Butterfly Tears is the deeply vulnerable five-track EP from Nigerian singer-songwriter Ebisan, marking a transformative return to music after years of quiet evolution. Known for her soulful voice, intentional songwriting, and refusal to be boxed into a single genre, Ebisan has long been one of Nigeria's most understated talents. With this project, she moves beyond simply creating beautiful music, delivering an intimate exploration of love, grief, emotional survival, and the quiet, often painful work of healing. Rooted in feeling over genre, the project reveals Ebisan at her most open, honest, and spiritually grounded.
Released on May 15, 2026 through Oja Music Market, the project's title and content reflect the transformation that comes from processing pain. For Ebisan, songwriting is not simply a craft; it is a necessary language for survival. Speaking on the heart of her creative process, she describes songwriting as her "mode of self-expression" and "a form of therapy," explaining that it helps her make sense of her world and explore her feelings. Across the EP, Ebisan refuses to soften the truth of what she is feeling, moving through desire, devotion, loss, complicated love, and heartbreak in a way that feels deeply personal without losing its universality.
"Gone" stands as one of the project's most affecting moments. Ebisan identifies it as the hardest song to write because it required her to return to the pain of losing someone she loved. "I had to go deep into my grief to be able to do justice to the pain I feel," she shares. The track was produced by Yxung Bxss and showcases the Afrobeats-influenced sound that runs through the project. "Over Me," also produced by Yxung Bxss, serves as another standout track, described as a captivating Afrobeats tune with energetic rhythms and heartfelt lyrics expressing deep affection and intimate connection.
Sonically, Butterfly Tears resists easy categorization. Ebisan approached the project with openness, allowing emotion to determine direction rather than forcing the music into a fixed genre. She describes its world as "a spiritual world" and hopes it becomes "a catalyst for healing." "I didn't want to restrict myself to any particular genre," she explains. "All I knew was that the music had to convey the true emotions behind each story." This instinctive approach shaped the production process, with Ebisan remaining closely involved in ensuring that every track carried the right emotional weight.
Collaboration was equally central to bringing Butterfly Tears to life. From recording to photoshoots and video shoots, the project was built with what Ebisan describes as "a little village" of talented creatives. She gives special recognition to Abuja's creative community, adding, "Abuja has been kind to me. Shout out to Strange Village Studios."
Visually, Butterfly Tears mirrors its emotional tone. Ebisan imagines the project as "a quaint, slightly chilly town" under sparkling stars, with cottages, hot cocoa, and space to sit with one's feelings. Its palette is defined by midnight blue, dark green, and touches of pink, carrying what she calls a "melancholic with a hopeful twist" mood. That balance between melancholy and hope is what gives Butterfly Tears its power. It is not a project that runs away from pain, but one that makes room for it, studies it, and transforms it into song.
With Butterfly Tears, Ebisan delivers an emotionally rich statement that cements her place as a compelling voice in contemporary Nigerian soul and Afrobeats. It is a beautiful reminder that healing is not linear—and that sometimes, the most powerful music is born from the tears we are brave enough to shed.
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