DNK

On her fourth studio album, Malian French superstar Aya Nakamura exchanges the high-octane vibe of 2020’s <i>AYA</i> for more relaxed, intimate moments. On <i>DNK</i>—her surname, Danioko, sans vowels—the singer-songwriter takes a journey of sonic rediscovery where nothing is off-limits: “I show everything. I tell everything,” she tells Apple Music. “After COVID, I had to find myself again, musically, and here I wanted to show the quiet aspects [of myself] too.” For every bit of vulnerability, like the personal and confessional “J’ai mal”, there’s a display of her signature self-confidence on tracks like “Beleck”, the Tiakola-assisted “Cadeau”, and “Baby”, where she revels in knowing she’s worthy of desire.