Nigeria: Fireboy DML drops new single

‘Playboy’ was released by YBNL Nation/Empire and is the title track of the artist’s forthcoming third LP which the singer says is due before summer. It follows Fireboy’s recent appearance on the remix of American pop veteran Madonna’s 1998 hit ‘Frozen’. 

Thematically, the Afrobeats jam addresses Fireboy’s affection for the fast life and his knack for unleashing earworms. 

Since the release of his debut album in 2019, Fireboy has gone on to become one of the most successful names in the Afrobeats circles. Days ago, his ‘Peru’ remix featuring English singer Ed Sheeran was certified gold in the UK. Last month, the artist was awarded an achievement plaque by Audiomack for surpassing 350 million streams on the music streaming platform.

The singer recently wrapped his first US tour which kicked off in Providence, Rhode Island, in February and ended in Seattle, Washington. Speaking to Billboard, which named him the R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month for March, Fireboy DML described the tour as 'crazy” and hectic'.

“It’s very exciting going from city to city, not knowing what kind of crowd you’re going to get. Not knowing what kind of energy you’re going to get, but always going there and killing it,” he said. “And [I’m] meeting and greeting my fans, personally signing autographs, sleeping on the bus, bonding with my band and my team. I’m normally never good at making friends, but I think I made a couple of friends on tour. It was an experience I’ll never forget.”

On the direction of his new album, Fireboy said: “Change is very important. I needed to feel that change before I even started working on the album. After Apollo, I was still in that zone. But [during] that trip to the United States, my headspace changed. And when my headspace changes, it’s time for a new album. And this album has the same energy you get when you listen to ‘Peru’ – no overthinking, no time-wasting, straight to the point. There’s depth, there’s intensity, of course, but there is no vulnerability at all. It’s screaming, ‘This is who you are. Stop living your life in a cage, just come out.’”