‘Ike Onu’ sees Nitefreak’s first reunion with &friends make its way to listeners since the viral remix of “Ode Ireti” in 2022
Friday, 6 October 2023 – African producer Nitefreak reunited with Afro-house collective helmed by Sean Thomas AKA &friends and key vocal collaborator Phina Asa for a joint-release entitled ‘Ike Onu’, released on Tomorrowland Music today.
‘Ike Onu’ is out now via all platforms.
This formal collaborative production between Nitefreak and &friends follows up the success of Nitefreak’s remix of &friends’ debut single ‘Ode Ireti’ ft. Oluwadamvic and eL-Jay. The remix saw unprecedented, viral success – receiving massive radio and touring support from top names in the space including Keinemusik, the infectious chorus “o-le-le” has become a staple in the sets of many titans of dance music.
“Ike Onu” means “Stronger Together” in the native African language of Igbo. The song is smooth and soulful, with Phina Asa’s vocals making their way back to the &friends soundwaves for the third time this year, following up her first single “Dangerous” and the projects’ Armada Music debut with an official cover of Armin Van Buuren’s “This Is What It Feels Like”.
The poignant percussion of the track boasts both signature sonic elements that belong to both &friends and Nitefreak all on their own, but find their way to the same track in perfect harmony. The lyrics of the song are heartfelt, reflecting on the challenges of the modern world while recognizing the complexity of life and importance of unity and collaboration for growth and resilience. The meaning of the track aptly demonstrates the continued creative partnership that has helped put both Nitefreak and &friends’ productions on a world stage.
Sharing on the lyrics of the track, Phina Asa says:“The idea behind this song was that I thought about the world today, and how it doesn’t look how it used to. It’s getting more challenging and complex, and in life we can’t thrive on our own without any help. We need people to support us, push us, hold us accountable, and help us grow.”
About Nitefreak
Bringing a fresh and unique approach, Nitefreak is at the forefront of the Afro Progressive House movement. He is managed by the Forbes-recognized label Deep Root Records and has since then seen a large upswing in global popularity. His music has been featured on massive Spotify and Apple editorial playlists such as Spotify’s New Music Friday, Electronic Rising, Deep House Blend, and Haitian Heat. From releases with Francis Mercier and Magic System on Spinnin Records to collaborating with Blond:ish and the 3-time grammy nominated duo Amadou & Mariam, Nitefreakhas amassed millions of streams, received support from Keinemusik, Gorgon City, Nore en Pure, ODESZA, Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1 and has reached the Top 5 on Beatport. Nitefreak was also selected as one of 1001Tracklists’s ‘Future Of Dance 2022’ artists and continues to make international waves across the underground electronic music scene.
https://www.instagram.com/nitefreakdj/
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About &friends
&friends is the musical concept and brainchild of New York based Sean Thomas. Drawing the breadth of his inspiration for these musical works from the global cultures, Sean had a vision to create a project embodying tradition, culture and community culminating in the coining of &friends. He and the collective recently made their Live Debut on one stage in Egypt in August at SilverSands North Coast and released their track “Duro” featuring Dotun.
This year already has seen &friends begin to make its way across the desks and release schedules of major labels in dance music, he just released an Amapiano Edit of “Ode Ireti” viaiconic afro-dance imprint MoBlack Records and made his major mainstream dance label debut on Armada Music in May.
From New York, to Miami, Marrakech, Madrid, Mexico City – Tulum to Egypt and beyond, &friends is already making his mark on dance floors around the world. In his short time on the scene, &friends has received support by Pete Tong of BBC Radio 1, Black Coffee, Diplo, &ME, Keinemusik, Michael Bibi, Blond:ish, Francis Mercier and many more. Also catching the eye of media tastemakers, he’s earned attention from the likes of DJ Mag North America, Beatportal, LA Weekly, Wonderland Magazine, Magnetic Magazine, Electronic Groove, EARMILK, YourEDM and more.
2023 is already delivering a thoughtfully produced, artfully composed compilation of works from both Nitefreak and &friends respectively. Through a holistic, multifaceted approach, both artists are set to make their way to even more dance floors around the world to unite us all.
https://www.instagram.com/andfriendssss/
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https://www.andfriendsworld.com
About Tomorrowland Music
Tomorrowland has expanded the family with its own music label: Tomorrowland Music. Tomorrowland Music is a dedicated music division within Tomorrowland, collaborating closely with both artists and labels, supporting them in all their recording and release activities.
Tomorrowland Music has partnered with Virgin Distribution and Virgin Records. As part of the Universal Music Group, Virgin has been one of the industry leaders in music distribution and independent records labels for many years. Tomorrowland Music is delighted to be working closely with Virgin and looking forward to taking the label to a higher level together.
Stay tuned for a stellar line-up of renowned artists from all different levels who can’t wait to release their music on Tomorrowland Music, encompassing a multitude of genres.
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