Every year, the Nigerian music scene pulls off a miracle: it births a new generation of artists who altogether redefine the soundscape, challenge the old guard and give us new songs to obsess over. From Afrobeats to alternative, street-pop, R&B to hip-hop, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of creative and boundary-pushing artists.
I’ve done the search, sifting through the independent releases, the sleeper hits and the underground gems to identify important voices.
These are the ten Nigerian artists who should be on your radar: rising stars and underrated talents whose music, style and vision promise to make them impossible to ignore.
Jamz FR
What makes Jamz FR exciting is her fusion of styles and her ability to navigate between bangers and introspective tunes. She taps into the essence of Afropop while layering in influences from R&B and reggae‑tinged vocal styles. When artistry is rooted in authentic experiences and a lifelong love of music, you’ll get songs with clarity and heart like “Sober”, “Lose Ya” and her latest “Jamzy Vibe.”
Reehaa
Reehaa stands out because she brings a female presence to a space often dominated by male streetpop acts. She has a music style grounded in both tradition and contemporary youth expression. She writes about real experiences and youthful perspectives in ways that feel relatable to her generation, not as an imitation but as an authentic voice of her own. Her songs often blend Yoruba and Pidgin English and lends her music cultural depth and broad appeal.
Her music carries both upbeat tracks and more introspective ones. Her recent singles, such as “Sati Ramoni” and collaborations with artists like Shallipopi and DJ Neptune, demonstrate her growing confidence, versatility and relevance. She’s increasingly seen not just as a rising woman in music, but as a contender shaping the future of Nigerian Street-Pop.
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Musta4a
The velvety falsetto of Musta4a’s voice distinguishes him from his peers in the Nigerian contemporary music scene. Across Afropop, R&B and those hazy, soul-leaning pockets where emotions reside, he operates with ease. Though he’s a lover at heart, his songwriting stitches reflection and youthful exuberance that feel admiringly dreaming or lived in. Both approaches work for him.
His latest release, Musty & Yugo Vol. 1, an EP with Yugoszn, is proof of his instincts for forward-thinking collaborations and his ability to create chemistry. He’s growing his catalogue, he’s signed to a major publisher (Sony Music Publishing (West Africa)), and momentum is gathering around him. All these suggest one thing: a fuller evolution is on the horizon, and next year might be when it finally tips.
Abstraktt
Abtraktt’s journey from underground releases to broader acclaim shows a creative restlessness that refuses to sit still. His music weaves hip-hop, trap, and afrobeats to convey everyday experiences. Abstraktt’s first EP, The Yellow Tape, marks a turning point and showcases his ability to shift between introspective storytelling and high‑energy tracks that groove just as hard as his lyrical raps. His latest, Uncle Yellow, showcases his approach as rhythm‑forward hip‑hop that favours versatility over genre limits.
With a growing catalogue that resonates with a broad audience and a knack for memorable hooks, Abstraktt is an artist worth watching as he pushes his Hip‑Hop style into 2026 and beyond.
Elestee
From her early appearances opening for Ladipoe to her breakthrough releases, Elestee has demonstrated a range across styles, blending rap with Afropop. Her debut projects, Lifesize Teddy and POISN, showcase her lyrical ability, vocal flexibility and willingness to cross genre lines. Tracks like “Space”, featuring Ajebo Hustlers, have become some of her most-streamed songs, helping establish her presence in the Nigerian music landscape.
Elestee can deliver tight rap verses, shift into sung choruses and adapt her voice to different moods. She refines her sound with every release. Her recent EP, Mentally I’m Here, marks another step in her journey, showcasing her growth and her determination to seize her moment.
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Syntax, The Creator
Ibadan remains a breeding ground for alternative artists and musicians experimenting with music in a constantly evolving way. Syntax, The Creator is one of those artists and he makes music that takes listeners into spaces of introspection, celebration and creative expansiveness.
His Room 203 (2024) and Rvivi (2025) EPs express this vividly, with collaborations and features that expand his sound. If experimentation is where your interests lie, this singer-producer is always ready to turn “What if..?” into “What is” with his music.
Fimi
Versatility sets Fimi apart. One moment, she’s dropping compelling, braggadocious and sensual rap verses. Next, she has flown into melodic hooks and artsy performances into her visuals, displaying the traits of zeitgeist hip-hop. She’s a new voice contributing to a growing space for authentic female participation in Nigerian Hip-Hop. In 2026, Fimi is an artist to watch.
oSHAMO
As Afrobeats expands, the most recent releases are fusions that incorporate other styles. oSHAMO is a new artist at the heart of this approach. Born in Lagos and now based in the UK, his music seamlessly mixes Afrobeat, Fuji, Amapiano, and hip-hop with exciting melodies that carry the heart of Nigerian musical heritage into new sonic spaces. His debut EP First of My Kind maps his journey from Agege to London and marks him as a storyteller as much as a performer.
On his new EP, I D R I S, he gets personal and transitions to both infectious dance-floor moments and introspective narratives. In his own way, he serves as a cultural bridge, threading the soul of Lagos into London’s global soundscape.
Sewà
Sewà grounds her music in Afro-soul, but with the gleams of R&B, jazz and pop. It’s a rich fusion that carries both mainstream and niche circles in its arms, but the speciality of Sewà’s music lies in her stories. She backs it up with her debut album, Detox. Every song is a sincere narrative, whether examining love, loss, reflection or personal growth.
With sold-out shows both in Toronto and Nigeria, including stage performances with established artists like Asa and The Cavemen., Sewà is emerging as one of the new, bold voices of alternative music in this part of the world.
Zaylevelten
Zaylevelten is one of Nigeria’s most compelling emerging voices in rap and alternative Afro‑fusion. He fuses street energy, trap influence and experimental sound into something distinctly his own. Zaylevelten’s breakout came through a series of strong releases and viral moments, especially a track like “Maye.” This song helped him build a loyal fanbase that connects with his unpolished and laid-back delivery.
He doesn’t chase trends, he shapes them, with glitchy trap styles, sharp flows and beats that defy easy categorisation. That experimental edge places him at the forefront of a new underground movement in Nigerian music. A key part of what makes Zaylevelten stand out is his work as a producer under the name Tenski. He plays a major role in crafting his own sound, producing much of his material, and ensuring identity, self-sufficiency and that the music reflects his vision from the ground up.
His recent project, 1t g0t crazy and its deluxe version, showcase his off‑kilter experimentation and street‑aware confidence, with features that also signal his growing influence.
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