Nkan returns with love anthem, California Love
Following the critical success of her 2025 EP ‘Surulere,’ Oluwakemisola Otekaiye aka Nkan, is set to capture hearts once again this February with the release of her latest single, ‘California
Following the critical success of her 2025 EP ‘Surulere,’ Oluwakemisola Otekaiye aka Nkan, is set to capture hearts once again this February with the release of her latest single, ‘California Love.’
Arriving just in time for the season of love, the track promises to be a masterclass in Nkan’s signature Kosmopolitan sound.
‘California Love’ departs from the high-energy percussion of her previous hits like ‘Pepepe,’ opting instead for a lush, atmospheric production that highlights Nkan’s powerhouse vocals.
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The single explores the nuances of long-distance affection and the sun-drenched nostalgia of a romance sparked in the Golden State. It serves as a bridge between her Nigerian roots and her musical years spent in the United States, creating a sonic experience that is both deeply personal and globally accessible.
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Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, Nkan shares, “Music is a vessel for truth and emotion. With ‘California Love,’ I wanted to capture that specific warmth you feel when love transcends distance. It’s about the memories that keep us glowing, no matter where we are in the world.”
She further said “California Love is a very personal and spiritual story for me. I’m deeply spiritually inclined, and one thing I’ve learned on my journey is to constantly have conversations with God for direction. A few weeks before I relocated to the United States, I fell very ill. My father in the Lord jokingly said I was having travel fever. Around that same time, the song ‘California Love’ by Tupac kept playing repeatedly in my head. I would wake up singing it, even though I hadn’t yet decided which state I was moving to.
“Fast forward to my flight to the U.S. — I was asleep on the plane, and just before the arrival announcement, I heard ‘California Love’ again in my spirit. I woke up smiling and said, ‘Daddy, you are so hilarious,’ referring to God. Two months after settling in Oakland, love found me — and that experience became the story behind California Love.
