Flyana Boss was everywhere in 2023 — both figuratively and not-quite literally — as the two champions for “weird Black girls” took their breakout single “You Wish” to all kinds of unusual places for running videos and jogged themselves right into some lucrative brand sponsorships. They’re looking to carry that momentum into the new year, releasing their latest single, “Candyman,” after a similar long run-up on social media (okay, I’ll chill with the running jokes now).
Where “You Wish” was a dismissive putdown to wannabes and featured full-bodied but carefree boasts about the girls’ recent come-up (or manifestations of the come-up in the making, as they told me in an interview last year), “Candyman” is a more coy love letter to their crushes. Using confectionary-coded wordplay to declare one’s affections is a well-worn trope, but one Folayan and Bobbi wield well. The production is bright and bass-heavy, with the girls showing off their vocal chops as well as their witty wordplay. “I call him my Grub Hubby, he gon’ feed me,” Folayan jokes.
The duo’s appreciation for music history shows both in the track and on its cheeky cover art, which references the cover photo from Minnie Riperton’s 1974 album Perfect Angel. Meanwhile, they’re kicking off a headlining tour in February