Solana Joins Sony’s Since ’93 Records as Label Expands African Talent Roster

The 23-year-old Lagos-born singer dropped her breakthrough track "Okunkun" earlier this year.

Lagos-born singer Solana has signed with Since ’93 records, the label and management group has revealed exclusively to Billboard U. K.

O acordo faz com que o artista nigeriano emergente se una à empresa sediada no U. K., que também já abrigou artistas africanos como Tems e Tyla. Solana está desenvolvendo ‘YoruPop’, um som que combina a língua Yoruba e influências com synth‑pop, música Fuji, R&B e produção eletrônica.

A assinatura de Solana coincide com o lançamento de seu EP de estreia, *Girl From The West*, previsto para esta sexta‑feira (13 de novembro). A 23‑anos lançou seu single de sucesso “Okunkun” (que significa “escuridão” em iorubá) no início deste ano e desde então recebeu endossos nas redes sociais de nomes como SZA, Tyla, Doechii e Little Simz.

Riki Bleau, co-president of Since ‘93, added, “We are excited to announce the Queen of YoruPop, Solana, as a new signing to Since ’93, continuing a rich tradition of supporting exceptional female talent from Africa like Tems and Tyla.”.

Since ‘93 began as Avant Garde Music in 2012, founded by Bleau. It focused on artist management and music publishing working with Emeli Sandé, Labrinth and Sam Smith, among others.

In 2018, the firm relaunched as a new label with Sony Music, with early signings including the BRIT-winning rapper Aitch and Fredo, who scored a No. 5 mixtape on the Official U.

O atual elenco da Since ’93 inclui Cat Burns — que teve uma participação de destaque no programa The Celebrity Traitors da BBC no ano passado, além de lançar seu segundo LP, How To Be Human — junto com o cantor e compositor apoiado por Elton John, Nectar Woode, e Shallipopi, cantora e rapper da Nigéria.

In recognition of his tenure at Since ‘93, where he serves alongside fellow co-president Glen Aitkins, Bleau was named to Billboard’s 2026 Global Power Players List.

Speaking about the honor, he said, “I’m grateful to Billboard for this recognition and to be among so many incredible ‘doers’ from our industry.

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