In the two years since he released his July 2024 debut Homeless, Kogi-hailing Llona saw his profile grow wildly. He’d spend the months following the album criss-crossing Nigeria, an experience that informs sophomore album, On the Road, a candid portrait of coming to terms with navigating life’s constant uncertainty. He confronts a less desirable version of himself on songs like “Monster or Not” and “Anger Management” before examining his relationship with fame on “Turbulence”. Here, he’s feeling jaded yet aware of the trade-off his success requires: “Stay ambitious can’t afford to lose my discipline/Been a minute wey I don dey for your TV screen,” he sings. Where Homeless was a dexterous fusion of R&B and hip-hop sensibilities, On the Road draws primarily from jazz, letting strings, piano notes and rolling percussion support thoughts on masculinity, betrayals and predestination. He can romanticise a glorious future with comrades on the Morrelo-collaboration “Different Pictures”, refusing to throw in the towel on “Won’t Die”. By the time he’s basking in some well-earned acclaim on “What Do I Do?”, we’ve been made to understand that though obstacles may appear On the Road, we can’t lose sight of the path forward.