East Africa’s alternative music ecosystem continues to deepen its collaborative language. Kenyan collective We Are Nubia and singer-songwriter Xenia Manasseh have officially announced a new joint single titled Longo Longo, set for release this Friday, May 22.
Accompanied by warm, emotionally textured cover art and a deeply intentional rollout message shared across social media, the forthcoming release already feels positioned less like a routine drop and more like an immersive creative world-building exercise – something both acts have increasingly become known for within East Africa’s contemporary alternative and Afro-fusion scenes.
“We’re so excited to finally share this with you,”
the artists shared online.
“This project means so much to us and we can’t wait for you to step into the world we created together.”
That wording feels particularly important.
Because both We Are Nubia and Xenia Manasseh occupy spaces within African music that prioritize atmosphere, emotionality, sonic experimentation, and intentional storytelling over formulaic commercialism.
Across recent years, Xenia in particular has steadily emerged as one of East Africa’s most compelling contemporary voices – balancing vulnerability, neo-soul textures, Afro-R&B sensibilities, and understated lyricism with increasing confidence and artistic clarity.
Meanwhile, We Are Nubia continue contributing to the growing ecosystem of artists reshaping what contemporary East African music can sound and feel like beyond traditional genre binaries.
If the early visual direction surrounding Longo Longo is anything to go by, the collaboration may further signal the continued rise of East Africa’s softer, emotionally intelligent, globally aware alternative soundscape – one increasingly resonating with audiences far beyond the region itself.
The single arrives Friday, May 22.
