South African vocalist Lira has her eyes on a prize: “Freedom.” The opening track to her sixth studio LP, Born Free, is a statement of purpose wrapped in a soulful, but sparse mix of vocal overdubs and finger snaps. Hear her roar as she spreads a message of empowerment and affirmation and explores whatever sonic landscape she chooses, blending buoyant Afropop and house music moves (“Be About It”), while embracing an aural Afrofuturism with glittering polyrhythms (“Sekunjalo”). Closing her panoramic album with a crowd-sourced finale, Lira is clearly striving for the ultimate freedom—a spot among music’s most visionary.