There hasn't been a harder time to be a musician than right now. Touring is out of the question and it's not exactly easy to make money, and it's doubly hard for emerging artists to push through and survive on their own. So you have to hand it to artists like Somali-born, Norway-raised Musti (full name Ugbad Musti) who's just released her debut album Qoyskayga. A futuristic whirlpool of club electronics threaded through pop, rap, Afrobeats and R&B, its centrepiece is new single "Lion King", which as you might have guessed, takes inspiration from the Disney classic of the same name.
Not surprisingly, the ongoing various states of lockdown have forced Musti to get a little creative with the visuals. With little more than a mic, a camera and some green drapes, she's managed to create an impressively snappy visual, removing all distractions and putting the focus entirely on her performance of this punk-tinged, Afro-rap anthem.
"During the process of making my album Qoyskayga, Beyoncé had just dropped The Lion King: The Gift, and one track on that album quickly became my favourite: 'My Power' featuring Tierra Whack, Nija, Yemi Alade, Busiswa, Moonchild Sanelly and DJ Lag," Musti explains. "After that, I listened to a lot of Afrobeats and Afro-pop music, which really inspired me and my producers to make this track. 'Lion King' pays homage to every female artist and athlete with African descent. And special shout-out to my mom who came through with the middle eight part of the song."
Watch the video for "Lion King" exclusively above, and stream Qoyskayga in full below.
