Fireboy DML releases fifth studio album ‘ZUKO!’

By Ihuoma Inyama

Nigerian singer and songwriter Fireboy DML has released his fifth studio album, ZUKO!, a 13-track project featuring artistes from Nigeria, Jamaica and South Africa, nationaldailyng.com has gathered.

The album, released on Friday through YBNL Nation and EMPIRE, marks the singer’s first full-length project since Adedamola, which arrived in 2024. It adds another chapter to a catalogue that has seen him move between Afrobeats, R&B and other musical influences.

ZUKO! features Nigerian singers Lojay and Judah Earl, Jamaican dancehall artiste Masicka, and South African acts JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela. The collaborations reflect the cross-border influences shaping the project, particularly on “CLAAT!”, featuring Masicka, and “IMALI”, with JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela.

The album opens with “DEAR FATHER”, featuring Judah Earl, before moving into “BY FIRE!” and “CLAAT!”. Other tracks include “GODDESS”, featuring Lojay; “C’EST LA VIE”; “ONE MAN REGIMENT”; “KILOWI”; “ONAZO!”; “LIGHT OF DAWN”; “MIMI NAWE”; and “FIGHTING”. The project also includes “S.L.U.T”, an abbreviation for “Sex Love Understanding Trust”.

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Ahead of the release, Fireboy built anticipation through a cinematic promotional campaign featuring striking red imagery and the album’s title. He also released music leading up to the project, including “IMALI”, which introduced listeners to a sound influenced by South African 3-step and Afro-house rhythms.

The release follows a catalogue that began with Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps in 2019, followed by APOLLO in 2020, Playboy in 2022 and Adedamola in 2024. His debut album was released without guest features, while subsequent projects have featured collaborations with artistes from different musical backgrounds.

With ZUKO!, Fireboy continues to expand his sound through a blend of local and international collaborations, offering listeners 13 tracks that build on his evolving musical direction.