Entertainment

Adekunle Gold celebrates roots with powerful Fuji album

Published on October 2, 2025

Adekunle Gold Fuji album marks a vibrant return to tradition as the Nigerian singer unveils his sixth studio record, a homage to the ancestral sounds of his heritage.

Released on Friday, the album — titled Fuji — weaves the energetic pulse of traditional Yoruba music with the smooth appeal of modern R&B.

Also read: Adekunle Gold FUJI Album Celebrates Love, Identity

Speaking in Paris, Gold described the record as a love letter to Lagos and to the rhythms that shaped Nigeria’s rich sonic identity.

“That sound is the soundtrack of Lagos,” said the 38-year-old artist. “It gave birth to Afrobeats and all the music we hear now.”

A descendant of the Kosoko royal family, Gold’s music is deeply rooted in Yoruba tradition. With Fuji, he revives a genre born from the spiritual and cultural practices of Yoruba Muslims in the 1960s — a style made famous by the late pioneer Ayinde Barrister.

The album is more than a stylistic turn. It’s a powerful emotional journey through Gold’s personal life — his grief, his love, and his fatherhood.

“I talk about my grief when I lost my father. I talk about my love life, my daughter, about being a family man,” he shared.

Known by fans as AG Baby, Adekunle Gold found early success after his One Direction cover went viral in 2014. Since then, he’s signed with Def Jam Recordings and collaborated with global icons like Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams.

Despite his current home in the United States, Gold insists his heart remains firmly in Nigeria. “Fuji, Highlife, every sound from Nigeria makes you feel alive,” he said. “I feel like that’s why it does well.”

His recent duet Party No Dey Stop with Zinoleesky, full of vivid colours and Lagos energy, has pulled in over 29 million views on YouTube — his first breakout hit in the US.

Through this album, Adekunle Gold joins peers like Burna Boy and Davido in bridging Nigeria’s musical past with the global future.