Legendary Nigerian artist Femi Kuti announces his new album, Journey Through Life set for release on 25 April via Partisan Records. The news is accompanied by the release of new single ‘After 24 Years’. Journey Through Life marks a deeply personal chapter in the Afrobeat legend’s career. Known for his sharp critiques of political corruption and social injustice, Femi balances his signature “sweet music with a bitter message” with introspective reflections on family, life, and personal growth. Revisiting old tracks with fresh perspectives and producing entirely on his own for the first time, the album captures Femi’s journey as an artist, activist and father. Rooted in his Afrobeat legacy yet boldly charting new territory, Journey Through Life is a testament to Femi’s enduring creativity and resilience. He elaborates:
“Journey Through Life is basically a summary of my life from my childhood to adulthood. All through my life family has been a solid foundation, from my parents, grandparents, to my siblings, cousins and now my children, my nieces and nephews, soon my grandchildren, and true to my song at the end of the day for me family is all that matters. I believe many events happen in our lives that draw us away from each other like an undercurrent, but the essence is to manage such events and let love prevail.”
“Most importantly too, is to forgive oneself for mistakes we make in life, as we strive to make corrections to improve our wellbeing and characters and always find peace and harmony with our minds, body and soul.”
New single ‘After 24 Years’ is the powerful centrepiece of the album, pairing triumphant horn riffs and a buoyant keyboard motif with a searing critique of political failure. Originally a fan favourite at Lagos’ New Africa Shrine, the song has been reimagined for the album with new lyrics that boldly declare, “after 24 years… these politicians failed the nation,” underscoring Femi’s enduring commitment to using music as a tool for resistance and accountability. Speaking of the track Femi explains:
“‘After 24 Years’ is summarising the last 24 years of our leadership in Nigeria (from 1999 to 2023). Since my track ‘Sorry Sorry’ was released in 1998 on the album Shoki Shoki, where I sang that our politicians and soldiers were one and the same, Nigeria went into another democratic dispensation in 1999, and true to the words of the track ‘Sorry Sorry’, our politicians have proven me right that they govern as bad if not worse than the military dictatorship.
“‘After 24 Years’ was written and the recording was completed in November 2023. It’s nearly two years after the recording was completed that the track is being released and unfortunately not much has changed except we’re now two years distant from its creation.”
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