Barnabas is the first EP by Nigerian singer Kizz Daniel. It was released on 19 November 2021, by Flyboy I.N.C and Empire Distribution. The EP featured guest appearances from The Cavemen and Kelvyn Colt. Production was handled by Philkeyz, Reward Beatz, Roc Legion, DJ Coublon, Blaisebeatz. Barnabas serves a follow-up to King of Love (2020).
The release of Barnabas was unannounced. The EP came to be, in his words, "I just picked seven random songs from my laptop, put them together and titled it Barnabas." His approach reflected his broader philosophy of making music when inspired, without feeling the need to follow industry trends or pressures. Barnabas was well-received both critically and commercially. All seven tracks debuted on the TurnTable Top 50, with "Lie" spending seven consecutive weeks at number one and "Pour Me Water" also reaching the summit after gaining viral popularity. The EP's success helped establish Kizz Daniel as the leading artist in Nigeria during the first quarter of 2022. Speaking on his creative process, he remarked, "There's no pressure because I'm not trying to impress anyone." Instead of relying on heavy marketing or an active social media presence, he prefers to let the quality of his music speak for itself, a strategy that has consistently worked throughout his career.[2]
Motolani Alake of Pulse Nigeria described Barnabas as a reflective and experimental body of work, where Kizz Daniel crafted musings from different aspects of his life, but noted that it lacked deeper insights into his mind, calling it a "diary session" that achieved sonic cohesion. He rated the EP 6.8/10, describing it as a "Victory."[5] Fatiat Saliu, writing for Afrocritik praised Barnabas as a cohesive and reflective project, showcasing Kizz Daniel's growth in sound, storytelling, and message delivery, stating that "he reasserts his position as one of the best artistes in the country." She rated the EP 8.2/10.[4] Dennis Ade Peter of The Native highlighted Kizz Daniel's consistency on Barnabas, praising his ability to stay within familiar musical boundaries while delivering solid results, noting that "Kizz Daniel knows the groove he prefers, and he remains as reliable as ever."[6]
