Many people are still yet to put a name to the latest music style by Solana and Faith Martins, which is taking over the internet. Their sound, built around Yoruba language and cultural expression while borrowing freely from contemporary pop, Afrobeats, electronic music, and other sounds, drew attention to what is being called YoruPop.
It all started with Solana’s “Okunkun”, which broke the internet in June and is still making waves. Produced by Killertunes, the song is performed predominantly in Yoruba and pairs the language’s tonal character with modern production. It fascinated listeners because of its uniqueness. The sound is fresh and so different from what people were already familiar with.
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The title means “darkness” in Yoruba, but the song is about moving beyond it. Solana has described “Okunkun” as a song about leaving a difficult place behind and finding joy on the other side, not necessarily mourning the darkness but celebrating the decision to step into the light.
She resisted the idea that YoruPop simply means putting Yoruba lyrics over a familiar Afrobeats instrumental. In a recent interview, she described it as something that encompasses the rhythm, melodies, vocal delivery, and cultural essence of the language, not merely the language itself.
Her approach to music is informed by a childhood surrounded by Yoruba music. Solana has recalled hearing artists such as King Sunny Adé and K1 De Ultimate at home, sounds that became part of her earliest musical memories.
Yet she is careful not to let the YoruPop tag become a box. The Lagos-based singer sees herself as an experimental artist that is ready to explore other sounds. “I would say I’m an experimental artist,” she explained, emphasizing that Yoruba music is only one part of her identity and that she wants the freedom to continue exploring different sounds.
Solana, born Ogunlana Oluwabusolami Habibat, is hardly a newcomer. Before “Okunkun,” she had spent years building her catalogue across Afropop, R&B, and other styles. She was selected for Mr. Eazi’s emPawa30 program in 2020 and subsequently worked with artists, including Joeboy on “Far Away” and Victony on “On My Way.”
With “Okunkun,” however, Solana found a cultural center of gravity that felt more specifically her own. A few weeks after she released the single, Solana dropped another hit, “Dide,” which also followed the Yorupop style, cementing her position as the pioneer of the new genre.
Just as we are still enjoying Solana, Faith Martins also emerged with another Yoruba-forward record, bringing her beautiful voice into the YoruPop genre. While Solana has become the most visible figure attached to the new genre, Faith Martins is showing that it does not have to end with one artist.
Her recent Yoruba-language single, “Daju,” has begun generating its own momentum online, with listeners responding to her warm vocal delivery and the use of Yoruba language. Martin’s emergence is particularly interesting because it suggests that YoruPop may be developing into something larger than a Solana trademark.
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Martins had already begun building her catalogue before “Daju,” releasing “More” in 2025. She has also appeared in songwriting and collaborative credits, including Coblaze’s “Favour Anthem,” where she is credited as a songwriter, and VASA’s “E-Major,” where she is credited as a composer.
What Solana and Faith Williams have in common is their love for Yoruba culture. They didn’t only sing in the language; they wore traditional-inspired clothing, and fans loved that.
For now, YoruPop remains fluid. Its boundaries are still being drawn, its sound is still changing, and its definition is still being debated. Solana may have opened the door with “Okunkun,” but Faith Martins is showing that there may be room for others to walk through it.
