It has been five years since Fireboy DML released Apollo, and yet, the memories of hearing it for the first time remain as vivid as ever. I remember that cold night, just me, my earpods, and the quiet anticipation of a follow-up to his already-classic debut, Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps.
The moment Champion played, I rose from my bed, overcome with goosebumps, shivers tracing my skin. The sound was bigger than music; it was a revelation. Then came Spell featuring Wande Coal, a song that embodied its very title. I was enchanted, caught in its trance, unable to do anything but surrender to the rhythm. By the second track, the addiction had begun.
Eli and Tattoo pulled at hidden desires, weaving intimacy and longing into melodies so raw that I found myself yearning for connection. Fireboy wasn’t just singing; he was transmitting emotions, and I was receiving every pulse, every wave. By the time Favourite Song arrived, it was 2 a.m. and I was dancing alone, as though in a packed club. The project had already claimed the title of “favourite” before I even reached its halfway mark. Then came Airplane Mode, one of the most introspective records Afrobeats has ever known. Stark yet comforting, lonely yet inspiring, it spoke truths within the span of three minutes. Fireboy’s genius was undeniable, impossible to ignore.
Dreamer continued on that emotional axis, a ballad so tender it nearly moved me to tears. It was not just a vocal performance; it was a confession, a mirror for anyone listening. Few songs demand that you feel, but Dreamer does exactly that. And then, to close, Remember Me. A haunting finale that sealed Apollo as a body of work drenched in honesty, passion, and humanity.
This is not a review of the album—it is a recollection of emotions. A celebration of what artistry can do when it is honest and unfiltered. It is about remembering the way real music impacts the soul, the way Fireboy’s Apollo did, and continues to do, for countless listeners. Five years on, Apollo remains immortal in the history of Afrobeats. It was more than an album—it was a gift. And today, as we celebrate this masterpiece, we also celebrate the artist behind it. Thank you, Fireboy DML, for crafting a work so beautiful, so enduring, and so deeply human.
