2024 has been strong year for German-Nigerian star Odeal. Single after single, his lustrous vocals have soundtracked millions of TikToks, making him almost inescapable, and to close out the year, the Afro-R&B act shifts into a darker mood with his new EP, Lustropolis—the sombre sister of the summery Sunday at Zuri’s—which is filled with scintillating dancefloor gems, such as the viral “Soh-Soh” and “Onome”.
“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 now 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 Odeal 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. It’s 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,” he says, “a place to process and let go before stepping into what’s next.”
Stream the project in full below.
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