Melakusi: Queen Halima’s Debut Is Built for the Dance Floor

Queen Halima then balances the serenity of the intro with upbeat log drums– blending electronic Afro-House with Amapiano. This fusion creates energetic rhythms that work well with the memorable groove built with a synthesiser. There’s also a very noticeable use of shakers: shekere (a traditional percussion instrument from West Africa) played after the beat drops till the end of the track.

This record, aside from being performed vocally and produced by Queen Halima with her signature log drum programming, was also co-produced by DJ Amash, composed by Temple T (Udochi Patience Ibeh) and conceptualised by Gholldy (Oduweku Wuraola Francisca), who directed the recording sessions and controlled the visual identity from inception through release.

Queen Halima, real name Victoria Ogechukwu Egbogu, prioritises synthetic instrumentals over vocals, ensuring clarity and simplicity throughout the record. The DJ edit format makes the record eligible for extended club sets, raves and festival play. The mixing was engineered by Akinnubi Sumbola Omowunmi, a music producer and composer, popularly known for her presence in the Afro-fusion and contemporary gospel scene.

Regarding the vocals, we must first discuss the meaning of the song title – Melakusi. This is an Amharic name from Ethiopia meaning “the angel”. Queen Halima makes use of minimal and repetitive lyrics as another rhythmic element rather than a lead that overshadows the groove. Sandra Amarte approached the vocals as such, embedding them within the instrumental rhythm.

Some listeners describe this record as the perfect track to meet on the dance floor; a great opening and/or closing of a club set. As you let down your hair, loosen your waist and let the log drum bounce on every bone in your body, the melodic groove will take you on a peaceful and exciting journey through the night.

Others call it a fresh breath of air in the Electronic Afro-House scene; a sweet novelty to nightlife scenes. It could also be played on the radio during road trips, which acknowledges the versatility of the track – great for enticing energy on the dance floor and maintaining a calm state of mind on a road trip.

Melakusi (DJ Edit) displays the potential Queen Halima and her creative team possess, and with the support of her listeners and fanbase, there will be more exciting sounds coming from Queen Halima. This is her first and most recent release available on major digital streaming platforms.