MUSIC REVIEW: Korede Bello’s ‘Another One’ EP is smooth but strikingly familiar

After a period of relative quiet, Korede Bello returns with ‘Another One’, a six-track extended play that seeks to answer a lingering question about his place in Nigeria’s fast-evolving pop scene: does he still possess the charm that once made him one of Afropop’s most bankable voices?

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

Released on 10 April via ONErpm, the 15-minute work is another step in Bello’s post-Mavin Records independence, a journey he began after leaving the Don Jazzy-led record label that shaped his early success.

Known for defining hits like ‘Godwin’ (2017) and his debut album Belloved, Bello has since explored a more self-directed path with projects such as Koreday (2024) and M3GA Vibrations (2025).

With ‘Another One’, he delivers a sensual, rhythm-driven body of work rooted in Afrobeats and Afropop, with light touches of reggae. Entirely produced by Danny Drey, YANI, and Only One Josh, and notably devoid of guest features.

Track by Track

At just six tracks, Another One is deliberately compact, with an intentional audience in mind. The opener and title track, ‘Another One’, sets the tone with boastful lyrics and a chant-heavy hook, reinforcing Bello’s confidence as a romantic lead figure. It is catchy and danceable, though lyrically thin with familiar themes of wealth, desirability, and nightlife indulgence.

‘High Me’ follows with a reggae-tinged groove that prioritises physical attraction and dancefloor appeal over narrative depth. It is arguably the EP’s most club-ready moment, tuned with percussion and buoyed by Bello’s effortless vocal glide.

‘On Stylish’, the tempo softens. The track offers a breezy appreciation of feminine allure, allowing minimalist production to foreground Bello’s voice. Meanwhile, the ‘Sweet Melody’ reminds us of Bello’s familiar romance songs.

Stay Ahead with Premium Times

Add as a preferred source on Google

The brief ‘Not Romantic’ plays around with irony, referencing stereotypes about emotional expression before settling into a standard romantic pursuit narrative. At under two minutes, it feels more like an interlude than a fully developed idea. The closing track, ‘Feel’, stands out for its relative introspection.

Reviews

There is little doubt that Bello remains vocally compelling. His music is controlled, expressive, and instantly recognisable. It adds to the good Afrobeats sounds that have since dominated music sounds in recent times.

The project is centred on love, sensuality, confidence, and emotional uplift. Its brevity works in its favour, making it highly digestible and playlist-friendly. Tracks like ‘Another One’ and ‘High Me’ could be repeated over and over again without feeling boring.

However, the EP’s greatest strength, which is the artist’s consistency, is also its limitation. Much of ‘Another One’ remains in familiar sounds. Compared to other tracks of his earlier work, this project feels more like a refinement of existing formulas than an artistic one; the EP largely avoids risk.

READ ALSO: Throwback: Revisiting ‘Dorobucci’, song that rebranded Mavin, broke charts

Although ‘Another One’ is unmistakably one of Korede Bello’s romantic adventures. It delivers exactly what fans have come to expect: feel-good music designed for easy listening and dancefloor appeal. But with not too regular release, there could have been immense delivery showing growth; it stops short of redefining his artistry.

For longtime listeners, it is an enjoyable return. For critics seeking evolution, it may feel like déjà vu.