The Afrobeats star teams up with producer Ozedikus, known for his work with Rema and Oxlade, on an album built around freedom, confidence, and pleasure.
At the start of the year, the Nigerian singer-songwriter expected to release an EP before turning his attention to a full-length project in 2027. It had only been two years since the release of his debut album, Stubborn, and he seemed content to give himself time before beginning the next chapter.
Then the songs started coming.
What began as casual studio sessions gradually turned into something much bigger. Each new record seemed to lead naturally into another, and Victony found himself enjoying the creative process in a way he hadn’t experienced before. “Every time I made a song, I realized I was able to carry that same feeling to the next song,” he says. “I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun making music.”
That sense of ease is central to STARLIFE, his sophomore album, released August 21. The project captures Victony in a more relaxed, flirtatious, and self-assured space, drawing from the energy of a life lived without too many rules.
You could already see glimpses of that world around him. His social media began filling with images of yachts, late nights, luxury, and moments shared with artists including Loe Shimmy. For Victony, those experiences weren’t simply part of the lifestyle surrounding the music; they became part of the creative language behind the album.
A major turning point came when he began working closely with producer Ozedikus. Known for his work on Rema’s “Dumebi” and Oxlade’s “KU LO SA,” Ozedikus brought a musical sensibility that immediately clicked with Victony’s own instincts. The relationship developed naturally. The two artists bounced ideas off one another while also connecting over their shared Lagos roots. Their sessions quickly produced “FRE$H,” a smooth and understated record, followed by “SLICK,” which would become one of the project’s early standout moments.
According to Victony, “SLICK” came together on the same night “FRE$H” was released. What could have been the end of one creative run instead became the beginning of something larger. “We were two for two,” he recalls. “I was in the studio, and I told him, ‘Congratulations,’ because that was my first release of the year. That was the start of something.”
That chemistry is felt throughout STARLIFE. The production rarely feels hurried. Instead, the songs leave enough space for Victony’s voice to sit comfortably inside the rhythm, whether he’s singing softly, slipping into a rap cadence, or adding playful ad-libs that give the records their personality.
The album moves through Afrobeats and Amapiano while maintaining a strong R&B foundation. “FRESH” leans into a minimal, bouncy groove, while “CAN JUICE” pairs gentle guitar with atmospheric details that give it the intimacy of a late-night slow jam. On “MISSIN PIECE,” Victony settles into an even softer pocket, embracing the kind of vulnerable, romantic mood associated with contemporary R&B.
Interestingly, none of this was necessarily mapped out from the beginning.
Victony says the project’s sonic identity emerged organically from whatever he and his collaborators were feeling in the studio. It was only after revisiting the finished songs that he recognized how heavily R&B had influenced the project. One element, however, was deliberate: maintaining a balance between the singer and rapper within him.
“I’m a singer now, but with the cadence, you could tell I still try to show my rap side,” he says. “Even with a song like ‘SLICK,’ I still tap in from both worlds whenever I’m creating.” That duality gives STARLIFE some of its character. Victony isn’t interested in abandoning the rapper he once was simply because his voice has taken him further into Afrobeats and R&B. Instead, he allows both sides of his artistry to coexist.
His appreciation for Afrobeats history also surfaces on “FYNE,” where he samples Orezi’s “You Garrit.” The moment connects the album to an earlier generation of Nigerian pop while keeping it firmly rooted in Victony’s contemporary sound.
“That side was intentional,” he explains. “Just trying to bridge the gap and bring back some old Afrobeats vibes.” Ultimately, STARLIFE feels less like a carefully engineered statement and more like the result of an artist allowing himself to enjoy the process. Its world is glamorous, romantic, and unapologetic: fur coats, silver jewelry, beautiful women and, in Victony’s words, plenty of “aura.”
But beneath all of that is something more important: freedom.
Victony spent years chasing the idea of getting everything exactly right. With STARLIFE, he chose instead to trust his instincts, follow the music, and see where it took him. “For the longest time, I was focused on trying to get everything right, and for the first time, I’m learning to let go,” he says. “I want people to feel the freedom I felt while making the tape.” And that may be the album’s defining quality. STARLIFE doesn’t sound like Victony trying to prove what he can do. It sounds like Victony finally permitting himself to have fun.
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