“Sere” was an instant hit when Nigerian veteran Spinall released his fifth album, Grace, last December. The track has over two million Spotify streams and features goofy come-ons (“I no fit fight kung-fu/But I go fight for you”), piercing drums, balmy guitar, cheerful “whoo!” ad-libs, and spontaneous spurts of saxophone.
On Thursday, Spinall added a fresh jolt of energy to the track with a remix featuring 6lack. 6lack begins the track with a sombre tone, singing in a low-to-the-ground, conversational tone. However, the irresistible beat, co-produced by Kel-P (best known for his work with Burna Boy), begins to energise the singer, who responds by inserting a playful, skipping cadence into his lyrics.
Spinall began his career on the radio before releasing his debut album in 2015, which featured Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, and Wande Coal among others. In the years since, he’s been prolific, releasing about one album every year. He enlisted the support of a similarly star-studded cast of vocalists for Grace, including Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Niniola, and Kranium, as well as emerging acts including Fireboy DML, Oxlade, and Omah Lay.
