Apple Music has named Lagos-based alt-pop artist Esoterica its latest Up Next act in Nigeria, placing her on one of the music industry’s most coveted emerging artist platforms alongside a roster of alumni that includes Tems, Rema, Burna Boy, Billie Eilish, and Megan Thee Stallion.

The Up Next programme is Apple Music’s artist development initiative, curated by the platform’s global editorial team to spotlight rising talent before they reach mainstream audiences.

Acts are featured across the dedicated Up Next playlist regardless of genre, giving selected artists significant visibility among Apple Music’s worldwide subscriber base.

Esoterica has carved out a distinctly individual space within Nigeria’s alternative music landscape. Her sound draws from folk, soul, hip-hop, rock, pop and Afro House a genre-blending approach that resists easy categorisation and has earned her a devoted following within Lagos’s indie community. She began her music journey in London in 2019 before relocating to Lagos in 2020, and has since released a string of singles including Goldmine, Think I Might, Decisions, and She Said, as well as a feature on Peruzzi’s Sabali album. Her most recent single, 4 Days, dropped last month.

Beyond her recordings, the artist has been an active force in building Nigeria’s independent music ecosystem. She co-founded Space, an indie music collective that has helped platform emerging alternative acts including Braye and Rigo Kamp. She also runs Existing For Free, a live music platform dedicated to amplifying African women’s voices through intimate showcases across Lagos.

Reacting to the Apple Music recognition, Esoterica offered a reflective take on the moment. “I’ve worked and worked on myself and my craft for so long now. I’m at the point of just being content with the process of creation without expecting much in return. Then boom! That’s the exact moment when everything starts pouring in,” she said.

The timing of the recognition coincides with a significant career milestone. Esoterica is set to release her six-track debut EP, Avant-God, later this summer described as a reflection of the experimental and emotionally expansive approach that has defined her work to date. The project is expected to be her most comprehensive artistic statement yet.

Her selection arrives at a moment when Nigeria’s alternative scene is drawing increasing international attention, and signals that the spotlight is beginning to move beyond the country’s established names to embrace the generation of artists reshaping its sonic identity from the underground.