Burna Boy Collaborates on Genre-Breaking Album African Horizons

Nigerian Afro-fusion pioneer Burna Boy has reached a landmark partnership to release his groundbreaking album African Horizons, a fusion of Afrobeats, reggae and electronic experimentation. The partnership is in line with Burna Boy’s mission to “redefine the African sound identity on the world stage.”

The partnership began when Burna Boy, whose 2023 album Ife reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200, sought a partner who could help realize his vision. WMG invested $5 million to build a state-of-the-art recording studio in Lagos, Nigeria, and assembled a production team that includes Grammy-winning engineer Sarz. WMG used its global distribution network to prioritize the album’s release in non-traditional markets such as India and Scandinavia, ensuring the album resonated with different audiences. Key to the project was WMG’s commitment to cultural authenticity: Burna Boy co-wrote 10 of the album’s 12 tracks, while WMG’s A&R team facilitated a collaboration with Icelandic producer Valgeir Sigurðsson, known for his ambient work with Björk, to elevate the album’s sound. The album also blends Yoruba chants, Ghanaian high-society guitar riffs, and samples of Zulu poet Sifo Dlamini to weave a rich Pan-African story. To ensure fair revenue distribution, WMG used its blockchain-based MEG Chain platform to transparently distribute royalties to 15 contributing West African artists through smart contracts.