The Facts Behind The Music: ‘Life Series’ by Kendickson
Born from grit, Kendickson’s ‘Life Series’ is built on a decade spent forging his own path
Nigerian soulful singer Kendickson is set to release his debut album, ‘Life Series’, on August 21, 2026. Written over years of hard-won experiences, the eight-track project captures every curveball, disappointment, and heartbreak, a journey of "growing up faster than I was supposed to." Yet, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, he has transformed that pain into a testimony of survival.
A body of work rooted in raw reality, ‘Life Series’ encapsulates a journey that began from age 12 after his father suffered a stroke, stripping the family of its patriarch, its protector and main source of survival, leaving him with the weight of shouldering the responsibilities of the patriarch and catering to his siblings. Just as he thought things couldn’t get any worse, life threw its most devastating curveball as he watched his beloved father pass away.
These facts have shaped the ‘Life Series’ even when “I wasn’t trying to make an album about trauma,” Kendickson said. “I was just trying to survive those years. The songs came later, when I finally had room to look back.”
Why this record, why now?
In Nigeria, it is widespread knowledge that conversations surrounding kids becoming providers, protectors, and caretakers even before the rightful age of adulthood is often shunned or ascribed to obligations imposed by culture or tradition. There is neither applause nor standing ovation for the ones who are the quiet thread keeping a household together even in chaos, the ones who show up in school, for their friends, at work, and even with a smile. Kendickson knows this all too well.
‘Life Series’ is his attempt to put language to those experiences, track by track, representing every chapter of his journey without turning it into a sob story. “People kept telling me my music wasn’t ‘commercial enough’ when I tried to be honest,” he said. “So for years I made songs I didn’t feel. This album is the opposite of that.”
The first half of the album opens with “Life,” a track centered around his journey of growth in the chaotic environs of Lagos while chasing his dreams even with a shoulder weighted by more responsibilities. The second track “Kwechiri” an igbo word for the famous Nigerian slang “No Gree” revisits past painful family memories and his resilience to triumph over adversity. As a testimonial to repeated rejections and delayed success, his third track “God’s Plan” is tailor-made for anyone who has been rejected but still keeps the flame of hope burning. “Nobody (Akonuche)” explores lessons learned from betrayal while navigating the terrains of life and the music industry.
The second half of the album shifts from survival to restoration and kicks off with forgiveness and healing as depicted in the 5th track “Remind Me”. His 6th track “Exotic” leans into his Igbo heritage while celebrating renewed restoration with the infusion of igbo musical influences. “Shine” is, in Kendickson’s words, “a prayer, basically wanting to finally be seen after all those years of just surviving.” Closing record “Understand” offers one final reflection on the personal cost of ambition, acknowledging the delicate balance between pursuing purpose and preserving relationships.
‘Life Series’ blends Afro-fusion, soul, hip-hop, R&B, alternative music, cinematic instrumentation, and African rhythmic textures into a cohesive listening experience. Yet his distinctive voice, a vessel for emotionally raw melodies and songwriting glides between vulnerability, spirituality, and philosophy. “Every song is a different year,” he said. “You’re not supposed to listen to this album and feel sorry for me. You’re supposed to hear your own chapters in it.” It is an album that feels deeply intimate yet universally massive, offering a cohesive listening experience that comforts, challenges, and inspires in equal measure.
‘Life Series’ is available August 21, 2026 on all major streaming platforms. Pre-save here.
Join Kendickson to open the book of life, and experience the different chapters of the ‘Life Series’ here.
About Artiste
Emerging as one of Africa’s most promising Afrosoul and Afro-fusion storytellers, Kendickson crafts music that is emotionally honest and melodically captivating. His earlier releases include “Ride or Die” and “Remind Me” picking up millions of streams. He won the City People Music Award for Best New Act and was named one of Ghana’s “9 New Nigerian Artists to Watch.” ‘Life Series’ follows his 2023 project Love Series and is his first full length album…….Read more.
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