Omo Frenchie throws an afrodrill blowout in his “Toleka” video

Omo Frenchie's distinct drawl and mix of both Congolese Lingala and London street slang have always marked him out from the crowd. On new song "Toleka" he describes himself as the "Afrodrill father," a reference to his pioneering mix of upbeat afrobeats vibes and the heavy-hitting percussive assault of drill. He's been blending genres for the past few years now and "Toleka" looks set to take him in another new direction, leaning further into his Congolese heritage and tapping directly into the party atmosphere of his musical forefathers.

The "Toleka" video runs with this theme, catching Frenchie and his crew taking over a huge London property for a huge celebration. The energy is infectious as the group move to the jumpy tune. "Toleka" translates as "Let's go" and that is definitely the vibe of the shoot.

Speaking to The FADER via email, Frenchie said: "I started afrodrill in 2017 but the world wasn’t ready for the sound… Years later with perseverance and the help of TikTok, what was only meant to be cheeky freestyle ended up being a hit song."

Check out Omo Frenchie's "Toleka" video above. As ever, he has one eye on the future and ends the visual with a sneak preview of his next single, too 👀.