Meeting our Monday blues with a weekend-ready hit, Olistar drops “Bando Baby”: an enigmatic single inspired by Olistar’s growth from the streets in Onitsha. Thanking the streets that raised him, Olistar celebrates his new successes while paying a subtle ode to his faith, creating an explosive soundscape that feels sentimental, inspiring yet danceable at the same time. Fusing Afrobeats with chest-pounding Drill and a subtle sparkle of Hip-Hop, the sound of “Bando Baby” seamlessly mimics its themes. It’s hard-hitting and satisfying, steeped in poignancy but pulsating in good vibes — a paradoxical style of tune crafting that compliments Olistar’s narratives, often birthed from hardship, running towards a lighter future.

Speaking further on the single, Olistar, the moniker of Olisa Franklin Emodi, says, “Coming from my city Onitsha, Nigeria, I feel the need to advocate for the youths in the world because I got first-hand hood life, and making it to this point I know a lot of youths need to see the light at the end of every tunnel and that will send a great wide wave of hope across the world.”

Using his music as a means to inspire youth no matter where they may come from, “Bando Baby” is just the start of Olistar’s astronomic climb. He might have risen on the streets of Onitsha — but for the Nigerian musician, the world is surely his oyster. To stream “Bando Baby” now, head below…