No one can quite predict what Bella Alubo will do next. Since 2018’s breakthrough Late Night Vibrations, the Jos-born singer has stood out for her eclecticism, experimenting with hip-hop, alt-R&B and soul without losing a uniquely Nigerian sheen. 2025 has been a particularly prolific year for Alubo, who released the seven-track EP Run It Back in February, a project exploring the murky landscape of modern dating and the forbidden allure of toxic relationships. She ups the ante on Love Is War, diving deep into the spectre of distrust with anecdotes inspired by specific experiences. “Starting to think that you’re no good for me/Lately protecting all my energy,” she sings over a percussion-heavy instrumental on album opener “Oxygen”. Former labelmate Ycee joins for a soul-baring confessional about the emotional cost of falling in love on “Fear Love”, which segues into Alubo candidly admitting that she’s fallen in love again on “Necessary”. She’s fiery and confrontational on “Ricochet”, asking, “Who that woman you been texting in the middle of the night?” before threatening to pull up and catch a case later in the song. Still, not every song on Love Is War is a practice in avoiding the land mines of unfulfilling romance. Alubo is wistful about the radiant warmth of love on “Dream About It” and sketches out the details of her ideal partner on “African King”. On the rare occasion that she looks beyond the angst of broken relationships and the promise of redemptive love on the horizon, she’s fiercely self-promotional, recounting her journey from Jos to being a respected musician on the hypnotic “Fancy Lady” and assuring herself of future success on “Don’t You Worry”. It’s a reminder that even heartache can be a catalyst for embracing one’s greatness.