Playboy (album)

## **Singles from *Playboy***

1. "Peru"
Released: 21 July 2021
2. "Playboy"
Released: 1 April 2022

> I've heard people say online that Fireboy is too serious, and maybe that's the vibe I gave off from the first two albums. But this one is about loosening up. Enjoy your life. There's a vibe to it. It's cohesive as an album should be. That's what matters.
>
> Fireboy to *Rolling Stone*

***Playboy*** is the third studio album by Fireboy DML, released by YBNL Nation on 5 August 2022. The project was announced on 22 February 2022, via social media. It includes appearances from Asake, Euro, Chris Brown, Shenseea, Rema, and Ed Sheeran. Concerning the title, Fireboy explained "This *Playboy* is a young man who decides to stop being reclusive and wants to step outside to play, jump off a plane, get some neck tattoos, flirt with strangers... that is my playboy. Fireboy, in his afropop superstar element, having fun".

## Synopsis

Fireboy DML's third studio outing sees him shift moods entirely—from the vulnerable, introspective, and romantic persona he revealed on 2019 's Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps and 2020's APOLLO, to the self-assured and unmistakably confident mindset that characterizes this project. That shift was born out of an episode of writer's block.

"I started working on the project in late 2020, early 2021, but I got stumped," the artist born Adedamola Adefolahan tells Apple Music. "That was my first-ever writer's block. I was panicking. I was all over the place, thinking I've lost my mojo. It was really weird. But I think I grew very fast. I'd given so much of myself into *APOLLO* that I lost myself for a while. But I spoke to [YBNL label boss and recording artist] Olamide, who told me I just needed to get out of that environment. So, I booked my very first flight to the United States."

Recording his hit single "Peru" in San Francisco turned out to be just the thing to unlock his creativity. "The experience of seeing that song blow up opened up my mind again," he explains. "Like, 'Yo, you've been overthinking everything. You've been overthinking your songs, your music, your creativity, your output. It's time to relax and let the universe just take you wherever the universe want to take you to.' And that gave me a direction for the album."

Across 14 tracks, Fireboy learns to loosen up. "'Playboy,' in this sense, does not connote the playboy that we are familiar with—women, pools, lingerie, doing great stuff," he clarifies. "This is the phrase 'boy, play.' I'm ready to come out to play. I'm ready to step into my superstar element. I'm ready to be more expressive. Not careless, but carefree—someone that's willing to come out and play, and just have fun and relax. I was always holding back—now, I'm telling my truth".— via *Apple Music*

## Background

In an interview with *OkayAfrica*, Fireboy shared, "Last year I was practically lost creatively so I kept on making music sporadically and in July I took my first trip to the United States. I took a walk in New York City with a cigarette stick in my hand, didn't smoke it, just kept walking for about fifteen minutes. Nobody recognized or looked at me twice or gave a fuck about me and that walk of freedom opened my mind. I just felt so free. I took that energy with me to Miami, went to a strip club, had the time of my life and then to San Francisco where I made "Peru." Recording "Peru" opened my eyes and gave me a sense of direction and I knew it was time for a new album. I went back to Lagos to finish up the album. It was ready by late last year, but I wanted to tease out the release".

## Critical reception

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 based on reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 81 based on reviews from 4 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

*NME* writer Kyann-Sian Williams declared "Fireboy's strong sense of confidence continues to flow as he more than holds his own on collaborations" and praised the track, "Timoti", stating it "shows off Fireboy's ability as a vocalist, as he utilises his native language of Yoruba to accentuate both his flow and vocal melodies". Writing for *Pitchfork*, Heven Haile remarked of the record being "noticeably apolitical" similar to the artist's previous album, *Apollo*. They continued that he "keeps the affair light-hearted, opting for universal feel-good vibes on his way into the playlists of unfamiliar listeners". *Rolling Stone* gave a positive review, saying, "No matter what mode he's in, Fireboy always sounds endearingly earnest". While they critiqued, "monotony can obscure the elements that make each track good and unique", they conceded that it "maintains a strong mix of charming songs and engaging storytelling".

## Gallery

*playboy. 5th of August.*
@**fireboydml** — Twitter
## References

1. ↑ C.J., Nelson (30 May 2022). "Fireboy DML: Afrobeats' Humble Hero Conquers the World His Way". *Rolling Stone*.
2. ↑ "@fireboydml". *Twitter*. 20 February 2022.
3. ↑ "@fireboydml". *Twitter*. 22 February 2022.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Okiche, Wilfred (8 August 2022). "Fireboy DML On Embracing His Inner 'Playboy,' Stepping Outside & Learning to Let Go". *OkayAfrica*.
5. ↑ "Playboy by Fireboy DML Reviews and Tracks". *Metacritic*. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
6. ↑ Williams, Kyann-Sian (5 August 2022). "Fireboy DML – 'Playboy' review: Afrobeats' latest global star makes the step up". *NME*.
7. ↑ Haile, Heven (8 August 2022). "Playboy - Fireboy DML". *Pitchfork*.
8. ↑ Conteh, Mankaprr (8 August 2022). "Fireboy DML Saunters Into Afrobeats Stardom on 'Playboy'". *Rolling Stone*.
9. ↑ *Playboy* - *Apple Music*