After a seven-year hiatus from full-length solo projects, Odunsi (The Engine) is officially back in motion, teasing the release of his sophomore album, Shhh…. The announcement signals the return of one of Nigeria’s most experimental and forward-thinking voices—someone who hasn’t just made music but shifted culture.

Odunsi’s 2018 debut rare. was a turning point for alté in Nigeria, blending R&B, funk, and 2000s pop nostalgia into a genre-defiant project that resonated far beyond Lagos. Since then, he’s taken an unconventional path—dropping the gritty, left-field Everything You Heard Is True in 2020, with cult-favorite tracks like Wicked, Sexy and Body Count, which introduced Deto Black’s unforgettable verse and saw appearances from Amaarae and Maison2500.

Most recently, in 2024, he formed the group Leather Park, releasing both an album and a deluxe version that once again bent genre and form. But even more intriguing is how he’s begun ushering in this new Shhh… era—not with billboards or label-heavy promotion, but by rooting everything in community and intention.

As part of the rollout, Odunsi launched a bold strategy: paying fans who could convince others to unfollow him. The goal? To strip away the noise and reach only the most committed supporters—those who actually care. He’s aiming to stabilize his following at 10,000 real ones—a tight-knit circle that’ll ride with him into this next chapter. It’s unorthodox, maybe even risky, but exactly the kind of disruptive, anti-industry move we’ve come to expect from Odunsi.

With Shhh…, he prepares to perfect the story that’s been brewing over the past seven years— from underground EPs to experimental collectives— with all eyes (or at least the right ones) watching.