Lady Donli - “Cash"

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…Wavy the Creator, Ibeyi, MIA

Nigerian Afropop-R&B artist Lady Donli takes a cooled-out, fusion approach to her music, precisely melding spacey electronic R&B with bouncy African rhythms. The result is a laid back, but certainly pop-oriented sound, accessible while still pushing boundaries in this unique space. Smooth jazz soul intermits a song like “Take Me Home” while “Corner” is a sunny, dub-like groove, but performed with relative patience and minimalism. Highlight “Cash” has elements of new-wave synth pop and modern hip hop - even though Lady Donli is pulling so many different influences together, her music is subtle and together, more lounge-groove than outright experimental. Lady Donli has been releasing EPs and singles for the past five years but just released her debut full-length Enjoy Your Life and hearing all these songs together really highlight her far-reaching approach without losing that danceable pop core. (Kevin McStravick)