Africa’s music story has never been one-dimensional — and neither is Upper Quintet. In our latest volume, we journey from the bustling streets of Lagos 🇳🇬 to the poetic corners of Kampala 🇺🇬, the indie pockets of Accra 🇬🇭, and the hip-hop grit of Mafikeng 🇿🇦, gathering voices that remind us why this continent’s sound refuses to be boxed in.
Hybridbwoy:
Hybridbwoy is the kind of Nigerian singer-songwriter who refuses to be hemmed in by genre. His music resides at a fluid crossroads where indie-pop meets Afrobeats, and soul intertwines with alternative R&B. Since his 2016 debut, he has been quietly and consistently shaping a sound that pairs melodic storytelling with sleek, forward-facing production.
His breakout came with PHXB, a collaborative EP with producer Bizzonthetrack that signaled a new creative chapter, followed closely by 6IX, an introspective body of work recorded during a period of personal transition.
Known for crafting warm, vibe-heavy records anchored by unforgettable hooks, Hybridbwoy’s songs carry an intimacy that somehow feels universal. Across a steadily expanding catalogue, his music explores love, self-discovery, and the kind of emotional resilience that turns personal truths into shared anthems.
Tai Dai:
Kampala has a habit of birthing artists who don’t ask for the spotlight, but Tai Dai might be the first in a while to make it feel optional. She raps like she’s whispering a secret you weren’t meant to hear, sings like she’s already two verses deep into a dream you just walked in on. Her sound isn’t a mash-up so much as a quiet rebellion—Indie’s patience, Hip-Hop’s spine, R&B’s shadow, all sitting in the same dimly lit room.
EA OPEN (2024) didn’t just announce her; it framed her. With Agent Mgumbe and Mwami in tow, she made a five-track suite that feels like late-night Kampala in slow motion, thick air, loose talk, and moments that vanish before you can screenshot them. By the time Outside Shoes landed this year, Tai Dai had traded introductions for confessions, building songs that breathe, twitch, and refuse to pose for the camera.
Maybe that’s the trick. While the East African pop machine keeps its eyes on export-ready anthems, Tai Dai works in the opposite direction, pulling you closer, lowering the volume, and trusting you to lean in. You don’t stream her music so much as eavesdrop on it. And once you’ve heard it, you can’t un-hear her.
Caralee:
Caralee isn’t the kind of artist you box in. Born in Lagos to Akwa Ibom roots, the singer-songwriter built her name on a knack for bending any genre to her will, always leaving a thumbprint that’s hers alone. Since first stepping onto the University of Benin stage in 2015, her soft yet unmissable vocals and precise pen game have carried her from campus shows to national recognition. By the time she was the lone woman in the South South Music Awards Cypher that same year, it was clear she wasn’t just showing up; she was taking space.
Her catalogue tells the story of a slow, deliberate climb: the Nameless EP in 2019 (an Audiomack-only drop that still turned heads), the genre-fluid BadGuyLee Vol. 1 in 2022, and singles like “Destiny,” “Go Away” with REU, and “Gragra,” which found airplay as far as London’s Beat 103.6 FM. Covers of Adekunle Gold’s “5 Star” and Skiibii’s “Baddest Boy” earned her nods from the originals themselves, with Oxlade, Majeeed, Lifesize Teddy, Dr Sid, Kenah, and Joeboy also taking notice.
In between, Caralee’s slipped into MTV Base Freestyle Sessions, dropped Abuja-produced gems like “Darling Riddim,” and stayed a familiar name on talent shortlists like MBA for Africa’s Top 40 Artists. Her latest single, “My Baby,” is the calm before another storm—her third EP, now in the works. For an artist who’s been steadily stacking moments for nearly a decade, the next chapter feels less like a breakout and more like a coronation.
Stella Sena:
Ghana’s R&B scene has no shortage of velvet voices, but Stella Sena isn’t here to just sound smooth; she’s here to cut through. Her songs arrive like quiet ultimatums wrapped in melody, soft on the surface but carrying the kind of weight that makes you pause mid-two-step. Since her 2023 debut Marathon, Sena’s been threading Afrobeats’ warmth through R&B’s silk, a pairing that feels less like fusion and more like muscle memory.
It was Your Place in 2024 that shifted her from “promising” to “pay attention.” Produced by KlasikBeatz, the single wore its bounce lightly but carried a spine of self-respect, telling anyone who might need reminding exactly where the line was. By the time Thamanga rolled out in 2025, Sena had established a pattern: groove first, but never at the expense of the story. Even her streaming numbers—tens of thousands deep and climbing—read less like hype and more like proof that people are listening for the message as much as the melody.
There’s a precision to Stella Sena’s rise—no flailing for viral moments, no cluttered rollouts. Just clean releases, steady growth, and a voice that can slip from intimacy to insistence in a single breath. In a space that rewards noise, she’s playing the long game. And if her track record so far is anything to go by, Stella Sena’s not just building a catalogue—she’s building staying power.
Buzzi Lee:
Buzzi Lee is skating the surface of South Africa’s hip-hop wave and cutting deep into its underbelly with the precision of someone who knows exactly what she came for. Born in Mafikeng, the rapper has become a razor-sharp voice in a scene often clogged by bravado without substance. Her delivery is cool yet confrontational—threads Tswana inflections through punchy bars that carry both bite and bounce.
Emerging from the fertile streets of Mmabatho, she’s built her reputation on versatility, whether she’s bodying a cypher, sliding over amapiano-infused beats, or commanding trap-heavy production. With tracks like “ Kwasukasukela” and collaborations alongside the likes of Maglera Doe Boy, Buzzi proves she’s no side note in the narrative of Southern African rap; she’s an unapologetic author of her chapter.
In an industry still figuring out how to balance grit with glamour, Buzzi Lee walks the line like it’s a runway—hood-certified, radio-ready, and entirely uninterested in compromise. Upper Quintet’s verdict? Watch her now, before you’re left pretending you knew her back when.
