The “Ear Candy” EP by Phoebe Oluwakemisola Christiana Babajide marks a promising start to an Afro R&B career.
“Ear Candy” is a debut EP by Oluwakemisola Christiana Babajide, better known by her luminous stage name, Phoebe. For the project, she recreates Afro-R&B entangled with vulnerability, grittiness, and charm. When it was released in November 2023, she didn’t just add another record to Nigeria’s already thriving music scene, she announced herself as a voice worth listening to.
Born and raised in Lagos, Phoebe was immersed in church choirs and the vibrant soundtrack of daily life in the city, a backdrop that continues to shape her eclectic music style. The EP carries both the intimacy of Lagos’s cultural rhythms and the global sounds of Afro-R&B. Drawing inspiration from phenomenal Nigerian artists like Asa and Simi, to global icons like Adele and Celine Dion, she weaves storytelling, soul, and rhythm into a sound that is original and fearless.
Blending Afrobeats, reggae, and Yoruba rhythms, Phoebe’s EP is a celebration of identity and sound
In her EP, Phoebe seamlessly blends Yoruba and pidgin with reggae, Afrobeats, and island grooves. The name Phoebe, which was given to her by her father, means bright and shining, and there is no better description for the essence of her artistry. Raised in the cultural cacophony of Lagos, where church choirs, street sounds, and family encouragement shaped her earliest experiences, Phoebe channels her sonic identity that is intimately Nigerian. Although she began her career in 2022, her performance on “Ear Candy” suggests an artist who has already found her footing.
“Ear Candy”, as its title promises, offers sweetness to the ears on every track. It explores love, resilience, and the courage of self-expression. Phoebe’s influences echo in the textures of her music, as she uses them as springboards to fuse Afrobeats, R&B, reggae, and Yoruba rhythms into something distinctly her own. There is polish here, but also experimentation and a willingness to play with sound. “Kelekele Lover,” the opening track and her personal favourite, sets the tone with intimacy rooted in lived experience. It is tender and unguarded, her voice carrying the weight of real emotion. It establishes Phoebe as a songwriter who does not shy away from honesty.
From there, the EP expands its palette. The buoyant “Afrobeat Anthem” is a call to movement, a nod to the infectious energy of Lagos. The island-infused grooves of tracks three and four show her range, while the reggae-tinted final song, “Reggae Love,” underscores her versatility. These are not random experiments but carefully curated arrangements, held together by her unmistakable vocal presence.
Part of Phoebe’s strength lies in the way she embraces her roots while looking outward, creating music that feels borderless. Yoruba expressions and pidgin English slip seamlessly into her lyrics as natural extensions of her identity. Her sound is distinctively Nigerian while amplifying the global appeal of the tonal richness of the Yoruba, with its layered proverbs and rhythmic cadence, adding a texture that other cultures alone cannot capture. It gives her songs an earthiness and cultural depth that situates them firmly within the storytelling traditions of her heritage.
“Ear Candy” is shaping Afro R&B
As she grounds herself in her lineage, Phoebe’s music refuses to be insular. Global rhythms — Afrobeats, reggae, R&B — are folded into her soundscape with ease, positioning her as a cultural bridge who can speak to Lagos, London, and Los Angeles in the same breath. Her producer, Stpontrakk, sharpens and polishes this hybridity, ensuring that the locality of the music remains vivid even as the sound travels across borders. Collaborations with emerging artists like Boykoryn and Enixtan further expand her sonic journey, enriching her work while allowing her voice to remain the anchor.
For all its sweetness, “Ear Candy” is also an act of defiance. In a music industry where women often face dismissal and the constant demand to prove themselves, Phoebe turns those challenges into ammunition. Her music embodies resilience, her lyrics champion agency, and her presence in the spotlight stands as representation. Listeners have taken to Twitter saying her songs moved them to tears and inspired them to ‘choose themselves’—a response that speaks to the deeper purpose of the project.
While “Ear Candy” brims with charm and sincerity, there are moments where Phoebe leans comfortably into the familiar Afrobeats style, allowing production choices to overshadow her distinctive lyrical voice. The songs occasionally play into the familiar rather than push into the experimental edge she hints at so compellingly in “Kelekele Lover.” There is also room for deeper thematic exploration. While she beautifully expressed love and empowerment, her perspective could stretch further into broader narratives that reflect the complexities of contemporary Nigerian life. These are not flaws so much as opportunities: the kind of challenges that, once embraced, could elevate her from a promising newcomer to a truly trailblazing artist.
A debut full of promise and possibility
With “Ear Candy”, Phoebe offers more than five songs. She offers a promise. A promise that Nigerian music will continue to evolve, to seduce and to inspire. A promise that women’s voices in the music industry will rise and claim their rightful place. She advocates for authenticity, no matter how vulnerable, knowing that it will always resonate. If this is where she begins, then the next five years may see Phoebe not only on the biggest stages but also cemented as one of the most luminous voices of her generation.
Read more: Doja Cat makes history as the first woman to claim full writing credits on a rap album
