Nigerian disc jockey and producer DJ Saintwills assembles a talented cast – Mazi, Ekstrings, Dera Drum, and Onyimikel – for a genre-blending new single titled “Afro Highlife.”
The title is also a mission statement. DJ Saintwills takes two of Nigeria’s most enduring sounds – Afrobeats and highlife – and builds them into a single record rather than choosing between them.
That approach requires the right collaborators, and the four featured artists suggest careful selection rather than coincidence. Ekstrings brings the string-led instrumental flavour that gives highlife its soul, while Dera Drum handles the rhythmic backbone that keeps everything grounded.
DJ Saintwills has previous catalogue entries like “Oja Ndi Eze” featuring Ojasinachi and Goziedrums, and his 2023 “Afro Live Mix” project – all of which point to an artist who has long been fascinated by live-band arrangements and traditional Igbo sounds.
“Afro Highlife” therefore feels less like an experiment and more like a natural evolution of everything he has been building toward.
What makes this release particularly interesting is the size of the collaboration. Four featured artists on a single record can easily become chaotic, yet the genre itself provides the discipline.
So the format suits the subject matter perfectly. DJ Saintwills understands that, and “Afro Highlife” proves it.
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