Rapper and television personality Nadia Nakai has released her first single from her much-anticipated upcoming album. Her upcoming album is a tribute to her late partner, Kiernan Forbes, popularly known as AKA.
On February 10, 2023, a hitman shot and killed AKA outside a Durban nightclub. The gunman also shot AKA’s friend and celebrity chef, Tibz Motsoane, who was in the presence of the rapper. The killer is still at large.
Nadia’s album is set to take fans on an emotional rollercoaster through themes of love, loss, and the eternal influence of AKA in the music scene. The first single off it, Never Leave, featuring rapper KashCPT, sends a clear message.
Single released two days before AKA birthday
The rapper, born Nadia Nakai Dlamini in Zimbabwe, describes the song as a journey of her feelings following AKA’s tragic murder. The single was released on Friday, two days before AKA’s January 28 birthday.
Nadia said working on the upcoming album has been the hardest thing she has ever done in her life.
“Nothing or anyone could make this pain go away, but I saw how Kiernan always turned to music to help him get through whatever was going on. I started this project a month after he passed, in the hope that it would heal me or take away my pain.
“It didn’t, but it started the journey of my healing as the album evolved from when I started to what it is now,” said Nadia.
She shared that documenting her grief and pain led her from anger to celebrating his life, and she is awakening her spiritual side.
“There’s a lot that went into this album. My single from the project featuring Kash is very special for me because he is from Cape Town. And, secondly, I see so much of Kiernan in him, especially what I would imagine Kiernan was like at the beginning of his career, easily gifted.”
Nadia says the album is not just a tribute but also a bold celebration of AKA’s impact on South African music. The full album will be released in the first quarter of 2024.
Also Read: I don’t know what healing looks like Nadia Nakai on AKA’s death
