An African wedding needs a soundtrack for every moment: the entrance, the first dance, the spraying and the late-night dancing. These ten songs cover all of it, from Igbo highlife ballads to dance-floor classics.
1. Ada Ada by Flavour (2013)
If one song belongs at every African wedding, it is this one. “Ada Ada” came from Flavour’s 2012 album Blessed and was released as a single in June 2013. It celebrates traditional weddings across Africa and the beauty of African women.
Its video won four awards at the 2013 Nigeria Music Video Awards, including Video of the Year.
2. Golibe by Flavour (2014)
An Igbo love ballad from Flavour’s album Thankful, “Golibe” was released as a single on 1 December 2014. It is joyful and warm, and a natural choice for the couple’s entrance.
3. Ololufe by Flavour featuring Chidinma (2015)
Also from Thankful, “Ololufe” is a mellow love ballad that blends Yoruba and Igbo lyrics. It was released with its video, filmed in Cape Town, in February 2015. For a couple from two cultures, it could not be more fitting.
4. Beautiful Onyinye by P-Square (2012)
From P-Square’s fifth album, The Invasion, “Beautiful Onyinye” was released as a single in June 2012. The official remix added a verse from Rick Ross. It is a song about a man’s love for one special woman.
5. Ifunanya by P-Square (2007)
“Ifunanya” comes from P-Square’s 2007 album Game Over. In Igbo, the title loosely means “love inspires love”, which is about as good a wedding message as there is. Its video was shot in South Africa by Jude Engees Okoye.
6. Yori Yori by Bracket
The duo Bracket, Smash and Vast, are best known for hits like “Happy Day”, “Me & U” and “Yori Yori”. In 2012 they received an honorary award from the city of Philadelphia at the African American Museum there. “Yori Yori” is a sweet, easy choice for the reception.
7. Running (To You) by Chike featuring Simi (2020)
Chike released his debut album, Boo of the Booless, on Valentine’s Day 2020, and this duet with Simi is one of its highlights. The video was directed by Director Pink.
It is built for a first dance.
8. Aye by Davido (2014)
Davido released “Aye” for Valentine’s Day in 2014. Produced by TSpize, it won Song of the Year at The Headies 2014.
9. Kukere by Iyanya (2012)
When it is time to dance, “Kukere” delivers. It was one of the singles from Iyanya’s album Desire, and on one list of the top songs of 2012 it was second only to Davido’s “Dami Duro”.
10. Angela by Kuami Eugene (2017)
From Ghana, “Angela” is one of the songs that made Kuami Eugene a star. In 2017 it passed a million YouTube views, the most for any artist on his label at the time, and it was among the top ten songs in Ghana. He later continued its story in a follow-up, “Confusion”. It is a sweet, danceable closer for the end of the night.
Find these artists and their albums in the AfroYard artist directory.
