Music is universal, and creativity has never been restricted by age. An artiste can be 40, 50 or even older and still create music that appeals strongly to listeners in their 20s. What matters is not necessarily the age of the artiste, but the ability to understand the changing sound, culture, language and consumption habits of today's music audience.
That is an important point to remember whenever the name Wale Waves is mentioned in Oyo State, particularly in Ibadan.
There is sometimes a perception that because Olakolu Olawale, popularly known as Wale Waves, has been around the music scene for many years, he belongs to an older generation that should simply remain associated with the glory days of the past.
But what if the opposite is actually the case?
What if Wale Waves is one of the most consistent contemporary artistes among his generation in Ibadan?
His career demonstrates that longevity and relevance do not have to be mutually exclusive. Wale Waves has continued to record and release music while many artistes from his era have either stopped recording or significantly reduced their musical activities.
His musical journey itself is well documented. He began writing songs as a teenager and developed his career through different stages of Nigeria's entertainment industry. His catalogue includes collaborations with several established Nigerian artistes, while his music has consistently incorporated contemporary African sounds with indigenous influences.
More importantly, Wale Waves is still releasing new music.
In 2026, he released “Honey (Oyin)”, followed by “ALO”, released on June 26, 2026. Both releases are currently listed across major digital music platforms, demonstrating that his creative journey is very much ongoing.
According to the figures from the promotional campaign around the two releases, “Honey (Oyin)” and “ALO” have each recorded not less than 500,000 streams on Boomplay.
That achievement is significant in the context of an artiste who some people may wrongly assume is no longer connected to today's audience.
The decision to concentrate promotional efforts on Boomplay was also deliberate. Boomplay remains one of Africa's major music streaming platforms, with more than 90 million monthly active users according to its current company profile. The platform was launched in Nigeria and has expanded its reach across African markets.
Its accessibility and strong African user base make it an important platform for artistes seeking to connect with listeners beyond their immediate geographical environment. Boomplay also supports offline listening and operates across web and mobile platforms, features that can be particularly relevant to African music consumers.
Therefore, 500,000 streams should not simply be viewed as a number on a dashboard. It represents hundreds of thousands of listening activities and demonstrates that the music has travelled beyond the artiste's immediate environment.
Wale Waves should therefore not be dismissed as an “old gee” still living on old glory.
He has history, but he is not trapped in history.
The new music coming from his camp is evidence that the journey is continuing. And if the current releases are any indication, there is more contemporary material already in development—music designed to connect with today's listeners while retaining the identity and experience that have defined Wale Waves over the years.
The message is simple: Wale Waves is not finished, he is not stuck in the past, and he is certainly not too old to make music for a younger generation.
Music belongs to everyone.
Age may tell you when an artiste started the journey, but it does not determine when that journey must end.
0 Comments