Nigerian street star Seyi Vibez has partnered with EMPIRE on new music, and released a new single called “Pressure” as part of the new deal.
The song, more low-key than the gritty street vibe on which the artist has built his career thus far, “is a complete shift from my usual sound,” Seyi Vibez said in a statement announcing the release. “It leans into melody, intimacy and raw emotion. It’s smoother, softer and more intentional. I wanted to show my range, to prove that I can give you fire and tenderness in the same breath. This track is about the quiet power of love and attention. Sometimes the loudest statement is how you move when no one’s watching. That’s real pressure.”
Still just 24, Seyi Vibez burst onto the Nigerian music scene in 2022 with debut album Billion Dollar Baby, mixing a variety of genres and styles into his own sound that captured the rhythms of his neighborhood in Lagos. Since then, he has proved prolific, dropping a series of singles, albums and EPs, most recently February’s Children of Africa, which saw all four of its songs reach the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, and his catalog has racked up north of 400 million on-demand streams in the U.S. alone, according to Luminate. Along the way, he’s collaborated with the likes of Burna Boy, Olamide, Young Jonn, Kizz Daniel, BNXN, Russ and NLE Choppa, among others.
“We are happy to partner with Seyi Vibez, an artist whose vocal dexterity and versatility truly stand out,” said Mobolaji Kareem, EMPIRE’s regional head of West Africa, in a statement. “He is a great fit and we look forward to helping his continued growth as a global artist.”
“I’m stepping into this new chapter with the spirit of my ancestors,” added Seyi. “I carry the energy of Orisa: the guardian, the protector, the voice of the city.”
Check out the new song below.
