By Brian Mboh
Cameroonian singer Sandrine Nnanga opens a new chapter in her career with the release of her second album, “Awake”, available since June 5, 2026. Presented to the press a few days before its official release in Douala, this 13-track is intended to be an intimate, luminous and deeply human work, carried by the themes of love, hope, resilience and prayer.
The artist describes ‘’Awake’’ as an invitation to “open your eyes to your own light”. Born from silence, introspection and personal reconstruction, the album presents itself as a musical journey where each song constitutes a step towards self-acceptance and renewal.
Lasting approximately 50 minutes, Awake brings together 13 tracks performed in French, English, Douala and Fang-Béti. The album navigates between several musical universes: Bikutsi, Makossa, Rumba, RnB, Dancehall, Afro swing, Zouk and World music.
This sound diversity testifies to the artist’s desire to combine modernity and Cameroonian cultural heritage. The work opens with “Bipolar”, a Bikutsi title which explores the twists and turns of love and trust.
It continues with “Nsili”, a duet with Florent Awono, a song which dramatizes married life for Sandrine Nnanga, “women must also reassure their husbands by letting them ask them questions”. Then “Ndolo”, a song dedicated to timeless love. Other titles like “Let”, “Pardonne-moi”, “Béni de Dieu” or “Tété” respectively address courage, forgiveness, faith and resilience.
To enrich this album, Sandrine Nnanga surrounded herself with several recognized figures from the Cameroonian music scene. We find in figures like : Florent Awono, Salatiel, Ben Decca and Adah Akenji, who each bring their artistic color to this plural work. These collaborations reinforce the collective and universal dimension of the project.
More than just an album, Awake appears as a testimony of life. Prayer is present as a common thread, not in an institutional dimension, but as an inner force which accompanies human beings in their trials. The texts also evoke love in all its forms: romantic love, self-love, forgiveness and gratitude.
The final title, “Outro: Ngok”, takes the listener back to the cultural roots of the artist, those of the Fongs de Zoétélé in Dja and Lobo. A true return to the sources, this musical conclusion completes an artistic journey marked by authenticity and the quest for oneself.
After the success of the album Introduction and the EP Essence, Sandrine Nnanga confirms with Awake her status as a major voice in contemporary Cameroonian music. The artist will continue to promote this opus through several events, including a live concert scheduled for June 28, 2026 in Paris at the Alhambara Theater, where she will present the album to the African diaspora.
With Awake, Sandrine Nnanga does not seek to impress with noise or excess. Rather, she offers a sincere work, driven by gentleness, emotion and depth. An album that invites everyone to reconnect with their inner light and which undoubtedly marks one of the most accomplished stages of their artistic career.
