Mannywellz & Odeal “Cry On You”

No stranger to collaborations that add meaningful depth to his music, Mannywellz is making his comeback with a partner in crime. The Nigerian-born, Maryland-based singer is teaming up with Germany-born Odeal, whose parents are Nigerian, on ‘Cry On You’. The two coming together makes sense, knowing Mannywellz loves sharing the studio with artists who share his roots. Earlier in his career, he worked with singers such as Tems and VanJess. We always love seeing musicians come together, and even more so when it clicks like this.

Don’t let your expectations get the best of you. The production has no intention of serving up an Afrobeats-inspired tribute to their Nigerian roots. Instead, it finds a sweet spot between US and UK R&B. Throw them together in the mixer, and you’ll find yourself with an atmospheric production featuring a traditional R&B bassline and an almost haunting melody that easily could’ve been part of UK duo Disclosure’s album Caracal.

In a world where song length can be its own enemy, the duo has decided to follow the trend of keeping things short. At just under two minutes, the track stands out for its brevity. There’s no catchy hook designed to inspire a future TikTok dance, but it still follows the unwritten rule of keeping songs as short as possible. We feel that, on a track like this, another minute would have given the pair more room to sing in harmony and let their talents melt together. As it stands, it feels like they recorded their parts to the song independently.

While the production takes on an international flair, Mannywellz doesn't compromise his distinctive vocal delivery in pursuit of commercial radio play. He stays true to his thick, unapologetic African accent. This is exactly what makes him stand out on a more commercially accessible track like this. His voice is what makes the song unmistakably his, helping him stand out in an overcrowded room.