Kizz Daniel arrived fully formed. Since lasering his way into the Nigerian mainstream with his 2014 hit single, “Woju”, the singer has maintained a definitive grip on the pulse of popular African music with a sound that is as pithy as it is declarative. A combination of the singer’s iconoclastic public profile and an unbeatable knack for deftly melding influences from hip-hop, pop, and R&B into his no-frills Afropop interpretation has made Kizz Daniel (Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe) an unavoidable fixture on the Afropop scene. New Era, Kizz’s highly regarded debut album that’s widely seen as one of the best in the genre’s contemporary history, set the stage for a two-album run from No Bad Songz to King Of Love that placed the singer on a pedestal. Things further kicked up a notch for the noticeably-reclusive singer following the release of 2021’s Barnabas. His 2022 singles “Buga (Lo Lo Lo)” and “Cough (Odo)” brought his svelte voice into the global arena. On his 2023 album, Maverick, the singer continues to play at his own pre-determined pace. Rather than make a synchronised attempt at global stardom, Kizz is as keen as ever to invert such expectations and draw the world to him on his own terms as he wholeheartedly embraces his role as Afropop’s leading maverick. The songs on album number four reflect of the singer’s worldview as he continues to make rich soul-pop fusions crafted in his signature sonorous Afropop croon. “My G” is a playful plea to be allowed to carry out his business as he pleases, while “One Dollar” is an innovative detour for the singer who accelerates his flow to match a jaunty opening by rapper Blaqbonez. As always, love plays a crucial role in forming the narrative of Maverick but, here, the singer’s reflections on love extend to involve his children, who make an appearance on “Feran You Two” before he emotionally declares his devotion to them.