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‘I want to be part of Afrobeats’ – Usher speaks on collaboration with Nigerian artists
Usher, the American R&B icon, has disclosed his collaboration with Nigerian artists Burna Boy and Pheelz in his latest album, driven by his desire to immerse himself in the Afrobeats movement.
Usher joined the ranks of Western artists embracing Afrobeats, notably featuring Pheelz in ‘Ruin,’ the lead track of his newest album, and Burna Boy in the album’s title track, ‘Homecoming.’
In a recent interview with Apple Music, Usher attributed Pheelz’s involvement to facilitating his collaboration with Burna Boy.
He said, “I am all about collaboration and bringing African, you know, Nigerian culture to my own world. Their music is really popular now. I wanted to be part of it [Afrobeats], that’s why I went to Africa to make this album.
“I picked up things when I was in Ghana. I picked up things when I was in Nigeria. And working with Pheelz, he created the record [‘Homecoming’]. I just felt that Burna Boy would take it to a different level of credibility. I really do enjoy him as an artist. I just felt that this song would only be lifted better if he was part of it.”