ON THE RISE
Nigerian-American artist E'Major is back with his latest single, "Bolo", an infectious fusion of Amapiano and Afrobeat that showcases his unique musical style. Based in Minneapolis but deeply connected to his Nigerian roots, E'Major has been promoting the track in West Africa since its release last month.
"Bolo" is a lively, danceable track produced by Masterkraft, a leading Nigerian producer known for his signature Afrobeat sound. The song features E'Major's smooth vocals layered over a beat that instantly pulls listeners in.
A single snare hit kicks off the song, giving way to a syncopated conga beat over a fast-moving shaker in the background. While the percussion intro evokes the log-drum characteristic of South African amapiano, “Bolo” wastes no time getting right into its distinctive groove. A descending piano melody leads to a keyboard chord progression that persists throughout the entire 3 minutes and 11 seconds. Background vocals and more snare hits make way for E’Major’s silky vocals.
The way you do me, I no know
Dey make me dancey awilo
I know I used to be a player
But I retire like papilo
…
Omo you don scatter my bolo bolo
Scatter my bolo you do scatter my bolo bolo
The single’s upbeat energy and relatable lyrics are sure to resonate with fans worldwide. For the uninitiated, the term "bolo," E'Major explains, is Nigerian slang for "head" or “mind.” When he sings "scatter my bolo," he’s talking about being driven wild in love. Did you ever know somebody who drove you crazy, in the best kind of way? If so, this song is for you.
Emeka Jeremiah Nnaji, born in Nigeria and raised in the United States, is the brainchild behind E'Major. He explains that the stage name is a play on words, combining his name—Emeka—with his preferred musical key, E major. He explains that as a guitarist, E major is the key that he gravitates toward most.
The music video for Bolo, directed by Ara Brownie, brings vibrant West African visuals to the song. Filmed on an island near Lagos, it features horseback riding on the beach, fresh tropical fruits, drinking from coconuts, beautiful dancing women, and a culminating scene of fire dancing at night on the beach. The flirtatious tropical vibes are abundant. "Ara really brought my vision to life," E'Major says.
Drawing inspiration from Afrobeat giants like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido, E'Major sees the genre’s global rise as an opportunity to bring fresh sounds to the forefront. "Afrobeat is in demand right now," he said. "It’s a sound that can blend with other genres, like Amapiano from South Africa."
While “Bolo” is a standalone single, E'Major has plans for a full-length album with his label, Motion Major Records. For now, though, he’s focused on releasing singles to build momentum.
“Bolo” is the latest example of E'Major's ability to blend his African heritage with his American influences, creating music that transcends borders. As E'Major puts it, "This is a song that can connect with everyone from different walks of life."
With his roots in both Nigeria and the U.S., E'Major is on a mission to spread his sound across the globe. Check out “Bolo” today on all streaming platforms and prepare to "scatter your Bolo."
ON THE RISE
Blossoms caught up with NME to discuss competing with The Beatles and Johnny Marr for this week’s Number One album. With ‘Songs From The Wedding Cake’ in the running, the band also explained why making things themselves remains such an important part of their work as AI becomes more common.
The Stockport group put out their sixth album last Friday, October 2. By the midweek update, it was sitting at Number Two, between The Beatles’ expanded edition of ‘Rubber Soul’ and Johnny Marr’s latest solo album, ‘The Age Of Everything’.
“It’s mad, to be honest,” singer Tom Ogden said to NME about the chart race. “Liverpool on one side, Manchester on the other and Stockport in the middle. If you’d told us this 10 years ago, when we were releasing our debut, I wouldn’t have believed you. But I mean, we’re in good company aren’t we?”
Discussing the stories behind the album, Ogden described ‘Songs From The Wedding Cake’ as “about being married and all the everyday stuff that comes with it”. He married Katie Donovan, the sister of Blossoms drummer Joe, in 2021. Married life has since given him a new appreciation for what he describes as “the extraordinary ordinary”.
“Saying the wrong thing in an argument, losing your wife’s no claims bonus, crying at the Kardashians, it’s all in there,” he explained. “The album is named after Stockport Town Hall, which everyone round where we live calls the Wedding Cake, and it’s where I got married, so it couldn’t be much closer to home.
“The last album [‘Gary’, 2024] had a song about a stolen fibreglass gorilla, which everyone loved, and that gave us the confidence to bring the same playfulness to this one, just with more personal subject matter this time.”
Alongside tracks that came out of writing sessions with Declan McKenna in a hot tub, the album reflects the band’s desire to stay involved in every part of the creative process.
“It started with the recording,” Ogden explained. “We made the album with Shawn Lee, playing live straight to tape, and once you’ve done it that way you can’t really go and fake everything else. We sat down as a band and picked the colour palette, and everything visual followed from that. We had body scans taken of ourselves and cake toppers of the five of us 3D printed, put them on a real cake and photographed it. I’ve directed and edited the videos, and the sets are all built by hand, no green screen. For the pop-up shop on launch weekend, a local artist hand-painted the album cover for the sign outside.
“It’s more work, but you end up with a world that’s yours, and I think people can tell when a band’s had its hands on everything.”
With AI tools and digital effects becoming increasingly widespread, that approach feels particularly relevant. For Blossoms, though, the motivation is simple: “the fun is in the making”.
“Tape doesn’t let you cheat and neither does a real cake,” Ogden said. “If a set’s a bit wonky, it’s because one of us or our mates built it. I think the more stuff gets generated, the more people want to know a human being actually did it. We’ve been in this band together for over 10 years, five lads from Stockport, and that isn’t something you can ‘prompt’.”
Maya Jama also appeared in the video for the album’s first single, ‘Meet Me In Love’. Her appearance came shortly before the UK launch of Celebrity Traitors, where she took on the role of a traitor alongside a cast that included Richard E Grant and James Acaster.
“She was brilliant,” Ogden recalled of working with Jama. “We’d met her at the MTV EMAs in Manchester a couple of years ago, so we took a chance and sent her a DM …and she said yes. Next thing she’s in a theatre in Cheadle miming my vocals while a load of people dressed as me serenade her. She got the idea straight away and was a proper laugh about it.”
The conversation then turned to whether he thought Jama could take home the win on Celebrity Traitors.
Ogden joked: “As for Traitors, she spent a whole day pretending to sing my song and I almost believed her, so I’d say she’s got every chance.”
Fans can listen to ‘Songs From The Wedding Cake’ now. In November, Blossoms head out on a UK arena tour with The Royston Club. Tickets and further details are available here.
Before the tour begins, the group is also scheduled to appear on SNL UK on Saturday, October 24.
