Niniola marks new chapter with dancefloor-ready 'Tika'

The Afro-House queen Niniola has released her new single Tika, complemented with a befitting music video. It marks what's being framed as the start of a new chapter for the singer. The release comes after her deeply personal Without You EP, and sees Niniola step back into her signature Afro-house lane after that more introspective project.

Fast-paced and dancefloor-ready, Tika is anchored by Niniola's signature lively vocal delivery, marking a return to the sound that made her one of Nigeria's leading voices in Afro-house, the same lane that produced her breakout hits like Maradona, which has gone gold and platinum in South Africa. Critics have noted that the return to this sound feels earned rather than forced, following her more vulnerable, R&B-leaning material.

Niniola, born Niniola Apata, first emerged via Project Fame West Africa in 2013 before releasing her debut single Ibadi in 2014, and has since built a reputation as one of the pioneering voices of Afro-house within the broader Afrobeats ecosystem. Her sound consistently draws on driving, percussive rhythms distinct from the more melodic mainstream of Nigerian pop.

Tika landed as part of a stacked New Music Friday lineup that also included Rema's Tiakola collaboration and Wizkid's son Champz's Groove, underscoring how competitive the release calendar was this week, and Niniola's ability to stand out within it by returning confidently to the sound she's known for.