When Fola released his debut EP ‘What A Feeling’ in December 2024, it introduced listeners to a rising star whose music takes its essence from his Yoruba identity and a young man’s emotionally charged tales of love and hustle.
An artist who leans into his emotions, Fola’s music is defined by his Yoruba heritage, which he infuses with R&B influences to make emotive records that make him adored by fans and sought after by his peers, whose songs he scales to hit with his verses.
Following the mantra of striking when the iron is hot, the fast-rising star released his debut album‘Catharsis’, which is an extension of his fine form both in identity and output.
Relying on similar elements that rocketed him to stardom, the 11-track album is packed with mid-tempo R&B-driven songs that tell the story of ambition, love, and desires from the lens of a star with bottled emotions.
Fola’s debut album is an emotional offering from a star whose time has come to shine.
He takes in the moment and revels in the limelight, sharing tales of ambitions, romance, and desires while clinging to the sound that brought him fame.
He moves listeners with the opener ‘Gokada,’ where he uses his bedroom capacities as a symbol to deliver, go harder, and dominate. The moving vocals, which tug at the heartstrings and sit delicately on the beat, are a common denominator on the album where love and ambition intersect.
For young men like Fola, it’s a constant battle between love and ambition. In a society painfully unforgiving to the weak and poor, the message of “go hard or go home” is a driving force for young people who struggle to fit into the complexities of modern love.
“Go home or go harder,” he sings on the log drum, punctuated ‘Eko,’ where he emphatically shares his desire to win in a song that captures the pressures young men are exposed to in relationships.
The production on the opening 7 songs retained the Konto and dancehall mid-tempo bounce, even while Fola continued to share his desires, both sensual and romantic.
His yearnings for a lover to whom he can come home after the hustle shape the konto bounce of ‘You’ and ‘Golibe’ where Victony’s sweet singing lifts the record. He makes a sensual plea for companionship in the cold night on the dancehall bounce of ‘Cruise Control’ and ‘Healer,’ where he weaves on the beat with similar R&B melodies with which he soared to fame.
On ‘Robbery’, Fola’s vocals and writing shine next to British-Nigerian star Gabzy, who adds the emotive melodies that shaped his successful partnership with producer Melvito, who favours minimalist production that drives the song.
Fola’s use of Yoruba down to the tonal inflections in his R&B melodies is one of the reasons his music stands out, and it’s why ‘Caricature’ is one of the strongest songs on the project.
The project jerks to life on the appropriately named ‘disco’ featuring Young Jonn delivers his trademark flow on the log drum-infused record meant to beckon listeners to the dancefloor.
Overall,‘Catharsis’continues Fola’s run by expanding on the sound that brought him fame. His reluctance to embrace some variety and adventure leads to a predictability that can create dullness even for a 28-minute album.
However, the timeliness of the release ties the project into a moment where Fola can do no wrong while preparing him and listeners for what comes next.
Ratings: /10 • 0-1.9: Flop • 2.0-3.9: Near fall • 4.0-5.9: Average • 6.0-7.9: Victory • 8.0-10: Champion
Pulse Rating: /10 Album Sequencing: 1.5/2 Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.3/2 Production: 1.5/2 Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.3/2 Execution: 1.5/2
