Nigerian Afrobeats singer Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk, popularly known as Iyanya, is gearing up for what he describes as his biggest comeback yet.
The “Shake body” hitmaker has announced the release of his fifth studio album alongside a major tour across the United States.
Iyanya revealed that his highly anticipated album will be released on September 12, 2025. The project marks his first full-length album in several years and comes at a time when he is eager to reclaim his space among Afrobeats heavyweights.
Taking to Instagram, the singer teased fans with a brief but striking announcement: “Album arrives Sept 12, hit the road Oct & Nov, United States, here we come.” The post immediately triggered excitement among his followers, who have been awaiting a major body of work since his last album.
Following the album’s release, Iyanya will embark on an ambitious American tour themed “IYANYA: The Forester’s Son Tour.” The tour is scheduled to run from October through November 2025 and will feature performances in key cities across the U.S.
The journey kicks off in Brooklyn, New York, before making stops in Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and North Carolina. Each stop is expected to showcase Iyanya’s signature blend of Afrobeats, R&B, and high-energy performances that first made him a household name.
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This will be Iyanya’s first tour of the United States in six years. His last American tour was in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted live performances worldwide. The return is therefore being positioned not only as a celebration of new music but also as a reconnection with his international fanbase.
Industry watchers say the tour could serve as a springboard for Iyanya to rebuild his international presence and tap into the growing global demand for Afrobeats.
Iyanya rose to fame in 2008 after winning the first season of Project Fame West Africa. He went on to dominate the Nigerian music scene in the early 2010s with smash hits such as “Kukere,” “Your Waist,” and “Ur Waist.” His energetic dance routines and signature Etighi dance moves became cultural phenomena.
Over the years, however, Iyanya’s career has seen ups and downs, marked by label disputes, shifting trends, and competition from younger Afrobeats stars. His announcement of a new album and U.S. tour is being widely interpreted as an effort to reclaim his place among Nigeria’s music elite.
Fans have flooded his Instagram page with supportive comments, with many expressing their excitement about both the album and the tour. “We’ve missed your energy, can’t wait for the album,” one fan wrote. Another added, “Iyanya back on tour? This is the comeback we’ve been waiting for.”
Music critics also note that Iyanya’s decision to combine an album release with a tour is a strategic move. It ensures that new songs are introduced directly to live audiences while also creating momentum for streaming and sales.
Iyanya’s timing also coincides with Afrobeats’ unprecedented rise on the global stage. In recent years, Nigerian stars such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, and Rema have sold out arenas across Europe and America. For Iyanya, the tour represents a chance to ride that wave and remind international fans of his contributions to the genre.
With the album set for release in September and the U.S. tour following in October and November, Iyanya is entering a critical phase in his career. He has described the project as his most personal yet, hinting that it will reflect his journey as an artist and as “the forester’s son,” a reference to his upbringing in Cross River State.
If successful, the combination of new music and live performances could mark one of the most significant comebacks in Afrobeats this year.
For now, all eyes are on September 12 as fans count down to the return of Iyanya, an artist who once set dance floors ablaze and now seeks to do it all over again, this time on a bigger, global stage.
