10 Afrosoul Songs You Should Listen To in 2026

When most people hear Afrobeats, they quickly think of grooves. Legwork. Gbese. Gwara Gwara. For a long time, the genre has thrived on upbeat tunes, fast lyrics, high-energy sounds, and a lack of soul. Rema's Kelebu, for instance.

It's usually the sort of music you tear your shirt off to and lose yourself on the dance floors. One agreeable trait is that it is, at best, passion-heavy, and at worst, noisy.

However, Afrosoul, a subgenre that has emerged from Afrobeats, brings tenderness and soulfulness. It's the sort of music for slow mornings and romantic evenings. It allows tenderness and release. It sits with your loneliness, fondles it, and offers you warmth.

Here are my top 10 Afrosoul song picks for 2026.

10. Caricature by Fola 

Starting strong, Fola's Caricature is that song. It reminds you of lost love and emotional distance, the ache of wanting something that now exists out of your reach. Fola's vocal texture breathes tenderness and warmth. The instrumental is deliberately sparse with gentle drums and a backdrop piano that feels dangerously familiar. There's an intimacy here that makes you recall your favorite ex. Everything about this song exudes softness.

9. Après Minuit by Wizkid (feat. Tiakola)

Wizkid's Après Minuit is the perfect song for romantic evenings. It's the song that helps you heal after a breakup. Tiakola's French lyrics and occasional refrain spool over the tongue nicely and are the icing on the cake. With this song, Wizkid matches soul with a little grooviness in an all-too-fascinating way. The hi-hat and kick drum glide so well in this song; it is gorgeously melodious.

8. Tonight by Nonso Amadi

Nonso Amadi's Tonight is a classic. He dropped this masterpiece for us in 2016 and then disappeared into thin air until 2025. I remember downloading this song over my Opera Mini browser and listening to it back-to-back with my 200 naira earpiece back in the day. It's a song of self-affirmation and return to one's own love and peace. Nonso's vocals properly deliver the softness that the song intends. 

7. Free Mind by Tems

Tems' vocals are raw in a transcendental way that engulfs your soul and layers you into a higher plane. This song explores a unique subject matter: escape. A lot of afrobeat songs never touch on matters as this. Escape as necessity, born from soul-starvation, pain, and a guttural cry for relief. Tems' Free Mind is that song, exploring a restless mind that endlessly longs for peace and release.

6. Arike by Kunmie

Honestly, Kunmie is highly underrated, even though a very talented artist in the afrobeat space. This song is a classic. The background vocals pleat beautifully with the piano and drums in such amazing polyrhythm. This song is for those with expensive taste. Kunmie's vocals are likable for the elasticity that lets vulnerability seep into his songs. His songs are generally emotionally worn, inviting. 

5. Faceless by Venus feat Serotonin

This song creates excitement in my brain. The calm tune, coupled with the lyrics, is soothing to the heart. The song is indeed serotonin since it caters to the mind's wellness. It's the perfect vibe for slow mornings and long drives. There is just a tenderness running through the track, lending it its unique rhythmic quality. The hi-hat, kick drums, and piano are in a sparse but consistent convo without overcrowding each other. The song is less about its vocals than it is about everything else. 

4. Soso by Omah Lay

A personal favorite, Omah Lay's sound has a way of animating emotion. There is an aching honesty at the heart of Soso. I probably played the song at least a thousand times in 2022 when it came through. The song taps into a tender and addictive confessionalism that breathes all through the lyrics. Omah Lay's vocal texture also perfectly embodies the emotion of his music, leaving an imprint.

3. Running (To You) by Simi & Chike

Two favourites coming together and delivering exactly what you’d hope for. Running (To You) has long earned its place as an Afrosoul staple. Chike’s vocals are mellifluous, and his delivery is tender. Simi matches him with equal grace; her voice is light and emotionally precise. Together, their harmonies feel organic. There’s a softness to Running (To You) that makes it the song that easily draws you to the brink of tears. Also, the perfect song for a couple's dance on the wedding day.

2. Believe Me by Johnny Drille

This song is, quite literally, sweet. There’s no better word for it. Don Jazzy’s vocals, carefully interspersed with Johnny Drille’s, create an intimacy that feels effortless and intoxicating. Their voices fold into each other, softening the edges of the song. The deep bass anchors the track, grounding its warmth while allowing the lighter elements to float. Believe Me is not your regular love song. It has emotional depth, an attentiveness to trust, reassurance, and vulnerability.

1. I Go Nowhere by Dwin, The Stoic

Dwin, The Stoic remains my favourite voice in the Afrobeats space, so it’s no surprise that this song sits at the top of the list for me. But beyond personal bias, the track genuinely raises the bar for what a contemporary love song can be. Listen for yourself and let me know what you think of Dwin. There’s a literal depth to his voice that gives his music a peculiar and instantly recognisable flavour. The lyrics and vocals combine to give a deeply soulful love song that is affecting as it is romantic.

So these are my top 10 Afrosoul picks for 2026. I hope you enjoy. Here's a Spotify playlist with all the songs too!

Iheoma Uzomba likes to yap about film, music, literature, and everything pop-culture related. She is a performance poet, multimedia artist, and filmmaker. Currently, she serves as artist-in-residence with the University of Calgary's Libraries and Cultural Resources. Find her on Instagram @oma_is_loud