If you’ve been waiting for music that hits you in the chest and gets your hips moving, Made Kuti just dropped something that checks both boxes—maybe even adds a third for legacy energy. Made Kuti‘s new album, “Chapter 1: Where Does Happiness Come From?” is a bold, brassy, 13-track exploration of sound, soul, and society—and it’s exactly the kind of project that reminds you why the Kuti name still rings loud.
But let’s be clear: this isn’t a remix of his father’s voice or his grandfather’s fire. This is Made Kuti’s lane now, and he’s not just stepping into it—he’s building it brick by brick. The album is fully written and co-produced by him (casual flex), and he brings lead vocals and trumpet. Multi-talented is cute—this is multi-dimensional.
The sound? Picture traditional Afrobeats horns, live instrumentation, jazz detours, and a sprinkle of calypso here and there—all filtered through the mind of someone who studied music for real at London’s Trinity Laban Conservatoire. The result is a layered, groove-heavy ride that manages to feel both deeply personal and defiantly political.
“You Can’t Hide,” “Pray,” “Take It All In Before the Lights Go Out,” and “Oya” go hard with the messaging—tackling everything from self-awareness to systemic failure. Then just when it gets too real, a track like “After The Tears Flow” rolls in like a cool breeze, making sure you don’t leave heavy—you leave moved.
This is more than an album. It’s a journal. A protest. A late-night voice note to yourself. A groove session. A reminder. A debut of independence. And maybe, just maybe, a clue to the happiness we’re all still searching for.
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