Alicia Keys Releases AfroBeats Single ‘In Common’

“Alicia Keys came out with her new single “In Common” yesterday ahead of her performance on Saturday Night Live this weekend.

The track, produced by Illangelo, is a light composition built on shuffling rhythms and a bouncing bassline that has our whole office wondering if “In Common” is basically an ‘afrobeats’ song.

We already know Alicia Keys and husbandSwizz Beatz have been listening to their fair share of Nigerian pop lately. Swizz recently collaborated with MC Galaxy onSekem Remix and couple of other unreleased songs.

I think Gradually, Afro beat will take over the world.

They’re definitely aware of the ‘afrobeats’ wave and that influence can be felt in the track’s syncopated beat work and some ofAlicia Keys’ own vocal cadences.

Maybe it’s the single’s Toronto-based producer Illangelo, who’s worked with The Weeknd and Drake, who absorbed some of the vibes from “One Dance.”

Or maybe we can just chalk it up as another increasingly common instance of American pop stars taking cues from African and Caribbean rhythms (see:“Work,” “Hotline Bling”).”

Stream song below;