FOLA’s ‘9’ Album: Everything We Know So Far

After two consistent years of making his presence felt in the Nigerian music industry, FOLA is set to release his sophomore album, ‘9,’ on October 9. The title and release date are seemingly not incidental. In an Instagram post announcing the project, FOLA explained that the number 9 represents a striker in football, the player expected to get on the scoresheet. FOLA calls himself the artist you call when you need a hit, but what does he want to add to the scoresheet?

The project was announced alongside the release of “it’s over,” a new song featuring his label boss Bella Shmurda and rapper Zlatan. The song serves as the outro to the 14-track project.

There are already a few records giving us an idea of where the album could be headed. Sources who have spoken with TurnTable on the condition of anonymity to protect their relationships have confirmed that “Crime” featuring 2Baba will be included on the project. “Crime” is a remake of the 2006 song “If Love Is a Crime,” one of the pioneering artiste’s popular releases. FOLA had teased a snippet of him singing along with 2Baba in February.

In May, a leaked song began circulating on TikTok and quickly became a sound for a growing number of posts and videos. TurnTable understands from these sources that the track is titled “WAF” and will be included on the album. Its inclusion means listeners who already know the song will finally get the full version of a record that had begun building an audience before its official release. 

The songs we know also suggest that FOLA isn't moving too far from the romantic territory that has become central to his music. The previously released “treat you right” with Ayra Starr and ”fine ting (fine $hit)” sit comfortably in that lane, although “attention!” appears to take a more upbeat approach. “it’s over,” meanwhile, brings a more emotional, reflective, and appreciative mood to the project.

So far, ‘9’ has a little bit of everything to keep an eye on, from familiar and yet-to-be-revealed collaborators to a 2Baba remake, a leak that already has an audience and new records yet to be explored. It could reveal different sides of FOLA’s sound, just as his ‘catharsis’ debut album, which is still performing well, showed us.

For now, the scorecard is still open, and October 9 should give us the rest of the picture.