Apple Music has selected Lagos-based artist, Esoterica, as its latest Up Next act in Nigeria, placing her on a programme whose alumni include Tems, Rema, Burna Boy, Billie Eilish, and Megan Thee Stallion.
The Up Next programme is Apple Music’s artist development initiative, designed to spotlight emerging talent before they break through to mainstream audiences. Acts are handpicked by Apple Music editors globally and featured across the dedicated Up Next playlist regardless of genre.
Who is Esoterica
)
Esoterica is one of the more distinct voices to emerge from Nigeria’s alternative music scene in recent years. Her sound pulls from folk, soul, hip-hop, rock, pop and Afro House, a combination that resists easy categorisation and has earned her a loyal following within Lagos’s indie community.
She began her music journey in London in 2019 before relocating to Lagos in 2020. Since then she has released a string of singles including ‘Goldmine’, ‘Think I Might’, ‘Decisions’ and ‘She Said’, as well as a contribution to Peruzzi’s Sabali album with ‘Time of My Life’. Her latest single ‘4 Days’ dropped last month.
Beyond her own music, Esoterica co-founded Space, an indie music collective that has helped platform rising alternative artists including Braye and Rigo Kamp. She also runs ‘Existing For Free’, a live music platform focused on amplifying African women’s voices through intimate showcases in Lagos.
Speaking on the Apple Music recognition, she was characteristically understated. “I’ve worked and worked on myself and my craft for so long now. I’m at the point of just being content with the process of creation without expecting much in return. Then boom! That’s the exact moment when everything starts pouring in,” she said.
This summer, Esoterica is set to release her six-track debut EP, Avant-God, described as a reflection of the experimental and emotionally expansive approach that has defined her work so far.
The Apple Music feature arrives at a moment when Nigeria’s alternative scene is attracting international attention. Esoterica’s selection suggests that attention is beginning to reach beyond the genre’s most established names.