The 10 Best Album Covers for 2023 in Nigerian Music
For Nigerian Music especially, 2023 was a cornucopia of musical and lyrical masterpieces. Music is a drug that fuels endless creativity and lift moods while opening a portal to a dimension of resonance. However, just as relevant as the art of music is, we also have to acknowledge the often overlooked importance of the other aspects of music, one of which is the artwork. Now more than ever, An artwork is more than just a painting or drawing that graces the covers of an artiste’s album- It gives you a glimpse into the soul of the artist’s musical products and can set the tone for the rollout, and how its received by the music audience. Let’s take a look at some of my favourite music cover artworks of 2023 in Nigerian Music, and yes, I will be ranking them in order…
P.S these are just my personal perspectives about the artworks, not necessarily the artist’s and i can’t speak for any of them.
10. Cosmic EP- Soulaar
One word defines this artwork and that is intergalactic. The neon bright colors give you the feeling like you are peering into the cosmos of a symphonic universe.
This sensory overload encourages artistes to be more experimental and daring with the visual direction and maybe look outside this world for some inspiration.
9. Live More, Worry Less — psiv & KONYE
The first attraction to this was the color scheme, it just felt warm to look at. I had never heard of the EP before but after seeing the cover, I had to check it out, and it didn’t disappoint either. The abstract illustrations of this album cover look like something that should be framed.It gives a merry and boisterous energy that is relatable to the music audience. The playful visualisation of a performing artiste, a DJ and a crowd dancing to the tunes are all refreshing and poignant, with a natural typography placement.
8. Memories that last forever, 2nd compilation- Sarz Academy
Sarz has proven time and time again that he is one of the greatest producers in Nigeria and his artwork pays homage to that rich history. Memories That Last Forever is a project by the 2022 Graduating class of the third Sarz Academy Masterclass. Hence, the artwork is ripe with nostalgia from his past works reflected in the televisions and how they shaped him. There are a lot of easter eggs and references embedded here, have fun decoding them all.
The illustration of the kid with a microphone echoes the inner child in us all looking to take on the world with our creativity on our side. Sarz and his Academy are inviting us to witness his memories that will last forever.
7. Thy Kingdom Come- Seyi Vibez
The Sultan of Street music, Seyi Vibez really came into full form with his refreshing take on the street genre, often infusing religious chants, symbolisms and allusions. Thy Kingdom Come bares the religious tones that are prevalent in his music.
The artwork exudes a sacrosanct energy with the warm rays coming through the stained glass windows and that iconic “war ready” pose. Seyi Vibez is on a mission to spread his gospel and he’s not slowing down anytime soon
6. Gangster Romantic- Lojay
The combination of red and blue for Lojay’s album cover gives a velveteen touch that feels tangible. The image of the gun shot to his heart with a heart shaped bullet hole speaks volumes about him being a gangster romantic.
Lojay’s soothing vocals are his trademark and this iconic album cover carries on that smooth effect. It feels like a creative flip on the 50 Cent “Get Rich or Die Trying” album art.
Its also interesting to note how Lojay first EP featured a blue cover with red accents and this is a visual flip on that, not sure if its intentional, but i find it quite fascinating
5. Sincerely Benson- BNXN
There’s just one word to describe this artwork and that is rich. BNXN fka Buju was able to create a simple yet evoking artwork that resonates everything that makes him who he is.
From the floating papers representing his lyrics, a core part of BNXN’s brand, to him holding an aged vinyl under his arm to symbolise his longevity, to the flowers around him that personify his artistic growth. The muted color scheme also serves as a nice backdrop to the emotive sounds itself. To cap it off, the artwork features him in stone which reminds me of the iconic Michael Jackson HIStory album cover.
4. Work of Art- Asake
On the cover for Asake’s debut album, we see him sampling Pablo Escobar’s iconic mugshot and Asake keeps the tradition alive by sampling american contemporary artiste Jean-Michel Basquiat. Mr Money can be seen in his recognisable grin, with his dreads shaped into Basquiat’s quintessential freeform locs pattern. Aptly titled Work of Art, we see him holding a paintbrush, basking in the portrait pieces, a fitting metaphor for how he views his music.
Fun fact- the two pieces in the cover are original artworks by Ayanfe Olarinde, a self taught multimedia visual artist.
After Escobar and Basquiat, I am only wondering who he’d sample for his next album..
3. Boy Alone Deluxe- Omah Lay
The Soso crooner takes minimalism to the next level with the album art for Boy Alone Deluxe. The simplicity of the artwork is its strength and It perfectly encapsulates the Boy Alone theme, reflecting the core of his music, which revolves around themes of melancholy, sadness and twists of romance.
Furthermore, his consistent use of purple for his projects since Get Layd shows just how deliberate he is about serving up his music.
2. Pan African Rockstar- Lady Donli
The Pan African Rockstar herself, Lady Donli came into prominence with her first album “Enjoy Your Life” but pivoted to a rockstar persona reminiscent of Prince, Lenny Kravitz and Janis Joplin.
The artwork of Pan African Rockstar is metal. With easily the best typography alone on this list, the edginess and gritty texture gives you an accurate idea of what to expect from the music. With one of the best styling on this list, her pose, coming out of the cave indicates the birth of her new rockstar persona and how she’s here to shake things up.
The Visual Direction also sets the tone for the rollout, which included a special website for loyal fans where you can generate a customised Pan African Rockstar ID.
It also included a special vinyl set and flyers, talk about putting the devil in the details.
- The Evil Genius- Mr Eazi
The Zagadat Czar is know for being meticulous and intentional with his music. Known for his musical prowess, Mr Eazi has proven to be adept in the business world as well, and we all know great packaging is one of the markers of a great product. He simply has to take the crown for this year’s list for the sheer effort he put into the visuals. The Evil Genius cover emanates royalty and unbridled confidence. From the oil on the head iconography in the back to the regal pose on the Corinthian column at the front. Mr Eazi shows that he is a genius and an unapologetic one at it. His hairstyle is a crown that proves his musical liege as well as make Bart Simpsons envious.
As if that wasn't enough dedication, he commissioned various artistes to create original art pieces for each of the songs on the album, all packaged together in a special booklet, which has been displayed at Galleries in Accra, London and Lagos. This level of detail and intentionality is exactly why Mr Eazi takes the crown.
The Vinyl Cover is just chef’s kiss, I hope to hang one in my room someday
