If you are not yet familiar with the work of Nigerian artist Chuwkuemeka Okoli, it might be because this African pop revelation is best known by his stage name Kholi.
The emerging artist has already made his full-blown debut on the Nigerian, Kenyan, and African music market.
Kholi aims to follow in the very successful footsteps of fellow Nigerian artists like Wizkid and Burna Boy and the pop artist’s debut album called Stones To Diamond might just help him get there.
Kholi Releases Gamble Single and Stones To Diamond Album
You might already know Kholi from his appearance on the Flux Factory’s Afro-pop show. This talented and promising musician and songwriter has already released a successful EP called TATU in 2020, followed by his Stones To Diamond album. The album was preceded by the official release of his “Gamble” single that was produced by ScriiPo. The single was also his first release of the year following his latest EP, and you can find both the single and his album on all streaming platforms in Kenya and Nigeria.
We are not exactly sure if Kholi enjoys hitting the casino tables in his spare time and if this particular hobby might have inspired him for this Gamble single, but we do know one thing: there are more than 40 casino resorts in Africa at the moment, and many African celebs and pop artists are known for hitting them quite often. “Gambling” might have also been inspired by Dj Khaled’s music video for the hit song “Sorry Not Sorry” in which DJ Khaled, Nas, and Jay-Z are seen balling out in a casino, taking home a whopping $300,000.
The “Stones To Diamond” album revolves around the theme of love and it is quite an emotional one introducing its listeners to Kkoli’s introspective journey sprinkled with soothing tunes that also feel inspiring. His album is meant to be regarded as a means to celebrate the amazing complexity of life in general and love in particular. The artist himself described his album as having been written as a form of personal therapy. Kholi was looking for a way to change his ways, switch to a different life path, and find the light at the end of the tunnel, and each of the tracks on the album is actually one further step toward the artist tackling his journey.
Kholi has chosen the respective title “Stones to Diamond” as a means of representing feelings like empowerment and safety, which he believes to be the main elements needed for hope to keep growing and thriving. Kholi wishes for the people listening to his album to find a way to relate to his own journey. The album counts 12 tracks that are a fusion between a variety of versatile sounds originating in jazz, afro-pop, R’n’B, and even bachata.
You can expect to be mesmerized by the cool and chilling vibes of the album and feel taken away by this rising Nigerian pop star.
Enjoy!