Akon is riding a new wave — and Gen Z is leading the charge. During his appearance on The Sherri Show, the hitmaker revealed how younger fans are just discovering his music — and some even think he’s a new artist.
“I went on this show called On the Radar where younger artists perform,” he said. “After I did Locked Up, I was reading the comments. Somebody wrote, ‘Yo, he up next!’”
Laughing, Akon added, “It was the funniest thing. Some of them actually had no idea who I was — but it was dope to see how they received it.”
Akon’s music has been enjoying a renaissance on platforms like TikTok, with songs like Beautiful and Never Really Mattered making viral rounds. “That’s probably the best feeling I’ve had,” he admitted.
He’s not stopping there. Akon is venturing into country music, remixing his classics with a Southern twist. “We’re doing all the classics in country,” he said. Asked how Smack That would sound as a country track, he teased, “That might be more of a honky-tonk version.”
And yes — a new album is finally on the way.
“It’s been at least 10 years,” he confirmed. “What took so long? Man, I was in Africa. Time just flew past.”
Despite the time away, Akon says he’s returning to music with more purpose and excitement than ever. “To still be embraced by a whole new generation? That’s a blessing.”
