SPINALL has built more than just a discography, he’s built a pipeline. A bridge between emerging talent and the global stage. With every project, the award-winning DJ and producer reaffirms his status as one of Nigerian music’s most influential gatekeepers. Across his career, he’s consistently demonstrated a rare ability to spotlight talent on the cusp of greatness, offering rising stars a springboard just before their breakout moments.
His track record speaks for itself. In 2019, Oxlade featured on “Jabole,” long before his vocals would become instantly recognizable across the Afrobeats landscape. By 2022, SPINALL had tapped Asake for “PALAZZO,” a track that catalyzed one of the most explosive rises in contemporary African music. Now with ÈKÓ Groove, he’ll be doing it again, putting JayO on the map with “Want You” while continuing to expand the boundaries of sound and stardom.
From Fireboy DML, Tay Iwar, and Bella Shmurda to Crayon, Minz, Azanti, Kemuel, and Tamera, SPINALL has consistently worked with young talents who go on to become key voices in shaping the culture. His curatorial instinct reflects a deeper insight into Nigeria’s shifting sonic terrain, and more importantly, who’s coming next.
That instinct is front and center once again on his forthcoming album, ÈKÓ Groove. True to its name, the project is a sonic love letter to the city that raised him: Lagos. But rather than lean on nostalgia, SPINALL captures the heartbeat of today’s Lagos; chaotic, colorful, relentless, and undeniably vibrant. Ékó Groove is not just an album; it’s a cultural time capsule. It celebrates the city’s multiplicity through genre-defying collaborations that speak to Lagos’ energy while remaining globally accessible.
The album rollout has already given us a taste of this vision. “Loju” featuring Wizkid was the first signal, a breezy, melodic record that pairs SPINALL’s slick production with Wizkid’s signature subtlety. Then came “Psalm 23” with Teni, a bold, introspective track laced with spiritual undertones and grounded by Teni’s emotionally honest delivery. “One Call” featuring Tyla and Omah Lay merges soulful vulnerability with sultry Afropop, delivering a transcontinental moment that resonates with fans from Lagos to Johannesburg. “Kerosene” with Young Jonn adds heat to the lineup; a high-energy, infectious jam built for movement.
What sets SPINALL apart is the unique vantage point he occupies. As a seasoned DJ, he understands the relationship between audience and rhythm, he knows what moves people on the dancefloor and what lingers in their memory long after the music fades. As a producer, his approach is rooted in intentionality, blending traditional African rhythms with electronic, R&B, and pop textures to create sounds that are both familiar and forward-thinking. His catalog is proof that experimentation doesn’t have to come at the expense of accessibility.
As anticipation builds for the full ÈKÓ Groove experience, the industry watches with keen interest, not just for the music, but for what it will signal. Because history has shown us that every SPINALL project introduces more than new songs. It introduces new sounds, new stars, and often, new standards.
In an industry constantly in motion, SPINALL remains a constant force, one whose vision continues to shape the present and future of African music. And as this next chapter unfolds, one thing is clear: he’s not done redefining what’s possible.
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