Fireboy DML is back with ZUKO!, a 13-track album that brings together Nigerian, Jamaican and South African talent while marking another chapter in the Afrobeats star’s evolving sound.
Released through YBNL Nation and EMPIRE, the project features Nigerian singers Lojay and Judah Earl, Jamaican dancehall artist Masicka, and South African acts JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela. The diverse lineup gives Fireboy another opportunity to explore different musical identities while building on the catalogue that has established him as one of Nigeria’s notable contemporary artists.
ZUKO! arrives two years after his fourth studio album, Adedamola, released in 2024. Rather than simply revisiting familiar territory, Fireboy introduces a new collection that balances solo performances with collaborations across several music scenes.
The album opens with “Dear Father,” featuring Judah Earl, before moving into “By Fire!” and “CLAAT!”, the latter featuring Masicka. Lojay joins Fireboy on “GODDESS,” while JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela appear together on “IMALI.”
The remaining tracks are “C’EST LA VIE,” “ONE MAN REGIMENT,” “KILOWI,” “ONAZO!,” “S.L.U.T (SEX LOVE UNDERSTANDING TRUST),” “LIGHT OF DAWN,” “MIMI NAWE” and “FIGHTING.”
That combination of titles and collaborators gives listeners a broad picture of the project’s scope, although the album’s full musical direction ultimately rests on the listening experience.
Fireboy also offered some insight into the project before its release. The singer shared THE RED COUCH SESSION: ZUKO! on YouTube, using the rollout to discuss the album’s theme and explain the thinking behind its title.
The session provides additional context for a project that arrives at a significant point in his career: his fifth studio album and the latest step in a catalogue that has continued to develop since his breakthrough.
Fireboy first established his album identity with Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps in 2019, a debut project noted in the supplied material for having no featured artists. He followed it with APOLLO in 2020, Playboy in 2022 and Adedamola in 2024.
Across those releases, the singer has continued to explore different approaches to his music. ZUKO! extends that progression with a fresh set of collaborations, including artists from outside Nigeria, while keeping Fireboy at the centre of the project.
With 13 tracks and a cross-border guest list, ZUKO! adds another entry to Fireboy DML’s growing discography. The album also gives listeners a new reference point for tracking how his sound continues to change from one project to the next.