Nigerian singer-songwriter Ruger (MOBO 2025 nominee, Spotify ‘Artist To Watch 2025’) drops his new album, BlownBoy Ru, on March 28th, including the acclaimed singles ‘Jay Jay’, ‘Toma Toma’ Ft. Tiwa Savage and the focus single and music video for the party-starting ‘DuDu’, featuring Jamaican dancehall favourite Kranium. This comes hot on the heels of his recent viral COLORS performance, in which he performs ‘Toro’ (also from the album.)
BlownBoy Ru, Ruger’s incredible sophomore album and the follow-up to his 2023 debut Ru The World sees him expand on his globally adored Afrodancehall sound. While his signature energy remains, this project reflects his growth as an artist – as he explains:
“With Ru The World, I was proving a point, showing people that Ruger is not just a hitmaker but an artist with depth and range. But on this album, I feel more comfortable in my artistry. My songwriting has evolved; with more intentional lyrics, delivery, and emotions I’m passing across. I still have that raw energy, but now it’s refined, more calculated.”
This album is a statement; BlownBoy is not just a title, it’s a mindset. It touches on Ruger’s journey, love, enjoyment, reflection, and just living life to the fullest. Sonically, it’s as eclectic as ever—RnB, pop, Afrobeats, dancehall, and even Fuji influences shine through.
“I never want to be boxed into one sound. My music has always been a blend of influences—Afrobeats, Dancehall, R&B, even Pop. On this album, I just let myself be free,” he says.
Key highlights include the trap-infused ‘Give Away,’ featuring Nigerian rapper Zlatan, and the amapiano-tinged ‘Runaway,’ featuring Ugandan soul singer-songwriter Haile. Tiwa Savage joins Ruger on the high-energy ‘Toma Toma,’ which has already surpassed 30 million global streams. Meanwhile, ‘DuDu’ with Kranium delivers smooth,
sensual vibes that make it an instant standout.
Since November, anticipation for BlownBoy Ru has been building. ‘Toma Toma’ became a streaming juggernaut, while January’s ‘Jay Jay’—a tribute to Nigerian football legend Jay-Jay Okocha—racked up 234K opening-day Spotify streams and exploded on TikTok with 50 million+ views. Following the release, Spotify featured Ruger in its hugely influential Global Artist To Watch 2025 list, alongside Lola Young and Mercury Prize-winner Barry Can’t Swim. February also saw Ruger nominated for the 2025 MOBO Award for Best African Music Act and making waves with his BBC 1Xtra Live Lounge debut.
Ruger heads out on a massive US & EU tour this Spring, performing at iconic venues like Philadelphia’s Brooklyn Bowl, Thalia Hall in Chicago, Brussels’ Ancienne Belgique, and Vienna’s Hallmann Dome. In September, he returns to the UK a year after his sold-out show at the Outernet, with headline dates at Manchester’s O2 Ritz, Birmingham’s O2 Institute, and London’s Indigo at The O2.
Ruger’s keenly awaited second album, BlownBoy Ru is released on March 28th via Promised Land Records and is set to solidify his position as one of the globe’s most in-demand African artists, boldly fusing Afrobeats with dancehall.
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