Through creating a distinctive sonic landscape, Afro-fusion singer and rapper Suté Iwar's debut album ULTRALIGHT is a masterclass in musical architecture and creative diversity. Blending R&B, soul, rap, and reggae seamlessly with Iwar’s mesmerizing vocals and spontaneous production, ULTRALIGHT is a testament to the power of music as a tool for immersive world-building. Reflecting Iwar’s appreciation for his roots and his growth as an artist from Nigeria to London, the artist aims to “evoke feelings of love, hope, and inspiration” with his album. He accentuates the narrative feel of the album through a documentary-style format supported by contributions from a roster of global creative talent, including WurlD, Tim Lyre, Lex Amor, and his brother Tay Iwar. Multiple interludes are also dedicated to people who have been part of his musical journey. With its cohesive theme, intentional production, and relatability, “ULTRALIGHT is a tribute to the power of optimism, new beginnings, and taking charge of one's destiny,” Iwar tells Apple Music. “I believe that the album will encourage people to live their lives in their highest form of light.” Here, he takes us through the project, track by track. “SIGNS” “The first song I worked on was ‘SIGNS.’ I know it’s a singles world, but working on an album feels like something else for me. Sometimes I work on one song, and I’m like, ‘This is a great foundation for a whole project.’ ‘SIGNS’ was that song, and I felt I could bring my personal life into its world. Everything felt like optimism. So I started to build songs in the same sonic world. Bringing light in, but also sharing my story, so other people can share theirs, living their light and dreams.” “JUDAH LION” (feat. WurlD) “The collaboration between WurlD and me was a serendipitous and organic process. I initially thought that WurlD’s voice would be a great fit for the song, so I reached out. WurlD heard the song and liked it so much that he did two verses for the track; both exceeded my expectations.” “SHUGA PEACH” “I wanted to discuss the various aspects of romance, from sex to doubt to being the best version of yourself—a recurring theme in my music. So I start by expressing my interest and admiration towards a person I’m interested in, but then the challenges of monogamy [arise]. Despite having good intentions, monogamy can be difficult to follow due to personal experiences and influences. That’s why I say, ‘That’s one way we measure a man.’ I wanted to talk about the struggle of living up to societal standards of monogamy, and acknowledging that it’s not always straightforward.” “MEDITATE” (feat. Tay Iwar & Lex Amor) “When I played the song for Lex, she immediately connected with it. She is one of our favorite UK artists and added her touch, creating a bridge. She’s so talented. With Tay, he’s my brother. We’re always working, sending songs back and forth, and maybe he even wanted the song for himself [laughs]—but we figured it out and collaborated instead. It’s challenging to make a song about meditation without sounding corny, but I want the music to wash over you, and then, on your 10th listen, you pick up the message. That’s one thing I’m really proud of: the music and the whole experience felt like affirmations to me.” “EARTH ANGEL” (feat. Ogranya) “I don’t know if an earth angel is a real thing, but sometimes names just come to me. ‘EARTH ANGEL’ is about the people who bring positivity and inspiration into our lives. I believe many people you come across are like angels to you on earth, just because of what they bring to your life and how much they positively affect you. Ogranya’s chorus felt like an angel speaking. ‘No green make dem whine, you’ is pidgin for ‘but don’t worry about it, regardless of what happens,’ which is particularly meaningful to me. Interestingly, ‘MEDITATE’ and ‘EARTH ANGEL’ were originally one song. They have similar messages about dealing with the struggle.” “SPACE COWBOY” (feat. Tim Lyre) “I produced 70 percent of the songs on the album, but SuperSmashBroz, a duo from America, produced ‘SPACE COWBOY,’ and Tim is great to work with. He’s multifaceted; he sings great, he raps great, he produces, and really he plays keys. ‘SPACE COWBOY’ is upliftment music—like, big-up yourself. Confidence is really the core of the song, where you start learning to trust yourself.” “ICE DUB” (feat. Efe Oraka) “I always have a reggae influence song on every project, and I made this song feel like an interlude to the album. So it’s one of the analog songs on the album; those songs are meant to feel like a break. Sometimes it’s difficult to just relax and have a good time nowadays; you’re checking your phone, and it gives you anxiety. I wanted to make a song that let people know it’s OK to have a sweet time. Efe Oraka is a Nigerian artist from my town in Abuja; she’s super talented, and I knew I needed her on this record.” “THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE” (feat. RayTheBoffin) “The guy doing the chorus, RayTheBoffin, produced the song. He’s so good. The first time I heard the production, I was blown away. It’s an Afro sound that’s so innovative, like, 10 years in the future. I wanted to lean into this sound and just took it from there. I’m really proud of the song. It’s raw, but there’s another layer on top of that, where I’m talking about the idea of pleasure—but how far can pleasure take you? Chasing pleasure endlessly may lead to no end.” “BIG WORLD BABY” (feat. Shalom Dubas) “The idea for the song is that the world is our playground, you know. We’re living in one world. You can be from Nigeria, but you can speak to the world. I feel like it’s really important to tell the kids that Nigeria isn’t the limit. I like to say stuff in my songs, but I’m not trying to preach or anything. Shalom is a dope and talented rapper and singer from Lagos. I end the song talking about the young Black boys dreaming, and the young Black girls, but I didn’t want to speak for the young Black girls. I want them to hear someone who could inspire them, so Shalom fits perfectly.” “STAR PLAYER” (feat. kadiata) “‘STAR PLAYER’ is produced by Lara [-Maria Voill], a really cool producer from London. The song is a lot like ‘SPACE COWBOY.’ This is the advice I would give myself if I got everything I wanted and if my dreams came true. We often dream about things, but never really think about what happens after we get what you want. So it was about all of us being star players, and no one’s outshining anyone. It’s just like we’re all stars in the sky shining.” “THE LIGHT” (feat. Twelve XII) “‘THE LIGHT’ is one of the oldest songs on the album. You know, it’s crazy because I called it ‘THE LIGHT’ before the album was made, but it just didn’t fit anywhere. Once the album was complete, it just fit into the immersive world I had created.”