with people who love my music.

Some fans describe you as the new ‘Mama Africa’, and some indicators allude to the fact, as you have been seen taking up the persona. How have you been able to stay relevant all these years?
That is an everyday job, and I feel like my focus is not just to stay relevant; it’s just to be me. So, I’m just continuously being myself. I’m creative at heart, and creation is my actual job. So, I’m just doing me and getting by.

Speaking of structures, some artistes say there is no structure and enabling environment. They claim that the industry is powering itself. Is that something that African governments, Nigeria in particular, are not doing right?
In the past, one of our biggest problems was piracy. As creatives, our creations are our legacies. They are our bread and butter. And sometimes there are some people who only get one stroke of genius for their entire life. But we are robbed of that in Africa because we don’t have systems that protect the artiste, preserve the artistry, and ensure longevity. So we tend to have artistes who are big for a period of time, and then they disappear. But they’re alive. What happens to their work? Their work has been pirated. There’s plagiarism everywhere. And then there is no way to even fight the corrupt system that is eating the rot because we don’t have a government that sees the value in our almost intangible industry.