There is a particular kind of urgency that comes with wanting more from life. On “These Days,” Nigerian artiste, Relo turns that hunger into an Afrosoul record about ambition, faith and the uncomfortable space between where you are and where you believe you should be.
Released on October 6, “These Days” is the first official single from Relo’s forthcoming project, SINCE 13. It follows Since 13 Is Coming, the prelude that opened the door to a deeply personal body of work built around the experiences that have followed him from childhood into adulthood.
“These Days” finds Relo firmly in the present. Over production from Adejo Daniel (Danibizzo), he draws from the spirit of Nigerian hustle records of the 2000s, pairing soulful melodies with thoughts about success, uncertainty and perseverance.
“I come from the Ghetto / I never stop praying for a better tomorrow,” he sings early in the record. It is an uncomplicated line, but one that establishes much of what follows. Relo is aware of his circumstances, but he refuses to allow them to become the conclusion of his story.
That tension becomes even clearer when he declares that these days, he is “hungry for success” and “crave[s] for greatness.” Rather than presenting success as something already attained, Relo writes from inside the pursuit. The dreams are present, but so are the doubts, obstacles and realities that make achieving them difficult.
It is also where “These Days” becomes important to the larger SINCE 13 narrative.
Relo, formerly known as Eazyrelo, has positioned this era as a more intentional chapter of his career. SINCE 13 traces memories, pain, survival, growth and hope across different periods of his life. Its introductory release, Since 13 Is Coming, essentially asked one question: What happened since 13?
“These Days” does not attempt to answer that question completely. Instead, it provides a snapshot of who Relo has become while the larger story continues to unfold: an artist still searching, still questioning, still praying and, perhaps most importantly, still hungry.
Written by Israel Emmanuel Adariku and mixed by Elisha Bitrus Yaro (Trigger Dem All – TDA), “These Days” serves as the first of two singles expected to lead into SINCE 13.
For an artist building a project around everything that has happened since childhood, “These Days” makes an interesting starting point. Before Relo tells us everything about where he has been, he first makes it clear where he wants to go.
