I Had A Hard Time Naming My Song ‘Okunkun’ — Spotify’s EQUAL Africa Artiste, Solana

Multi-faceted singer and songwriter, Solana, has been named Spotify’s EQUAL Africa Artiste for October. Known for her intentional visual identity and genre-bending sound, which spans alt-R&B, electronic, and pop while drawing heavily from her Yoruba roots, Solana is steadily building a sonic world entirely her own. The EQUAL Africa programme celebrates and amplifies women artistes across the continent. Highlighting Solana’s unique pan-African appeal, Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, noted: “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.” Solana’s selection is anchored by her featured single, Okunkun, a Yoruba-language track exploring resilience through life’s darker moments. This recognition coincides with a busy season for the rising star, including her first South African performance at Spotify’s EQUAL Artiste Showcase in Johannesburg on October 14, and the release of her upcoming single, O Ri Mi, dropping October 16. Growing up on Nigerian icons like King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, and Lagbaja, Solana channels her heritage into deeply emotional self-expression, actively sharing this creative journey with her dedicated fan base, known as ‘Lanterns’. TOMI FALADE brings excerpts.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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; no matter the obstacles, I still come out shining, and I’m super grateful for this opportunity.

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 to express 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 will definitely see how good life can get. Just identify what feels like darkness to you, and flee from it.

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 that music is 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.

What is that one surprising thing your fans might not know about you?

I love video games. I’m mainly a Fortnite girly.

Tomi Falade – Life Editor Tomi is an experienced editor at Daily Independent with a flair for scripting extraordinary stories. Having served as the Entertainment Editor at Independent, she covers all things lifestyle, arts, entertainment, music, moviedom, fashion, tourism and other sister genres. In the last decade, she has written hundreds of art, literary, fashion, music and movie reviews and is touted as a fair critic and a critical voice in the Nigerian creative industry. Just recently, she was unanimously elected as the Vice-Chairman, Arts and Culture Writers Association of Nigeria. She has a demonstrated history of working in Event Management, Journalism, Media Relations, Corporate Communications, with strong ties to the print media community. Currently on her third book, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, she is the author of Olobun: Matriarch of Ondo, Mother of Legacy, and the much acclaimed collection of short stories, Dates From Hell.

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