Afrobeats singer FOLA dey gear up for di official release of im sophomore album, 9. Di project go drop on 9 October. E get 14 tracks. Di album follow FOLA’s 2025 debut project, Catharsis, and e mark im next major chapter.
Di tracklist don land with names wey go make fans happy. E include Treat U Right with Ayra Starr, Attention!, Fine Ting (Fine $hit), and It’s Over featuring Bella Shmurda and Zlatan. FOLA also recently release Miss U II (Nriri) to give listeners another taste before di full tracklist drop. Di new link-ups na 2am In Toronto featuring Davido, My Type featuring BNXN, and Hold U Down featuring Darkoo.
FOLA tok say di album come together with some of im favourite instrumentalists, producers, and artists. Every song come from somewhere real, and every detail mean something. E say wherever you dey, whatever you dey go through, e hope say when you hear am, di album go find you at di right time. 9 dey come, na im tok.
For context, FOLA’s debut album, Catharsis, garner critical acclaim, smash hits, and position am as di foremost breakout star of 2025. E go walk away with di Headies Next Rated Award in about two weeks, barring any mischief. Di Ibadan-born star don become one of di most sought-after voices on di scene. E be R&B act primarily singing in Yoruba, and e dey capture contemporary love matters and daily things young listeners dey face.
In 2026, FOLA up di ante. Appearances on hits like Davido’s B4 B4, wey also feature Mayorkun, and Ayra Starr’s Tornado keep am as constant radio and streaming favourite. Singles like fine ting (fine $hit), treat u right featuring Ayra Starr, attention!, and it’s over featuring Bella Shmurda and Zlatan don pop. Im final pre-album single, miss u ii (nriri), pick up from October 2023’s miss u, di song wey first give am major traction.
Di album title 9 get football reference at im centre. E dey inspired by di classic number 9 striker, whose job na to come through when di team need a goal. For FOLA, dat one become fitting metaphor for di artist you call when you need guaranteed hit. E explain am for Instagram Story post.
Culture Custodian writer John Eriomala note say as fans prepare welcome di sophomore album, dem suppose look out for five things. Among dem na di full spectrum of young people romance. Di piece also talk about FOLA’s raunchiness, and how fine ting (fine $hit) be one of di year’s best songs but also one of di most explicit. TurnTable Charts confirm say track 11, crime, sample 2Baba’s 2006 hit Love is A Crime.
Following im October 3 Homecoming concert at Agodi Gardens, conversation start about supposed thematic and vocal monotony. Himself and BNXN, im increasingly frequent collaborator, were accused of always sounding same on songs. Some people defend both artists. When 9 drop, comments about monotony fit roll in, but real ones know to listen thoroughly first before drawing any conclusion.
