Lojay releases debut album ‘XOXO’
Nigerian singer-songwriter Lojay has released his debut studio album, XOXO.
Released on October 10, 2025, the 14-track project is a lush, emotionally charged exploration of love, vulnerability, and self-awareness. For fans who’ve followed Lojay since his breakout with Sarz in 2021, XOXO is more than just a debut, it’s a culmination of personal evolution and artistic maturity.
The album title itself, XOXO, hints at intimacy, tenderness, and romantic tension. But Lojay takes it further. In his own words, the album is “everything I couldn’t say in a conversation. It’s messy, emotional, sexy and honest.” From the first note, it’s clear that this isn’t a collection of random singles, it’s a carefully curated body of work intended to be listened to in sequence, like pages from a diary or unsent messages meant for someone who once meant everything.
Lojay rose to prominence with the LV N ATTN EP in 2021, where tracks like “Monalisa” and “Tonongo” positioned him as a fresh voice blending Afrobeats, R&B, and alté influences. His follow-up projects, Gangster Romantic and the Loveless EP, furthered that sonic identity, but XOXO is his most cohesive and ambitious effort yet. It’s a statement piece, an emotional autobiography that charts the highs and lows of romantic entanglements and personal growth.
Musically, the album is a genre-bending experience. Lojay glides between Afrobeats, R&B, highlife, and even Latin influences, all while maintaining a core sound that is unmistakably his. The production is immersive, at times dreamy, at other times pulsing with desire or melancholy. Lojay’s vocal delivery is as expressive as ever, ranging from smooth falsettos to moody introspection. His tone carries heartbreak like a confession and seduction like a secret.
The road to XOXO wasn’t without delays. Originally set to drop in August 2025, the album was pushed back just days before its scheduled release. Lojay cited a desire for timelessness over timeliness, and in hindsight, the delay seems worth it. The final product is refined, well-paced, and emotionally resonant. It feels lived-in, like something that’s been carefully unpacked over time rather than thrown together for streaming numbers.
In the broader context of Afrobeats and global pop, XOXO is significant. It reflects a growing trend of African artists refusing to be boxed in by genre or geography. By collaborating with artists from Colombia, South Africa, and the UK, Lojay positions himself not just as a Nigerian export but as a global artist, one who can blend influences without diluting his identity. His sound is uniquely pan-African and yet global in scope.
Already, XOXO is drawing strong reactions from fans and critics alike. XOXO isn’t just an album, it’s a bold first chapter in what could be a defining career.
