Yemi Alade is still feeling the magic from working with Beyoncé, and she’s not ruling out another collaboration.
In an exclusive interview with E! News, the Afrobeats star reflected on the life-changing impact of being part of Beyoncé’s Black Is King and The Lion King: The Gift album.
“Working on Black Is King in 2020 will forever have an impact on my life,” she said. “It was one of the things I had written as a desire for myself. It definitely changed my life.”
As a longtime Beyoncé fan, Yemi described the collaboration as a dream come true. She also emphasized the global cultural shift that came with the project, noting how African genres like Afrobeats and Amapiano have since gained massive international recognition.
“Audiences around the world are excited for the music,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand the words—our bodies understand the rhythm and emotion.”
Now five years since the release of Black Is King, Yemi remains proud to have been selected as part of the star-studded lineup, which included Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Shatta Wale, Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter, and Lupita Nyong’o.
“I’m grateful that Beyoncé and her team carefully selected people based on merit. It wasn’t a cooked-up list—they really put thought into it,” she said.
Reacting to Beyoncé’s Grammy win for Cowboy Carter, Yemi said, “She deserved that and more. As a woman, a family woman, a career-driven lady—to be competing against the young guys and still win—it’s inspiring.”
And when asked about the possibility of working together again, Yemi didn’t hesitate.
“Working with Beyoncé will always be on the table. She’s still in the studio, I’m always in the studio. Why can’t we get in the studio again?”
In the meantime, Yemi is focused on her new single “You Are,” featured in the Nigerian animated series Iyanu on Cartoon Network and Max. Despite her
