2024 has arguably been the breakthrough year for Nigerian singer, Odeal. Single after single, his lustrous vocals have soundtracked numerous flowery social media videos making him almost inescapable all year round. To close the year, he shifts into a darker mood with his new project, Lustropolis EP — the sombre sister of the summery Sunday at Zuri’s. Scintillating dancefloor numbers like “Soh-Soh” and “Onome” give way to introspective musings.
“Lustropolis picks up right where I left off with “Free Me” on Sunday At Zuri’s,” Odeal tells Rolling Stone Africa. “That project was set in Nigeria, and you can hear that influence in its sound. But Lustropolis reflects where I am now, with Zuri out of the picture, it’s a whole different space, both sonically and emotionally. The music and lyrics go deeper, and I think listeners might find some surprises in the shift.”
Lustropolis is a raw and honest documentation of lost love. The project’s solid rhythmic foundations and refusal to hold back lyrically lands it in a sweet spot where it is felt as much as it is heard. We quickly find the artist in direct conversation with his love interest as he comes to terms with the heartbreaking realities of letting go on stripped back acoustic opener “Can’t Stay”. “You’re Stuck”, the highly-anticipated focus track featuring Summer Walker provides
“Lustropolis is the culmination of everything I’ve created in 2024,” Odeal explains. The story began with “Gaslight 101”, carried through Sunday at Zuri’s, and now ends here. Lustropolis is a world where I feel both comfortable and conflicted, falling back into old habits yet still wanting a love that slipped away.”
As a curtain call on his 2024 era, Lustropolis leaves Odeal with reflections of his efforts as a fervent student of R&B. “It’s the closing of a chapter, a place to process and let go before stepping into what’s next,” he says.
2024 has arguably been a breakthrough year for Nigerian singer Odeal. Single after single, his lustrous vocals have soundtracked numerous flowery social media videos, making him almost inescapable all year round. To close the year, he shifts into a darker mood with his new project, Lustropolis EP—the somber sister of the summery Sunday at Zuri’s. Scintillating dancefloor numbers like “Soh-Soh” and “Onome” give way to introspective musings.
“Lustropolis picks up right where I left off with ‘Free Me’ on *Sunday At Zuri’s,’” Odeal tells Rolling Stone Africa. “That project was set in Nigeria, and you can hear that influence in its sound. But Lustropolis reflects where I am now, with Zuri out of the picture, it’s a whole different space, both sonically and emotionally. The music and lyrics go deeper, and I think listeners might find some surprises in the shift.”
Lustropolis is a raw and honest documentation of lost love. The project’s solid rhythmic foundations and refusal to hold back lyrically land it in a sweet spot where it is felt as much as it is heard. We quickly find the artist in direct conversation with his love interest as he comes to terms with the heartbreaking realities of letting go on the stripped-back acoustic opener, “Can’t Stay.” “You’re Stuck,” the highly-anticipated focus track featuring Summer Walker, provides a satisfactory midpoint for the project leading to its second half where tracks like “HBTS” and “BLAME U” lean into experimental fusions with jazz and 90s hip hop.
“Lustropolis is the culmination of everything I’ve created in 2024,” Odeal explains. “The story began with ‘Gaslight 101,’ carried through Sunday at Zuri’s, and now ends here. Lustropolis is a world where I feel both comfortable and conflicted, falling back into old habits yet still wanting a love that slipped away.”
As a curtain call on his 2024 era, Lustropolis leaves Odeal reflecting on his efforts as a fervent student of R&B. “It’s the closing of a chapter, a place to process and let go before stepping into what’s next,” he says.
