Barely two months on from their buzzworthy Dappa Way EP, Los Angeles-based Nigerian American afropop sibling duo ITSENJ are excited to go again with their second EP of 2024. Titled AÑURIKA, which translates to “joy is greater”, the captivating 5-track opus is a vibrant and heartfelt expression of itsENJ’s African culture, pride, and identity, reflecting their roots in Enugu, and their enduring journey of global exploration. The Añurika EP sees the sibling duo of Chimdi and Otito aiming to unite the African diaspora through the universal language of music in the way that only itsENJ know how.
Recorded in the city of Lagos under the vibrant January sunshine earlier this year, Añurika captures the essence of itsENJ’s Nigerian heritage and the dynamic energy of Lagos, the heart of afrobeats music. Produced by itsENJ themselves, alongside burgeoning Nigerian beatsmiths ElvisBeatz and Mykah, who has also worked with Ozuna, Davido, and Maleek Berry, among others, the music on Añurika blends afrobeats, hip-hop, disco, and dancehall with native Igbo sounds, over which itsENJ’s Chimdi and Otito share raw truths about love, identity, despair, adversity, pain, success, and triumph.
Añurika sets the tone with ‘Enjoy Life’, with its message of living fearlessly and finding joy in our everyday experiences, and then flows into the glorious love song ‘Napukenda’, which means “I love you” in Swahili, and sees itsENJ waxing lyrical about taking that bold step of marriage with their special someone. The more introspective ‘Where You Dey’ delves into feelings of despair and the search for a connection with God, while ‘Ego’ celebrates the sibling duo’s Igbo tradition of working hard and celebrating with the fruits of your labour. The EP closes out in epic fashion, with the powerful life-affirming anthem ‘On God’ about overcoming adversity and having faith in the journey of life.
Speaking about the inspiration behind Añurika, itsENJ share, “Having grown up in the United States, we yearned for a deeper connection to our Nigerian roots. This longing led us to embrace African music – a journey that compelled us to delve into our Igbo heritage and the rich history of Nigeria. Through frequent trips to our home country, we’ve been fuelled by a desire to push boundaries, and embrace our native language and sounds, which has shaped this project. ‘Añurika’ is joy, it is a journey, it is love, it is unity. It is a celebration of our identity and an invitation to all to join us in this musical adventure.”
