UDC: 


Received: Avg 12, 2025
Reviewed: Oct 12, 2025
Accepted: Dec 14, 2025

#2 Rebranding Africa Through Sound: Nigerian Popular Music, Counter Narratives And Soft Power

Ademola Gbenga EluwoleBamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State Nigeria[email protected]

Citation: Eluwole, Gbenga Ademola. 2026. "Rebranding Africa Through Sound: Nigerian Popular Music, Counter Narratives And Soft Power." Accelerando: Belgrade Journal of Music and Dance 11:2

Abstract

Africa’s global image continues to be shaped by deficit narratives that foreground insecurity, poverty and crisis, while comparable or greater violence and structural fragilities in Western societies rarely redefine their global brand. This asymmetry reflects inequalities in narrative power and media ownership rather than objective reality (Hall 1997; Nwobodo 2025). In response, African cultural producers are increasingly turning to popular culture to tell alternative stories. This article examines how Nigerian popular music, especially Afrobeats and related genres functions as a tool for rebranding Africa by producing cultural counter-narratives and generating soft power. Drawing on theories of representation, postcolonial self-narration, nation branding and soft power, the article advances a conceptual argument supported by illustrative case examples, including Burna Boy’s Ye and African Giant, Wizkid and Tems’ Essence, and Rema’s Calm Down. This article explores recent studies on Afrobeats' global popularity, how it represents African values, and how it challenges stereotypes (Akombo 2019; Ashibel 2023; Obasi & Msughter 2023; Serang 2024; Yusif 2024). It argues that Nigerian music serves as a form of “sonic diplomacy,” offering images of African modernity, creativity, and resilience. These images challenge the narrow, crisis-driven view of Africa often portrayed in the media (Adichie 2009). However, the article also points out significant issues, such as the influence of class, gender portrayal, and the possibility of oversimplifying Africa’s complexity. In conclusion, it stresses the need for a stronger connection between the music industry, cultural policies, and media initiatives led by Africans. It suggests that while Nigerian music alone may not be enough, it can play an important role in reshaping Africa’s global image and strengthening the continent’s cultural influence.

Keywords:

afrobeats, nigerian popular music, soft power, nation branding, african culture, media, national identity, globalization, “sonic diplomacy”

Introduction

Africa’s global image has been shaped for decades by stories told largely from outside the continent. International news, humanitarian campaigns and popular media often highlight war, corruption, poverty and disease as the defining features of African life. Over time, these repeated images have created an enduringly narrow and negative picture of the continent, in which Africa appears mainly as a site of crisis and lack (Harth 2012; Slavković 2011). Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2009) describes this pattern as the “danger of a single story”: when one type of story about a people is told so frequently that it becomes the only story that is recognised.

At the same time, persistent violence, racism and social breakdown in Western societies rarely lead to those nations being branded as dangerous or failed. This mismatch suggests that global images are not simply based on objective reality, but on who owns media platforms, who sets the agenda and whose stories travel the furthest. The imbalance in narrative power means that African voices and experiences are often marginal in shaping how Africa is imagined by the rest of the world and, at times, even by Africans themselves (Agawu 2003; Mbembe 2001).

In recent years, however, new forms of African self-representation have gained visibility. Nigerian popular music, particularly Afrobeats and related genres, has become one of the most powerful cultural exports from the continent. Nigerian artists fill arenas across Europe and North America, dominate streaming platforms and collaborate with globally recognised musicians (Akombo 2019; Osiebe 2022). Songs like Burna Boy’s "Ye" and African Giant, Wizkid and Tems' Essence and Rema's Calm Down have brought Nigerian music, language, and culture into the lives of listeners all over the world (Serang 2024; Yusif 2024). This global success raises an important question: how does this impact the way Africa is perceived?

This article looks at how Nigerian music is helping to reshape Africa's image by using sound. It goes beyond seeing music as just entertainment, viewing it as a platform where Africans share their own stories, create new images of African life, and, in doing so, generate soft power. The analysis brings together ideas from representation and stereotyping, postcolonial self-narration, nation branding and soft power to understand how musical narratives can work as counter-narratives to dominant media images.

1. The Study

1.1 Research Objectives

This study is guided by four main objectives:

• To describe how Nigerian popular music tells different stories about Africa compared to the usual negative images in Western media.
• To analyse how these musical stories—in lyrics, visuals and performance styles—help to change or “rebrand” the way Africa is seen by both African and non-African audiences.
• To explore how the global spread of Nigerian popular music can be understood as a form of African soft power and “sonic diplomacy”, where music quietly shapes attraction and influence.
• To use specific songs and artists, such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tems and Rema, as concrete examples to show how sound and image work together in building these new narratives about Africa.

1.2 Significance of the Study

This study is important because it shows that music is more than just entertainment; it is a powerful tool for shaping the way the world sees Africa. For many years, Africa’s image has been dominated by negative stories focused on war, poverty, and instability (Harth 2012; Nwobodo 2025). By focusing on Nigerian popular music, this article presents a different picture: it highlights how Africans are creating sounds, images, and stories that portray the continent as modern, creative, and full of life. The article brings together ideas from representation, postcolonial studies, nation branding, and soft power to explain how these musical stories challenge stereotypes and act as a form of "sonic diplomacy." In practical terms, the study offers useful insights for policymakers, cultural organisations and the music industry about how Nigerian music can support more balanced images of Africa, while also warning about ongoing issues such as gender inequality and class divides in music videos and lyrics (Asenye & Mandor 2023; Obasi & Msughter 2023). Overall, the study contributes to African-centred scholarship by treating Nigerian popular music as a serious space where Africa is being re-imagined, re-named and re-branded by Africans themselves.

2. Literature Review

2.1 Western Media Representations of Africa

A large body of work has shown that Western media have consistently framed Africa through a narrow set of negative images. Studies of news coverage describe how African countries are repeatedly associated with civil war, famine, corruption and disease, while stories of creativity, everyday life and achievement rarely make international headlines (Harth op. cit.; Slavković op. cit.). This pattern turns a complex continent into a symbol of crisis, and it reinforces older colonial tropes of Africa as the “dark continent” that is dangerous, irrational or perpetually behind (Agawu op. cit.).

More recent research suggests that this problem has not disappeared in the digital age. Nwobodo (op. cit.), for instance, points out that Western media still focus heavily on negative news about Africa, often blaming corrupt governments and political instability for events, while giving little attention to global power dynamics or historical context. This ties into Adichie’s (2009) critique of the "single story," where a single narrative of African failure and weakness dominates how the continent is viewed, shaping what audiences expect to see. These studies are important for the present article because they make clear that Nigerian popular music is not entering a neutral space. It is appearing in a world where audiences may already associate Africa with danger, poverty or instability before they ever hear a song. Any attempt to rebrand Africa through sound therefore has to be read against this background of long-standing media stereotypes.

2.2 African Cultural Production and Self-Representation

In response to these external narratives, African scholars and artists have long argued for the importance of self-representation. Postcolonial and cultural studies have shown that literature, film, and music have become important spaces where Africans challenge colonial and neo-colonial stereotypes (Mbembe 2001). Rather than being passive subjects of others’ narratives, African people and communities now express themselves with their own voices, histories, and imaginations.

In music studies, this shift has been observed across different genres, from highlife and Afrobeat to hip-hop and gospel. These genres are more than just local entertainment—they carry deep ideas about identity, politics, faith, and belonging. They also model new ways of being African in a globalising world, where young people navigate both local realities and transnational cultural flows (Akombo op. cit.).

The rise of Nigerian popular music fits directly into this broader movement. It is one of the most visible ways that Africans are now telling their own stories to global audiences, using sound, language and image rather than policy statements or development reports. In other words, Nigerian pop is part of a longer tradition of African cultural work that insists that Africans must be seen and heard on their own terms, not only through foreign news lenses.

2.3 Nigerian Popular Music, Afrobeats and Global Circulation

Recent scholarship on Afrobeats and Nigerian popular music has emphasised its hybrid nature and global reach. Akombo explains how Afrobeats draws inspiration from earlier styles like Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, which mixed Yoruba rhythms, highlife, jazz, and funk with political messages (Ibid.). However, Afrobeats shifts this tradition towards a more melodic, dance-friendly, and commercially adaptable sound. The genre blends Nigerian and broader African musical influences with elements of hip-hop, dancehall, R&B, and electronic dance music, creating what many describe as a "glocal" sound—firmly grounded in West African culture but easily fitting into global pop music (Serang op. cit.).

Research and reports highlight how digital technologies have helped Afrobeats reach a global audience. Platforms like streaming services, social media, and user-generated content have allowed Afrobeats to spread quickly and affordably, enabling Nigerian artists to connect with listeners worldwide without depending on Western gatekeepers (Edung et al. 2024; Osiebe op. cit.). Industry and policy studies now point to Afrobeats as a prime example of how African creative industries can achieve global recognition and economic success (Faidi 2024).

Media outlets like Le Monde (2025) report how stars such as Burna Boy, Rema, Ayra Starr, Wizkid, and Tems have sold out major concerts, topped Western charts, and played a key role in discussions about African soft power. These developments show that Nigerian popular music is now much more than a local or regional phenomenon: it is a global sound with real economic and symbolic power.

2.3.1 Afrobeat and Afrobeats: the “s” and why it matters

A useful distinction in the scholarship is between Afrobeat (without an “s”) and Afrobeats (with an “s”). Afrobeat refers to the genre created by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti in the late 1960s and 1970s. It combined highlife, jazz, funk, and Yoruba rhythms with long instrumental arrangements and strong anti-establishment messages (Agawu op. cit.; Jack & Sunday-Kanu 2024). In contrast, Afrobeats is a more recent term often used to describe contemporary West African, especially Nigerian, pop music. Emerging in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Afrobeats has a more commercial and danceable style, mixing local musical traditions with influences from hip-hop, dancehall, R&B, and electronic music (Akombo op. cit.; Jack & Sunday-Kanu op. cit.; Osiebe op. cit.). The “s” thus marks more than plurality: it signals a shift in aesthetic orientation and function. Whereas Afrobeat treated music as a vehicle for direct political critique, Afrobeats typically foregrounds pleasure, romance, aspiration and lifestyle, even though it retains Afrobeat’s dense rhythmic layering, hybrid language practices and commitment to dance as a core expressive mode (Ayobade 2024; Chiedozie 2023; Yusif op. cit.). This continuity-in-difference is central to understanding how Afrobeats can both draw on Afrobeat’s radical heritage and operate as a flexible vehicle for rebranding Nigeria and Africa in the global imagination.

2.4 Nigerian Popular Music, African Values and Nation Branding

Alongside work on globalisation, a second stream of literature examines what Nigerian music actually says about African life and values. In their study of 120 songs by top Nigerian artists, Obasi and Msughter (op. cit.) found recurring themes of hard work, community support, spirituality, respect, and resilience. These themes suggest that even within the highly commercial music industry, contemporary Nigerian music still reflects important African values. Their analysis challenges the idea that popular music undermines tradition or simply follows Western trends.

Building on this, Ashibel (2023) goes a step further with a qualitative content analysis, linking Nigerian popular music to nation branding. He examines lyrics that highlight themes like hard work, ethnic pride, and the celebration of wealth, arguing that Nigerian songs help shape narratives about what it means to be Nigerian and what the country stands for globally. While the focus on luxury and wealth might raise questions about class, the overall message is one of national pride and identity. Together, these studies suggest that Nigerian popular music does more than just reflect society; it actively contributes to shaping the cultural and national identity.

It is also participating in the symbolic work of nation-building and nation-branding, offering images of Nigeria (and, by extension, Africa) that emphasise energy, hustle, creativity and ambition.

2.5 Afrobeats, Counter-Narratives and Deconstructing Stereotypes

More recent research has begun to connect Afrobeats directly to the question of African image and stereotypes. Yusif (op. cit.) argues that Afrobeats serves as a "sound of change," actively challenging the traditional media portrayal of Africa as a continent defined solely by poverty, conflict, and disease. According to him, the energy, modernity, and global appeal of Afrobeats songs offer a striking contrast to the typical Western images of Africa, prompting listeners to reconsider their preconceived notions.

Other authors make similar points when they note how Afrobeats videos show African cities as vibrant, technologically connected and fashion-forward, rather than as remote or primitive spaces (Serang op. cit.). By showcasing Black and African people in confident, joyful, and fashionable ways, these visuals push back against long-held stereotypes of Africans as marginalized or powerless. Listeners and viewers are invited into a different African world, one in which African youth culture sets trends rather than follows them.

This body of work provides direct support for the idea of counter-narratives that is central to the present article. It shows that Nigerian popular music is already being read by scholars as a space where new stories about Africa are told, stories that complicate, resist or overturn older stereotypes.

2.6 Nigerian Creative Industries, Soft Power and Africa’s Global Image

Finally, a growing set of studies and policy documents connects Nigerian creative industries to the wider concept of soft power. Nye (2004) defines soft power as a country’s ability to shape the preferences of others through attraction rather than coercion. Adesina (2017) and Jibrin and Garba (2025) argue that culture and cultural diplomacy are now central to how African countries project themselves internationally. In the Nigerian case, Faidi (2024) highlights how music and film sectors have become important sources of economic growth and international recognition, arguing that they allow Nigeria to project an attractive cultural image despite internal challenges.

These discussions often go beyond Nigeria, highlighting the rise of African soft power, where music, film, fashion, and digital creativity come together to reshape how the continent is viewed globally (Le Monde 2025). However, experts warn that without the right legal frameworks, infrastructure, and fair distribution systems, the full potential of this cultural influence may not be fully realized locally (Faidi op.cit.). The main point of this article is that Nigerian popular music is increasingly seen not just as a cultural or economic asset, but also as a strategic tool that can shape global perceptions of Africa and influence how the continent engages with the world. This brings soft power, cultural diplomacy and questions of image and branding to the centre of the discussion.

2.7 Synthesis

Taken together, the literature shows a clear movement from external, often negative representations of Africa, through African creative responses and self-representation, to the current moment where Nigerian popular music stands at the heart of debates about image, branding and soft power. Studies on Western media remind us why rebranding is needed; research on Nigerian music’s themes, values and global reach shows that music is a promising vehicle for this rebranding; and the soft power literature highlights the broader political and economic implications of cultural influence. This review sets the stage for the theoretical framework that follows.

3. Theoretical Framework

This study draws on four main sets of ideas that help to explain how Nigerian popular music can rebrand Africa through sound: representation and the single story, postcolonial self-narration, nation branding and competitive identity, and soft power. Together, they provide a lens for understanding how music can act as a counter-narrative and a form of sonic diplomacy.

3.1 Representation and the “Single Story”

Stuart Hall’s (1997) work on representation reminds us that media and culture don't just reflect reality, they play an active role in shaping it. Images, words and sounds are organised into stories that tell us what to think about people and places. When the same kind of story about a group is told repeatedly, it becomes taken for granted as “truth”. In the case of Africa, Western news reports, films and charity campaigns have focused heavily on war, corruption, famine and disease (Harth op. cit.; Slavković op. cit.). Over time, this has created a narrow and negative picture of the continent, one that overlooks ordinary life, creativity and achievement.

Adichie’s phrase “the danger of a single story” captures this clearly (Adichie op. cit.). The problem is not that stories of suffering are always false, but that they are incomplete and repeated so often that they crowd out other realities. This study uses representation theory and the single-story concept to understand what Nigerian popular music is reacting to. Nigerian music operates in a world where many people’s first image of Africa is already shaped by negative stereotypes. That makes the alternative stories told through sound and image especially significant.

3.2 Postcolonial Self-Narration and African Voice

Postcolonial theory adds a historical perspective. For much of the colonial and postcolonial period, Africans have been described by other colonial administrators, missionaries, foreign journalists and scholars. Their voices often did not define how Africa was understood globally. Postcolonial thinkers argue that decolonisation is not only about changing political structures, but also about changing who gets to tell the story. (Mbembe op. cit.) Edward Said, as discussed in Agawu 2003, 2023 – in Chapter ‘Polymeter, Additive Rhythm and Other Enduring Myths’ epistemological or cognitive constant that Said has described as a discourse of ‘orientalism’ (Agawu 2003, 95). In Chapter 5, Rethinking Music Theory, with African Aid:

the chapter ends on a pedagogical note by advocating two practices: transcription (of African musics into various standard notations to facilitate analysis) and contrapuntal reading (after Edward Said), with its potential to unveil unsuspected parallels between compositions and performances of diverse, perhaps even far-flung origins, and in the process, expose deep-lying convergences in the ways in which human beings imagine and make music (Agawu 2023, 105-128).

This study treats Nigerian popular music as one of the places where Africans are now telling their own stories. When Nigerian artists sing about Lagos traffic, economic hustle, romantic relationships, spiritual struggles or pride in Blackness, they are not only performing; they are explaining their world in their own terms. This kind of self-narration challenges earlier situations in which Africa was presented mainly through outside eyes.

3.3 Nation Branding, Competitive Identity and Rebranding Africa

The idea of “rebranding Africa” in the title connects to the literature on nation branding and competitive identity. Just as companies have brands, countries also have reputations in the global imagination (Anholt 2007; Dinnie 2008). These reputations affect tourism, investment, migration and even how citizens feel about themselves. For many African countries, the brand has been heavily influenced by negative news flows and colonial narratives.

Nation branding scholars point out that official campaigns, slogans and logos are only one small part of a country’s image. Everyday stories in popular culture, including music, film and fashion, often have a deeper impact (Anholt, 2007). In this study, Nigerian popular music is seen as a major element in “Brand Nigeria” and, more broadly, “Brand Africa”. When global audiences dance to Afrobeats, watch Nigerian music videos and follow Nigerian artists on social media, they are receiving messages about what Africa looks like, feels like and stands for. The music does not just sell records; it also contributes to a broader sense of what Africa is.

3.4 Soft Power, Cultural Diplomacy and Sonic Diplomacy

Soft power, a concept in international relations, refers to the ability to influence others through attraction rather than coercion (Nye op. cit.). Nations can enhance their soft power through various means, including their culture, political values, and foreign policies. When a country’s culture is admired and draws people in, it often leads to greater openness towards its people, ideas, and products. According to Adesina (op. cit. ) and Jibrin and Garba (op. cit. ), cultural diplomacy and creative industries have become increasingly important tools for African countries in building and projecting their soft power. In this context, Nigerian popular music has emerged as a significant source of African soft power, playing a key role in shaping the continent’s global influence.

Afrobeats is played in clubs and on radio stations around the world; Nigerian artists headline festivals and collaborate with global stars (Osiebe op. cit.; Serang op. cit.). In this way, Nigerian music quietly shapes how people feel about Africa. Listeners who may once have associated Africa mainly with news of crisis now connect it with sound, rhythm, dance and style. This article uses the term “sonic diplomacy” to describe this process. Instead of formal diplomats, it is the songs, beats and performances that cross borders and open doors. Music becomes an informal but powerful way of doing cultural diplomacy for Africa.

3.5 Counter-Narratives in Nigerian Popular Music

The final component of the theoretical framework is the concept of counter-narratives. A narrative refers to a story that defines who we are and how we perceive the world. In contrast, a counter-narrative challenges or opposes an existing narrative, particularly when that original story is biased, incomplete, or unjust. Nigerian popular music often produces counter-narratives to the single story of Africa. Instead of showing only hunger and war, it presents city life, hustle, fashion, romance, humour, spiritual reflection and joy. Instead of Africa being silent, it lets Africans speak and sing for themselves. Rather than depicting Africa as backward, it presents African cities and youth as modern, connected, and trendsetting (Ashibel, 2023; Obasi & Msughter op. cit.; Yusif op. cit.). In this study, Nigerian popular music is viewed as a platform for creating and sharing counter-narratives about Africa. These counter-narratives are central to the process of rebranding the continent’s image and building African soft power.

3.6 Conceptual Model

Conceptually, the study proposes a sequential relationship between four core constructs. First, long-standing media stereotypes and the "single story" of Africa have contributed to a predominantly negative and deficit-driven image of the continent in global discourse (Harth op. cit.; Nwobodo op. cit.; Slavković op. cit.). Second, Nigerian popular music challenges these stereotypes by creating counter-narratives that offer alternative depictions of African modernity, creativity, and daily life through sound, language, and visual aesthetics (Akombo op. cit.; Yusif op. cit.). Third, the repeated circulation of these counter-narratives contributes to the gradual rebranding of Africa’s image, as audiences begin to associate the continent not only with crisis but also with cultural innovation and desirability (Ashibel op. cit.; Obasi & Msughter op. cit.). Finally, this improved and more complex image functions as a source of African soft power, insofar as it increases the continent’s capacity to attract, inspire and influence foreign publics (Adesina op. cit. ; Faidi op. cit.; Nye op. cit.). In this model, Nigerian popular music operates as a mediating cultural field through which media stereotypes are confronted, image is renegotiated and soft power is generated in the form of sonic diplomacy.

4. Nigerian Popular Music in Global Context

Nigerian popular music’s current visibility builds on a longer history of musical innovation. Afrobeat, developed by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, fused highlife, jazz, funk and Yoruba musical idioms with sharply critical lyrics directed at military rule, corruption and imperialism (Agawu 2003, 122- ). This earlier genre established Nigeria as a centre of postcolonial musical experimentation and political commentary. Contemporary Afrobeats, with an "s," is distinct from Afrobeat, though it retains some of the rhythmic and linguistic elements of its predecessor. It combines local musical styles with global pop, hip-hop, dancehall, and R&B, reflecting the concept of glocalization, the blending of global influences with local cultural contexts (Akombo op. cit.; Serang op. ict.).

Digital platforms have played a key role in the worldwide spread of Afrobeats. Edung et al. (op. cit.) highlight how trends on TikTok, algorithmic curation, and user-generated content have accelerated the genre’s global rise, helping songs like Rema’s “Calm Down” gain widespread attention across continents. Similarly, Osiebe (op. cit.) describes Afrobeats as "having a global moment," pointing to its growing presence at major American award shows and the increasing number of African artists being nominated.

This global phenomenon has both economic and diplomatic implications. Faidi (op. cit.) argues that Nigeria's creative industries are now being recognized in policy discussions as key drivers of economic growth and soft power. Le Monde articles emphasize how achievements like Burna Boy’s Grammy wins, Wizkid’s global tours, and arena performances by artists such as Ayra Starr and Tems are symbols of Africa's growing cultural influence (Le Monde, 2025). Within this broader context, Nigerian music is no longer a marginal “world music” category. It has become a routine part of global pop culture, which means that the stories it tells—and the images it circulates—have direct implications for how Africa is imagined.

5. Popular Music as Counter-Narrative and Image Rebranding

5.1 Lyrical Themes: Hustle, Hope and Everyday Life

Many Nigerian popular songs highlight themes of hustle, ambition, and spiritual hope. Obasi and Msughter (op. cit.) identify recurring themes of hard work, community support, faith, and perseverance across a broad range of Nigerian songs. For instance, Afro-Adura, or “trenches music,” combines gospel, Fuji, trap, and Yoruba elements to tell stories of survival in the face of economic hardship, addressing issues such as unreliable electricity, hunger, and the role of prayer. These narratives challenge the portrayal of Africans as passive victims, instead depicting Nigerians as active agents who navigate structural challenges with creativity, humor, and faith.

In songs like Burna Boy’s “Ye” and tracks from African Giant, the lyrics emphasize determination, self-belief, and the refusal to be defined by external expectations, while still acknowledging the realities of hardship and injustice. Yusif (op. cit.) argues that these songs help to break down African stereotypes by presenting complex, nuanced identities rather than simplified images of suffering and despair.

5.2 Visual Aesthetics: Urban Modernity and African Cool

Music videos function as visual branding campaigns. In African Giant performances, Burna Boy frequently situates himself within lush digital landscapes and Pan-African iconography, combining luxury aesthetics with references to Black liberation and African pride. The music video for Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence” contrasts Nigerian and diasporic settings, featuring relaxed and intimate visuals that highlight Black joy, sensuality, and a sense of community.

These visuals sharply differ from the typical portrayal of Africa as rural, stagnant, or technologically underdeveloped. Studies of Nigerian popular music videos show how they highlight dynamic cityscapes, fashion trends, and nightlife, emphasizing Africa’s urban modernity (Ashibel op. cit.; Serang op. cit.). By consistently portraying African spaces as hubs of innovation, style, and confidence, these videos play a key role in reshaping the global perception of the continent.

5.3 Language, Neologisms and Hybrid Identities

Linguistic practices in Nigerian popular music also contribute to counter-narratives. Chiedozie (op. cit.) highlights the widespread use of Nigerian English and Nigerian Pidgin neologisms in Afrobeats lyrics, demonstrating how artists create new expressions that gain global recognition. Rather than diminishing local languages, many songs blend English, Pidgin, and indigenous languages (such as Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa), forming a hybrid linguistic space.

This linguistic blending shows that Africanness and global modernity are not mutually exclusive, but can coexist and complement each other (Akombo op. cit.). reads this as evidence of a distinctly African modernity, produced through negotiation rather than imitation. For listeners who only knew Africa through crisis news, learning phrases and slang via globally streamed music subtly destabilises the idea of Africa as culturally distant or unintelligible.

5.4 Case Illustrations

Three illustrative examples make this argument more concrete.

Burna Boy – “Ye” (2018) and African Giant (2019)

These works blend autobiographical reflections on struggle with assertive declarations of African pride. Burna Boy portrays himself as both a product of Nigeria's structural challenges and a global star, embodying the "African dream" narrative in the creative industries, as discussed in policy analyses of Nigerian soft power (Faidi op. cit.). The international success of "Ye" introduced Nigerian music to new audiences, while the album art for African Giant incorporates references to African cartography and anti-colonial imagery.

Wizkid & Tems – “Essence” (2020)

"Essence" made history as the first Nigerian song to reach the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100, a milestone widely regarded as a turning point for Afrobeats (Osiebe op. cit.). The video and lyrical content present sensuality, romance and leisure in ways that centre Black bodies without exoticising African poverty or violence. In so doing, they normalise African subjectivity within global pop’s emotional repertoire, challenging the notion that African stories in global media must focus on suffering.

Rema – “Calm Down” (2022)

Rema’s "Calm Down" and its remix became some of the most-streamed Afrobeats songs worldwide. Serang (op. cit.) examines "Calm Down" as a prime example of musical hybridity, illustrating how its rhythm and melody blend Afrobeats with global pop influences while retaining key Nigerian cultural markers. The video focuses on youth culture, street fashion, and urban movement, steering clear of the usual stereotypical depictions of Africa, and contributing to a new, reimagined visual representation of the continent. These examples collectively show how specific songs serve as micro-sites of rebranding, spreading images of Africa that contrast sharply with the conventional portrayals seen in mainstream media.

6. Sonic Diplomacy, Soft Power and Brand Nigeria

The global success of Nigerian popular music carries significant implications for soft power. Adesina (op. cit.) argues that cultural diplomacy is a key tool in shaping Nigeria’s image and fostering goodwill. Policy reports and articles highlight how Afrobeats and Nollywood are transforming Africa from being viewed as a site of need to a source of global trends, style, and economic opportunity (Faidi op. cit.; Le Monde 2025). Fans across Europe, North America, and Asia now engage with African music, fashion, and dance not as exotic or marginal, but as aspirational.

Jibrin and Garba (op. cit.) emphasize that soft power relies on credibility and appeal, with cultural products playing a central role in shaping both. In the case of Nigeria, international collaborations like Wizkid’s work with Drake, Tems’ contributions to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, and Burna Boy’s performances at major global events expose international audiences to Nigerian talent in prestigious contexts. These collaborations enhance Brand Nigeria, associating the country with creativity, professionalism, and global relevance.

However, for music to fully realize its potential as a soft power asset, it must be integrated into broader cultural and development policies. Faidi (op. cit.) notes that African creative industries face significant challenges, such as weak intellectual property enforcement and limited access to finance. Strategic investments in music education, performance venues, digital infrastructure, and artist support programs could improve livelihoods and solidify the informal successes that Afrobeats and other genres have achieved.

For Nigeria, aligning its musical soft power with broader initiatives in tourism, education, and diplomacy could help create a more unified and multi-dimensional national brand. This could include incorporating Nigerian music into official events, supporting festivals that attract international visitors, and encouraging collaborations that showcase not just entertainment, but also Nigeria’s technological, academic, and entrepreneurial achievements.

7. Limitations, Tensions and Contradictions

While Nigerian popular music provides significant tools for rebranding Africa, it is not without its contradictions. One key issue is the portrayal of class and inequality. Many Afrobeats videos prominently feature lavish lifestyles, including expensive cars, private jets, and designer clothing—luxuries that are far beyond the reach of most Nigerians. This emphasis on glamour can obscure underlying structural issues, such as high unemployment, inadequate public services, and political instability, replacing these real challenges with aspirational fantasies. Asenye and Mandor (2023) warn that globalisation and commercialisation risk turning Nigerian music into a vehicle for spectacular consumption that obscures persistent poverty and weak public infrastructure.

A second issue relates to gender representation. While more Nigerian women artists are gaining prominence and challenging patriarchal norms, many mainstream music videos still portray women mainly as sexualized objects or as accessories to male success. This reflects broader gender patterns seen in global pop culture and limits the extent to which Nigerian music can be considered a fully emancipatory force. A true rebranding of Africa would require the inclusion of diverse and empowering images of African women and other marginalized groups.

A third limitation concerns the expectations placed on artists. Not all musicians view themselves as cultural ambassadors or are interested in addressing issues of representation and politics. Many are primarily driven by personal expression or commercial success. It would be unreasonable to expect every Nigerian artist to take on the responsibility of rebranding the continent. However, overlooking the representational impact of their work could result in missed opportunities to link music more directly with social justice and collective dignity.

Finally, there is a risk of oversimplification. If Africa is only recognized globally for its party music and dance trends, this would offer a narrow and incomplete portrayal of the continent. A more comprehensive rebranding would also highlight Africa’s contributions in areas such as intellectual, scientific, spiritual, and ecological achievements, alongside its musical creativity. Nigerian popular music can open doors to such broader recognition, but it cannot on its own represent the full richness and diversity of African life.

8. Conclusion and Implications

This article has argued that Nigerian popular music especially Afrobeats and its variants plays a significant role in rebranding Africa’s image by offering cultural counter-narratives to long-standing deficit representations. Building on theories of representation, postcolonial self-narration, nation branding and soft power, it has shown how lyrics, visual aesthetics and linguistic hybridity present African lives as modern, creative, emotionally complex and globally connected. Illustrative case examples, including the global trajectories of Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tems and Rema, demonstrate how specific songs and videos function as micro-sites of sonic diplomacy. These songs encourage listeners not only to dance but also to immerse themselves in African cityscapes, languages, and sensibilities, challenging the narrow, crisis-driven narrative of Africa (Adichie op. cit.; Yusif op. cit.). Recent research on Nigerian popular music supports the idea that these cultural practices both reflect and strengthen African values, hybrid identities, and efforts at national branding (Akombo op. cit.; Ashibel op. cit.; Obasi & Msughter op. cit.).

However, the study also highlights important tensions, including the display of class through consumption, gender-based exclusions, the risk of reinforcing new stereotypes, and unequal economic returns from the music industry. For Nigerian music to contribute meaningfully to rebranding Africa, these contradictions must be acknowledged rather than glossed over. Three implications follow.

First, Nigerian and other African governments should recognize popular music as a vital cultural and economic sector, and invest in the necessary infrastructure, education, and fair regulatory frameworks to support intellectual property rights and streaming revenue (Faidi op. cit.).

Second, stronger partnerships are needed between musicians, filmmakers, tourism boards, diaspora organisations and diplomatic missions to coordinate cultural diplomacy and nation branding in ways that preserve artistic autonomy (Adesina op. cit.; Jibrin & Garba op. cit.).

Third, scholars, journalists, and educators should approach Nigerian popular music not just as entertainment, but as a valuable resource for understanding contemporary African life. It should be integrated into curricula, research, and public discourse. Ultimately, the task of rebranding Africa cannot be left to any single actor or genre alone. But Nigerian popular music is already transforming what the world sees and hears when it looks toward the continent. Recognising and critically supporting this sonic transformation is a necessary step toward an Africa that defines itself in the global imagination.

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