Nigerian poet Titilope Sonuga has just released a new single titled Sanctuary that celebrates the sisters and friends that have been part of her life. This tender song came out on March 8 and is available on Spotify, YouTube, and elsewhere.

Sonuga was the first poet to perform at a Nigerian presidential inauguration in 2015 and is the 9th Poet Laureate of the City of Edmonton. She is also the author of poetry collections, including This is How we Disappear, a moving reflection on the kidnap of the Chibok girls by Boko Haram.

This is not Sonuga’s first foray into performance poetry as she is known for her immersive spoken word pieces in her previous album Swim. Indeed, Sanctuary is just an expansion of her repertoire and we cannot be more thrilled by the moving lyrics and the amazing music video accompanying it, depicting Sonuga in maroon and coral dresses surrounded by candlelight.

When Sonuga announced the news on Instagram, she was thrilled to share her work with her readers and listeners. Enoch Attey is responsible for the musical composition and production of this new album and Riwo Egor is responsible for the soft vocals and songwriting.

Sonuga remarked to her fans that the single is very close to her heart:

Sanctuary is here. The first single from the album, Sis. I am eternally grateful to the sisters who have held me through this wild journey called life. To the friends whose prayers, encouragement and love I’ve reached for when I needed it most. I would not have survived any of this without you. This is for you, today and always.

Listen to Sonuga’s single on Spotify below. Stay tuned for more details about the album!