Photo Credit Bellamy Brewster
“There's a smoothness to Halima's voice that adds some sugar to the turmoil while the intriguing drums, pitched up and patterned experimentally, seem to reflect the racing thud of a lovestruck heart” The FADER
“Halima channels otherworldly R&B forces” Clash
“an expansive blend of genres” Under The Radar
“cocoa body” WATCH: https://youtu.be/ZgHRrDDiYu0 LISTEN: https://drinksumwtr.lnk.to/Halima-cocoa-body
SWEET TOOTH PRE-ORDER: https://drinksumwtr.lnk.to/Halima-SWEET-TOOTH
(June 24, 2025) - Today, Halima returns with “cocoa body,” a high-energy new single and the official announcement of her debut album, SWEET TOOTH, arriving September 19 via drink sum wtr.
A propulsive track, that is undeniably dance-floor-ready, “cocoa body” co-produced by Corey Smith-West (Bathe) and Halima, arrives with a truly seductive visual - directed by long-time collaborator Bellamy Brewster. Set in a hot and hazy club, the video conjures the sweaty magic of early-aughts nightlife with choreography by Roy Garzon and Jordan Kaya, clothing by Theophilio (Edvin Thompson), and a cast that includes musician Oludaré Bernard (who also plays djembe on the track).
“My cousins, my friends, artists I love and trust. We built it together”, Halima says. “It’s rooted in queer nightlife, softness, and the beauty of everything Black.”
On how the track came to life, she shares: “I spent some time in Lagos last year with my cousins, we went to a few clubs in the city, that kinetic energy stayed with me. I grew up in London and live in Brooklyn, I always carry the diaspora in my mind, in everything I make. Working with Corey Smith-West on the production and Bellamy Brewster on the video was amazing because we all understood this and wanted ‘cocoa body’ to be a celebration of our diasporic cultures coming together.”
Halima will debut the song live at Damballa in NYC on July 2nd, alongside Fla$h, Ethan Tomas & Ubabu, offering an early glimpse into the lush, expansive world of SWEET TOOTH.
About SWEET TOOTH Framed as one long night out - from twilight anticipation to the quiet clarity of sunrise - SWEET TOOTH is a cinematic debut tracing years of self-discovery and emotional reckoning. Across eleven tracks, Halima creates a world where sultry club bangers meet deep ballads, in a hybrid of honeyed Afro-pop and scorched R&B. Not genre-less - but genre-full!
Halima co-produced with a sharp range of producers, including Mikey Freedom Hart (A$AP Rocky, Dev Hynes/Blood Orange, Empress Of), the album explores desire, transformation, and the complexity of sweetness. "Sweetness on my terms,” Halima offers - a mantra for reclaiming softness without surrendering strength. “The album is about returning to yourself through chaos, and loving the parts of the journey that hurt - the pleasure and the pain”
Though SWEET TOOTH marks her full-length debut, Halima calls it an epilogue: "Am I the person that I wanted to become? I think so. I've given myself permission to be bold, to be free. To take up space." SWEET TOOTH follows her XYZ EP and EXU, Halima’s first release via drink sum wtr, where she seamlessly wove together UK soul, Garage and experimental R&B.
Watch “cocoa body” above and stay tuned for more from Halima coming soon. | 
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