[Interview] Well-Known Nigerian Musician, Wande Coal, Set to Release a New Album in May
- By Omose Ighodaro
- April 21, 2023
Wande Coal, one of Africa's most well-known musicians, pre-released Let Them Know for millions of his fans on Thursday, making it the third pre-released tune from his upcoming 13-track album. The musical superstar is set to release his fourth studio album, Legend or No Legend, on Wednesday, May 17th - three years after his previous album, Realms.
Since his last album release, Wande Coal featured in singles like Gentility which topped Apple Music charts in 2022 after the song went viral on TikTok. In June that same year, the singer-songwriter debuted his first U.S. tour in nearly ten years and sold out shows in cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
"Now that I'm back, it's a greater picture," Wande Coal said in an AfroVibes interview before his New York performance. "Music is one now so, I'm happy."
Wande Coal's music is a blend of genres that creates a sound uniquely Nigerian yet accessible to a global audience. In 2019, he signed with the global record label and distribution company, Empire, and has since collaborated with several other well-known Nigerian acts including WizKid, Wale, and Davido - helping to foster a growing sense of camaraderie within Nigeria's music industry. Wande Coal, who broke onto the scene in 2005, is said to have played an important role for Afrobeats during its early rise.
"What has made me continue throughout the years would be knowing that after a lot of hard work, there's always a success story after that," he said reflecting on how the sound has since become mainstream. "Africa to the world."
AfroVibes' interview with Wande Coal. Interviewer, Omose Ighodaro.