Alicia Keys came out with her new single “In Common” 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 husband Swizz Beatz have been listening to their fair share of Nigerian pop lately. Swizz recently collaborated with MC Galaxy on Sekem 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 of Alicia 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”).
For what it’s worth, the press release that accompanied the song actually credits a “Latin inspired rhythm,” but I mean, listen to that snare.
Listen to the song Here on Youtube
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