Sona Reignites UK Afrobeats Momentum With ‘Dey 4 You’

UK afrobeats mainstay Sona returns with “Dey 4 You,” a warm, mid-tempo afrofusion single that prioritizes feeling as much as movement. Produced by Origi and Tboiii, the track builds on rounded synths, supple percussion and a fluid bassline, with melodic toplines that lean into Sona’s smooth, conversational delivery.

Lyrically, it is a straightforward proposition: the quiet, everyday work of standing by people you love. That framing keeps the record grounded even as it nods to dance-floor instincts; the chorus is built for easy recall, but the verses sit closer to diary entries than declarations. In tone and structure, “Dey 4 You” reads as a reset, less about reinvention than about distilling familiar strengths.

Positioned as the opening statement for a new chapter, the single follows a visible stretch for Sona that included a sold-out Diaspora Sounds headline set and renewed calls for a UK afrobeats resurgence. The song’s arrangement mirrors that context without overplaying it: no grand pivots, just small choices that add definition. It’s the same sensibility that underpinned earlier UK favorites such as “Ijo Sona,” “No Wahala,” “Feeling You,” and “Ginger,” updated with a little more restraint. Where those tracks tilted toward immediacy, “Dey 4 You” aims for durability, an easy add to everyday playlists, less a peak-hour banger than a steady companion.

Thematically, Sona stays close to lived experience. “Dey 4 You” frames loyalty as a practice rather than a slogan, avoiding melodrama in favor of small, recognizable details about showing up across highs and lows. That practical register suits him; his writing has long favored directness, and his vocal phrasing keeps the sentiment clear.

Listeners looking for spectacle may not find it here, but those interested in craft and intention will hear the incremental refinements: tighter topline economy, tidier transitions, and a mix that lets the bass carry emotion as much as rhythm. It’s a measured step that suggests the broader project slated for 2026 will continue to balance danceable production with personal stakes, in line with Sona’s established lane.

If the single’s purpose is to reconnect Sona’s core audience while inviting casual listeners back into the fold, “Dey 4 You” does that efficiently. It neither overreaches nor underdelivers, and it makes a coherent case for where he wants to steer next: London-rooted afrofusion that reads as accessible, sincere, and unhurried. In a moment when UK afrobeats is once again scanning for long-term shape, Sona opts for the fundamentals.