Former US President Barack Obama has announced his 2024 summer playlist, continuing his practice of revealing his broad musical tastes. The lineup features some of the best talents in global music. Among the picked songs are successes from Grammy-winning Nigerian phenomenon Tems, who makes her third straight appearance on Obama’s list with Love Me Jeje, a reimagining of the classic song by Seyi Sodimu and Shaffy Bello. This first hit from her debut album, Born In The Wild, has captivated audiences worldwide.
Rema, another Afrobeats star making waves internationally, earns his second nod on the former president’s playlist with Yayo, an infectious track from his sophomore album, HEIS. This follows his initial feature in 2019 with the breakthrough single Iron Man, marking a significant milestone in his burgeoning career.
South African hitmaker Tyla also makes a splash with Jump, a high-energy collaboration featuring Gunna and Skillibeng, adding a new flavour to Obama’s musical selections. Meanwhile, Nigerian-American artist Shaboozey brings his unique sound to the mix with the chart-topping A Bar Song.
The playlist, which also features tracks by Beyoncé, H.E.R., Bad Bunny, and others, illustrates Obama’s continuous acceptance of global music trends, but the quantity of Afrobeats entries has fallen since 2023 when artists such as Burna Boy, Asake, Olamide, and Davido topped the list. Nonetheless, the inclusion of Tems, Rema, and Shaboozey highlights the genre’s continued popularity and African performers’ global reach.
