FOLA's 9 is out today: 14 songs, Davido, Ayra Starr and a 2Baba sample

FOLA's second album, 9, is out today, 9 October 2026. The Nigerian singer, who broke through on Afrobeats and R&B-leaning love songs, releases it through his own Dangbana Republik label with EMPIRE. It follows his 2025 debut, Catharsis.

Why it is called 9

FOLA announced the album on 10 September with a short post: "October 9. #9isOnTheWay". The title comes from football. Number 9 is the striker's shirt, the player the team turns to when it needs a goal, and he has framed himself as the artist you call when you need a hit.

The tracklist

There are 14 songs, and six guests:

1. awade
2. how many?
3. 2am in toronto (with Davido)
4. stubborn
5. miss u ii
6. in order
7. treat u right (with Ayra Starr)
8. attention!
9. fine $hit
10. waf
11. crime
12. my type (with BNXN)
13. hold u down (with Darkoo)
14. it's over (with Bella Shmurda and Zlatan)

The guest list is a map of where Afrobeats sits right now. Davido and Ayra Starr are two of the genre's biggest international names, BNXN is a Lagos singer known for smooth, melodic hooks, Darkoo brings the UK Afro scene, and Bella Shmurda and Zlatan close the record from the street-pop end of Lagos.

What we already know

"treat u right" with Ayra Starr came out on 2 July 2026 and is the clearest preview of the album's romantic lane. "miss u ii" was released ahead of the full tracklist, and "2am in toronto" with Davido was lined up as the last teaser before the drop.

One detail to listen for: "crime" interpolates a classic by 2Baba, the Nigerian veteran whose catalogue sits at the root of the country's modern pop. The song has not been named publicly, so we will not guess here.

FOLA has not named his producers, but wrote on X on 7 October that the record was made with "favourite producers, musicians and artists" and that every song "came from somewhere real". Credits should appear on streaming platforms as the album settles in.

Where to start

If you are new to FOLA, begin with "treat u right", then jump to "2am in toronto" for the Davido collaboration. The closing posse cut "it's over" is the one to watch for the wider Lagos crowd.

This is a guide rather than a review. Once the desk has lived with the record, we will come back with our own take. Keep an eye on ADMC's Afrobeats coverage and FOLA's artist page.