Tyla, Rema, Tems and Shaboozey Feature in Barack Obama’s 2024 Summer Playlist
Former President Barack Obama’s summer playlist spotlights African talent, featuring standout tracks from Tyla, Rema, Tems and more.
Fromer U.S. President Barack Obama has upheld his tradition of sharing his annual summer playlist. This year, South Africa’s Tyla, along with Nigeria’s Rema and Tems, made the lineup.
Among the featured tracks is “Yayo” by Rema, from his dynamic and boundary-pushing album, HEIS. Rema said of HEIS, “The success that has come with Afrobeats is slowly changing our perception of the sound. We’re listening to the voices of the world too much and we’ve got to listen to ourselves.” He added, “This project is helping me bring back that essence, to bring back that energy.”
Tyla’s track “Jump,” featuring Gunna and Skillibeng, is also on Obama’s summer playlist. Tyla showcased “Jump” with an elegant, show-stopping performance at the 2024 BET Awards. Similarly, Tems’ soulful single “Love Me Jeje,” released in April to widespread acclaim, appeared on Obama’s list following her debut performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in May.
Shaboozey’s energetic and infectious hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” also made the playlist. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100, has accumulated nearly 800 million streams across Spotify and YouTube Music, and has earned Shaboozey recognition from Billboard as “close to becoming a household name in this era of country music.”
Over the years, Obama’s exciting and eclectic playlists have placed the spotlight on a range of African artists, including Shatta Wale, Pheelz and Sampa the Great. Ayra Starr also made an impression, appearing with “Sability” in 2023 and “Rush” in Obama’s Favorite Music of 2022, alongside Rema’s “Calm Down.” Burna Boy’s “Last Last” and Tems’ “Vibes Out” were also featured in Obama’s summer 2022 playlist.
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