Spotify has named multi-faceted singer and songwriter Solana as its EQUAL Africa Artist for October. The selection spotlights a rising, boundary-pushing artist known for her world-building, intentional visual identity and evolving sound, which spans alt-R&B, electronic and pop, while drawing from her Nigerian roots and Yoruba cultural influences.
The EQUAL Africa programme celebrates, supports, and amplifies women artists across the continent, connecting their music with global audiences. Solana’s recognition comes during a milestone month in her career, anchored by her featured single, Okunkun, a Yoruba-language track that explores resilience through life’s darker moments. The spotlight also coincides with her first performance in South Africa at Spotify’s EQUAL Artist Showcase in Johannesburg on 14 October, marking her first opportunity to bring her live world to audiences across the country.
Solana’s artistry is defined by intentional visual and sonic storytelling. From her signature hairstyle to her urbanised use of traditional/native attire and fashion-forward, experimental aesthetic, she is building a visual identity that is her own. Her world-building also extends to her fan community, known as Lanterns, whom she continues to bring closer to her creative journey through exclusive first-listens, intimate meet-ups, newsletters and other experiences.
Growing up listening to Nigerian music icons like King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, and Lagbaja, Solana channels her roots into authentic and emotionally driven self-expression. As her artistry evolves, she plans to introduce audiences to the different dimensions of her sound, gradually exploring electronic, alt-R&B and pop.
Her October EQUAL Africa feature sets the stage for a busy rollout season, beginning with her upcoming single O Ri Mi, dropping on 16 October, followed by her anticipated EP, Girl from the West, Act I, on 6 November.
Phiona Okumu, Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa at Spotify, says: “Solana has built a world that’s so entirely her own, and yet somehow anyone who grew up African will recognise at least one corner of it. Her sound is one that requires no passport. EQUAL exists to champion this refreshing balance, and we’re thrilled to bring her to a South African stage for the first time this October.”
Speaking on her selection and navigating the music industry, Solana shared: “Light will always shine because that’s what it is created to do.’ As a woman, it’s a fact that it can be harder for people to take you seriously, but I’ve accepted that as a people problem, not mine. Consciously, I just show up as Solana, incredibly talented. Being part of the EQUAL programme makes me feel seen, [and] that no matter the obstacles, I still come out shining. I’m super grateful for this opportunity.”
We sat down with Solana to learn more about her and her music:
1. What is that one surprising thing your fans might not know about you?
I love video games. I’m mainly a Fortnite girly.
2. When did you realise that making music was in your destiny, and what is your WHY for pursuing this craft?
Music has always been a form of expression for me since I can remember. I’m a girl of few words. I don’t talk a lot, so music has always been my safe space and escape.
3. Which African songs or artists did you grow up listening to?
My mom used to play a lot of King Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey. Then, I discovered Lagbaja and so many other artists and songs from watching music videos on TV. That used to be something I looked forward to doing every day.
4. To someone who has never heard your music, how would you describe the sound, tone, and style?
I just use the word “expression” because my sound and style is so many different things tied to one thing, which is expressing myself and my emotions in the way that feels most authentic to me.
5. Any advice for someone dreading following their dreams?
Yes, please keep showing up for yourself. Cry when you have to, fall when you have to, but don’t stay down. Keep showing up for you.
6. How do you navigate the music space as a woman artist and how does your unique perspective shape your artistry?
It’s a fact that as a woman, it’s harder for people to take you seriously, but I’ve just accepted that as a people problem, not mine. So, consciously when I show up, I’m not showing up as a woman or a man or anything, I’m just showing up as Solana who is incredibly talented, and I think that ultimately shows up in the way I express myself in my art.
7. Please share a quote about your experience navigating the male-dominated world of music and what being a part of the EQUAL programme means to you.
“Light will always shine because that’s what it is created to do.” It makes me feel seen, that no matter the obstacles, I still come out shining, and I’m super grateful for this opportunity.
8. This month, we’re highlighting your track, “Okunkun.” What themes or messages do you explore with the track?
The title of the song means “darkness”. I had a hard time making this the name of the song, but I realised it fits perfectly with the message I’m trying to pass across. Everyone goes through darkness from time to time. Some people see a way out, while some don’t, they just get lost in it. What I tried expressing in this song [and to myself] is: keep moving forward, don’t stay in that darkness. Life is too beautiful for you to waste it away in darkness, and when you step out of the dark, you would definitely see how good life can get. Just identify what feels like darkness to you, and flee from it.
9. Your EQUAL Africa Showcase performance will be your first time on stage in South Africa! What makes performing across the continent special for you?
This is something I’ve wanted to do for the longest. I’m a true believer of music being something that connects people and brings them together and it’s basically me bringing people into my own world. It just makes me super excited. It’s like me seeing people step into the world that made and shaped me into the woman that I am and the woman that I will continue to grow into.
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