Add to playlist: the introspective ‘Afromood’ of Nigerian star Strei and the week’s best new tracks

Less interested in spectacle than vibe, the Delta State artist’s subtle atmospheric projects are carving a quietly distinctive path

From Delta State, Nigeria
Recommended if you like Omah Lay, Rema, XXXTentacion, Juice WRLD
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Born and raised in Delta State and now based in Lagos, Strei is part of a new generation of Nigerian musicians turning away from Afropop’s extroverted certainties and towards something more inward-looking. His self-described “Afromood” sound retains the melodic instincts of contemporary Nigerian pop, but softens them into something more atmospheric and emotionally porous. There are traces of Omah Lay in his melancholic delivery, and of the late Juice WRLD in his confessional songwriting, but Strei’s music doesn’t feel like a mix of influences so much as a deliberate attempt to find emotional clarity.