Keeping up with Burna Boy will make you understand how consistency breeds perfection because how do you explain going from L.I.F.E (2013) to I Told Them (2023)? Burna Boy’s evolution does not just span across his growth from Port Harcourt boy to Grammy award winning singer but the contrast of getting sidelined due to his unconventional sound and becoming a pioneer of Africa’s most popular genre.
L.I.F.E, Burna boy’s debut album was released in 2013, the period when afrobeats’ dominance struggled beyond the four walls of the continent. A rising Nigerian singer released an album with a solo producer that was tagged an ode to Fela Kuti and Bob Marley by mainstream media.
At this phase, Burna Boy’s sound was reckoned as a style that was bound to receive better reception with time but not much could be guaranteed during this phase of the desperate yearning of the global reception of afrobeats.
The successful but underreceived debut album was followed by a not so popular project two years later. “On a Spaceship” was Burna boy’s sophomore album which was received on the grounds of the future expectations of the singer. The album was released after Burna Boy’s prior split with his former label – Aristokrat Records. Apart from “Soke”, its successful lead single, the project is not popular for any other popular tracks, which shows its low impact compared to its predecessor.
“Redemption” was Burna Boy’s bridge to “Outside”, one of Burna Boy’s most outstanding projects till date. Redemption was a revival. Not one of Burna Boy’s history defining works but a critical turning point on the definition of his sound. Unlike his previous works, Redemption had just seven tracks. It felt like a message that read “I think I’ve found a good ground so, enjoy this short story while I prepare for something bigger”. And the “something bigger” was Outside, Burna Boy’s third album which was released two years after.
Outside was easily voted the best Nigerian album of 2018 and also one of the most successful albums of the year all thanks to the “Ye’ confusion. Finally, after a long time, mainstream media projected Burna Boy not as an afrobeats or reggae artist but as a sonically diverse musician. Outside was Burna Boy’s uncoverable big break. His ticket to international recognition and his chance to capture the world while all eyes were set on him.
He had just one chance and he decided to go all in with African Giant. The release of this album was Burna Boy’s first experience at a 100% positive rating from the mainstream media. After all the years of trial and error, the singer finally hit the jackpot with the release of this fourth album. One thing is worthy of note, during his years of critical reception and his strive to cross into global scale, Burna Boy never diluted or tried to tweak his sound to fit in anywhere.
The sonic quality of African Giant was as a result of perfection born through years of consistency and artistic exploration. A Grammy nomination for Best World Music Album, Album of the Year at AFRIMA – these are some of the accolades attained by the album.
After the Grammy nominated album was the Grammy winning album, Twice As Tall. If African Giant stands as Burna Boy’s most impactful album, Twice As Tall stands as the singer’s most innovative album. At this point, Burna Boy had secured both local and international attention, more resources and notable connections with industry moguls like Diddy who was Executive Producer to the album.
Love Damini, I Told Them and his most recent body of work No Sign Of Weakness are albums that represent Burna Boy in his full bloom. These albums span through from 2022-2025 and in this time span, Burna Boy has grown past the Grammy award winner tag to Africa’s biggest superstar, the highest grossing African performer amongst other record-defining claims. These albums possess more sonic sophistication and international reception. It is safe to say that the Nigerian audience is just a bridge that connects his music to the world.
Today, Burna Boy sells out stadiums across continents — a feat unmatched by most African artists. His sound has transcended beyond the scope of afrobeats and even afrofusion. He has crossed billions of streams on Spotify, positioned himself as a global headliner, and continues to challenge the limits of African music.
