Fola is a Nigerian singer-songwriter who rose to fame in 2022 with the song Ginger Me. He signed to Bella Shmurda’s Dangbana Republik in 2024 and released his debut album in 2025. This biography covers his origin, career start, discography, chart songs, collaborations, and awards.
Who Is Fola?
Fola is a Nigerian singer-songwriter who performs Afrobeats, Afropop, and soulful Afro fusion. He rose to fame in 2022 following the release of Ginger Me, featuring Bella Shmurda. His stage name is stylized as FOLA. Examples of his songs include Alone, Lost, and Get Better.
What Is Fola’s Real Name?
Fola’s real name is Folarin Odunlami. The Guardian Nigeria and Music In Africa use this spelling. Wikipedia lists the first name as Afolarin.
When and Where Was Fola Born?
Fola was born on April 26 in Lagos State, Nigeria, according to Wikipedia. Sources disagree on the birth year. Wikipedia lists both 1999 and 2001 in different places. TheCityCeleb lists 2000. His age is therefore 25 to 27 in September 2026, depending on the source.
Peopleinfobox states he was born in Ibadan, Oyo State. That claim conflicts with Wikipedia and is not confirmed elsewhere.
What Are the Key Facts About Fola?
The table below summarizes biographical details. Each row names one attribute. The right column gives the detail for that attribute.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name | Folarin Odunlami |
| Birth date | April 26 (year varies by source: 1999, 2000, or 2001) |
| Birthplace | Lagos State, Nigeria (per Wikipedia) |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter |
| Genres | Afrobeats, Afropop, amapiano, R&B influenced |
| Label | Dangbana Republik, with Empire distribution |
| Debut single | Ginger Me, released 24 March 2022 |
| Debut EP | What a Feeling, released 1 December 2024 |
| Debut album | Catharsis, released 4 September 2025 |
How Did Fola Start His Music Career?
Fola started his recorded career on 24 March 2022 with the single Ginger Me featuring Bella Shmurda. He followed with Cool Me Down featuring BBeatz and Beholder featuring Picazo on 21 June 2022. Bella, released in 2022, is considered his first solo record. First Things First followed in October 2022.
Peopleinfobox reports that he wanted to be a footballer, began with online freestyles and covers, and drew influence from 2Baba, Wizkid, Wande Coal, and Naeto C.
How Did Fola Sign With Dangbana Republik?
Fola signed a major label recording contract with Dangbana Republik on 11 October 2024. Bella Shmurda unveiled him as the label’s new signee. Dangbana Republik is owned by Bella Shmurda. The signing followed the July 2024 release of Alone featuring BhadBoi OML.
What Are Fola’s Projects?
Fola has released 2 projects: the EP What a Feeling and the studio album Catharsis. The table below lists each project by release date and label.
| Release Date | Project | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 December 2024 | What a Feeling | EP | Six tracks on survival, resilience, and romance |
| 4 September 2025 | Catharsis | Studio album | 28 minutes long, with singles Lost, You, and Eko |
What a Feeling features Bella Shmurda, Magixx, Bnxn, and BhadBoi OML. Peopleinfobox reports that Catharsis has 11 tracks with features from Kizz Daniel, Young Jonn, Gabzy, and Victony.
What Are Fola’s Biggest Songs and Chart Achievements?
Fola has at least 6 charting songs on Nigerian, UK, and US Afrobeats charts. The table below lists each song, its year, and its chart result.
| Song | Year | Chart Result |
|---|---|---|
| Alone (feat. BhadBoi OML) | 2024 | Peaked at number 7 on the UK Afrobeats chart |
| Alone (Remix, feat. Bnxn) | 2024 | Number 1 on Nigeria Official Streaming Songs and number 4 on TurnTable Top 100 |
| Get Better (with Zlatan) | 2025 | Debuted at number 2 on TurnTable Top 100 and peaked at number 7 on Billboard US Afrobeats |
| Lost (feat. Kizz Daniel) | 2025 | Debuted at number 8 on the Official UK Afrobeats Chart |
| One Condition (with DJ Tunez and Wizkid) | 2025 | Peaked at number 4 on TurnTable Top 100 |
| Paparazzi (with Shoday) | 2026 | Number 1 on the Official Nigeria Top 100 in January 2026 |
The Guardian Nigeria reports that Who Does That with Bella Shmurda is his most streamed song, with over 15 million Spotify plays.
What Is Fola’s Music Style?
Fola performs Pop-Soul Afrobeats with Fuji-toned vocal phrasing. The Guardian Nigeria describes his sound as a Fuji-toned vocal signature woven into Pop-Soul Afrobeats fusions. Music In Africa describes his music as soulful, emotive, and introspective in storytelling.
Who Has Fola Collaborated With?
Fola has collaborated with Bella Shmurda, BhadBoi OML, Bnxn, Zlatan, Kizz Daniel, Wizkid, Shoday, and Davido. Key collaborations include:
- Bella Shmurda on Ginger Me and Dangbana Riddim
- BhadBoi OML on Alone
- Zlatan on Get Better
- Kizz Daniel on Lost
- Bnxn on Very Soon
- Wizkid and DJ Tunez on One Condition
- Magixx on Juice & Liquor, listed with a 22 May 2026 release date on Amazon Music
On 31 July 2026, he appeared with Mayorkun on B4 B4, the seventh track on Davido’s album Oriadé.
What Awards Has Fola Received?
Fola won Young Person of the Year at The Future Awards Africa in 2025. Music In Africa lists this award among his major industry recognitions. No other award wins were found in the sources reviewed.
What Is Fola Best Known For?
Fola is best known as a Dangbana Republik singer who moved from the 2022 debut single Ginger Me to a number 1 song in Nigeria. He gained wider attention with Alone, Get Better, and Lost. His EP, debut album, and collaborations with Zlatan, Kizz Daniel, and Davido position him among the new generation of Nigerian Afrobeats artists.
People Also Ask
What is Fola’s real name?
Fola’s real name is Folarin Odunlami.
How old is Fola?
Fola is between 25 and 27 years old in September 2026, because sources list the birth year as 1999, 2000, or 2001.
Which label is Fola signed to?
Fola is signed to Dangbana Republik, the label owned by Bella Shmurda.
What is Fola’s debut album?
Fola’s debut album is Catharsis, released on 4 September 2025.
What is Fola’s biggest song?
The Guardian Nigeria names Who Does That with Bella Shmurda as his most streamed song, while Alone and Get Better are his biggest chart songs.