Afro-Pop Prince Oxlade is ready to elevate Afrobeats worldwide with his vibrant new single, ‘IFA’, featuring the Congolese legend Fally Ipupa. This energetic and passionate love anthem is set to be the song of the summer and serves as the latest release from Oxlade’s highly anticipated debut album, ‘Oxlade From Africa (OFA)’, scheduled for release on Friday, September 20, 2024. 

‘IFA (If I)’ is a heartfelt and confident declaration of love. It blends the vibrant Ivorian Coupé-Décalé style with the infectious rhythms of Afrobeats and ties it all together with an irresistibly catchy hook. Produced by the talented Egar Boi(Tekno/Yemi Alade), IFA features Oxlade’s unique vocals harmonizing with Fally Ipupa’s smooth French tenor. The result is an uplifting, mid-tempo song enriched with deep bass, drums, and subtle hints of a violin, making it the perfect summer love song. 

When asked about ‘IFA’, Oxlade shares, “I’m serenading a woman in a mix of Coupé-Décalé and Afrobeats. It’s me saying if I ever get the chance to be your man, I will choose you before everybody. I’m giving her confidence that she’s the only one, with vivid images and cheeky metaphors.”

Oxlade has become a dominant force in the music industry, consistently topping charts and performing on global stages. His track ‘Ku Lo Sa’ earned double platinum in Switzerland and platinum in Canada, France, and Germany, amassing over 541 million streams and a nomination for “Best Afrobeats Song” at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards. With chart-topping singles and collaborations with icons like Bob Marley and Whitney Houston, Oxlade has proven himself a monumental talent. His exceptional skills have also attracted the attention of stars like Usher and Wizkid, who have shared the stage with him in Ghana and Paris, respectively. Recently, Oxlade captivated audiences at DLT Malta 2024 and delivered an unforgettable performance to 157,000 attendees at Sudoeste, further solidifying his status as a global music sensation. 

‘IFA’ is a love song and dance hit that marks another phase in the Love Dimension of the Oxyverse, giving listeners a glimpse of what’s to come from the rest of the album. It’s available on all streaming platforms now!

Oxlade is an Afro-Pop singer and songwriter hailing from Lagos, Nigeria. This crooner is best known for his rich harmonies and signature falsetto. As a frontline artist of the new wave of Afrobeats, his poetic penmanship and heartfelt lyrics really strike a chord with his core following: The Oxygenes.

Though he is hailed as a break-out star from Surulere, Olaitan “Oxlade” Abdulrahman Ikuforiji, born on 22 April 1997, was actually raised in Mushin, Lagos. His journey into music started when he joined the school choir. This sparked a passion for singing, songwriting and experimenting with sound.

In 2018, the Afro-Pop star released three tracks before his breakthrough single, ‘Shugar’. This garnered significant attention from music executives and fans alike. Oxlade’s continued success led to high-profile collaborations with notable artists such as Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Camila Cabello and Davido. The singer continues to soar with career achievements including standout performances to 20,000 at the O2 Arena in London and 21,000 at Accor Arena, Paris. Oxlade’s highly acclaimed EP, ‘Oxygene’, featured the hit single ‘Away’, which received recognition from Rolling Stone.

2022 was a momentous year for Oxlade as he signed with Epic Records France, expanding his global reach. His single ‘Want You’ made a significant chart impact and the viral hit ‘Ku Lo Sa – A Colors Show’ achieved remarkable success. The single reached the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs Chart, UK Afrobeats Singles Chart and achieved Platinum status in multiple countries. The green-tinted video for ‘Ku Lo Sa’ was a massive hit, garnering almost 100 million views on YouTube (to date) and becoming the third most-watched COLORSxSTUDIOS video of all time. The song was also nominated for “Best Afrobeats Song” at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards and named one of the best Afro-Pop songs of 2022 by Complex and Rolling Stone. Oxlade’s upward trajectory is evident. Highlights include performing with Usher, featuring in Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty Fashion Show, and becoming the first artist on Pandora’s ‘Africa Next.’

Fally Ipupa N’simba (born December 14, 1977), is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist, guitarist, and producer. He signed with Obouo Productions in 2006 for his debut solo album, ‘Droit Chemin’, which quickly achieved gold status by selling over 100,000 copies in its first month. In 2007, Ipupa won the Césaire de la Musique for Best Male Performer and became the first Congolese artist to sell out Paris’s Olympia Hall.

In 2013, he received the Trace Urban Music Award for Best African Artist and signed with the French label AZ. His fourth album, ‘Tokooos’, earned gold and platinum certifications from SNEP. On October 17, 2022, he released his seventh album, ‘Formule 7’, which garnered over three million Spotify streams in 24 hours and topped French iTunes sales.

In 2014, Forbes ranked Ipupa as the sixth richest African musician, and Jeune Afrique named him one of the fifty most influential African artists in 2018. He is the most-streamed French-speaking artist on Boomplay and the most-followed Congolese artist on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Stream IFA on Spotify here