Award-winning Senegalese singer/songwriter, Samba Peuzzi has teamed up with Nigerian rockstar, Rema for his first single of the year, ‘Mercedes’. A single that hears the duo proclaim their adoration for the ladies in their life.
The Senegal Boy Samba Peuzzi is no stranger to making hits having accumulated over forty-one million views on YouTube alone, and his latest offering is set to be no different. ‘Mercedes’ is another eurythmic love anthem with an infectious hook that is complimented by Rema’s familiar tones. ‘Mercedes’ is set to be a firm favourite on playlists and dance-floors across the diaspora and continent, signalling to a forthcoming EP due in 2023.
Samba Peuzzi has been flying the flag for Senegal and is about to take his unique style and sound global. Having already amassed over 2.4m followers across social platforms. His ability to connect with fans across the globe, singing in both French and English, has seen Samba perform across Senegal and gain over thirty million streams on his debut album ‘Senegal Boy’.
Watch Samba Peuzzi and Rema in the music video for ‘Mercedes’
Larinette Bailly, better known to the public as Blanche Bailly was clearly cut out for the limelight. The 27-year-old singer/songwriter has heavy prospects for continental and international success. Officially starting off in 2015, after completing her studies in France, she moved to London. This transition became the genesis of the origin story of one of Africa’s most promising stars. In a brief chat, Blanche Bailly told Morebranches a lot about her past, her present and future.
The road to the Limelight
It’s been quite clear that Blanche Bailly was cut out for bright lights and release dates from her early days. Before relocating to London, she started off as a cover artist. She would write her own lyrics on popular songs, sometimes eclipsing the actual song-owner where she was. After school, she went to London and met a friend who just happened to be a rapper. This friend would become the channel through which her career would take off.
When asked about what stood her out from the onset, Blanche was very sincere about her standout factor. She says
“My popularity came from my physique, to be quite honest. The way I look came as a surprise to the public because before me, girls in the Cameroonian industry weren’t this sexy in their way of dressing…”
She believes that her sex appeal, coupled with the right collaborations put her on a step ahead of a lot of her peers, and in very characteristic Blanche Bailly fashion, she is extremely confident about it. Blanche is cast in the same mold as iconic female artistes like Tiwa Savage amongst others. She is very intent on making it clear that confidence is one of her special characteristics. She is also very keen on proving the point that she isn’t riding on any privileges. She is confidently and intentionally building a bankable brand that will break records and top charts. She explains, saying
“My brand is confidence. My brand is hard work, and my brand is consistency. I want my fans to look at me and say that Blanche Bailly is comfortable in her skin, she works hard as a musician and entrepreneur, and she consistently brings her A game in this industry.”
Influences and Milestones
Artistes are well known for creating inspiration, but as certain as it is that you will inspire others, others must also inspire you. Blanche Bailly is no different, and according to her, Rihanna is a major source of inspiration for her. She says
“Rihanna is my current role model because I like the fact that she is authentic, and beyond music, has created very lucrative brands for herself.”
For Blanche, the billionaire businesswoman is a great example of what to aspire to in a career that surpasses just music. But like a lot of other people, Beyoncé is the ultimate icon when it comes to music. “Beyoncé is my ultimate idol as a musician. Her work ethic, delivery, and overall fierce character is something that thrills and empowers me,” she says.
As far as accolades go, she’s already setting the marker for superstardom. With a subscriber count of an excess of 220 thousand subscribers of YouTube, 1.7 million followers on Facebook and over a million followers on Instagram, it’s clear where she is headed with her career. Amongst a host of other achievements, she is the singer with the highest amount of views on YouTube in Cameroon, she has been nominated for Best Female Central Africa (AFFRIMA), and Best Urban and Revelation of the year (Canal D’or)
Style and Sound
Blanche Bailly identifies herself as an Afro-pop artiste, and believes that through music, she can communicate emotions or vent about certain situations she goes through or has gone through. She believes her music style is tailor-made to reach a wider audience because it infuses French, pidgin and local vernacular.
“My sound is special because I am able to sing in different languages while still creating a song that people can enjoy. I am able to sing on any kind of beat whether Reggae, Afrobeat, Zouk, or even local beats, and still create a hit song.”
Her versatility also seeps into her style, as she describes herself as sexy, bold, and most importantly, comfortable. So far, Blanche Bailly has covered a lot of ground and with her keen sense of talent identification for the perfect collaborations (as can be heard on her most recent release with Joeboy), there’s hardly any telling how big of a brand Blanche Bailly could become.
Cameroonian songstress Larinette Bailly, better known as Blanche Bailly has released a new single, this time, enlisting the assistance of Nigerian afro-pop/R&B prodigy Joeboy.
The bubbly Tempoe-produced track features Blanche Bailly delivering her trademark silky vocals in French, English and pidgin/vernacular, in a show of linguistic diversity. Joeboy matched the pace and atmosphere of this track and delivered an impressive guest appearance.
Since her debut in 2015, this is Blanche Bailly’s first collaboration with a Nigerian. This cross-border West African collaboration comes at a very important time and is a very welcome development for those who prefer harmonious relations amongst African entertainment professionals. Blanche Bailly and Joeboy are new-age acts who owe some of their success to the social media app TikTok. They represent a new wave of youthful African acts with extremely high ceilings thanks to how small social media has made the world. This collaboration spells a lot for both acts and the potential for afro-infused music to transcend borders.
“Queendom” is a pop and reggae-infused record with lyrical content that serves to share an assertive message about the empowerment of females, through the use of a love story. It is an ode to all African queens and through its production conveys power and dominance. Faster than her usual ballads and bearing both subdued and comparatively loud segments, “Queendom” is a single release in which JoyRukanza fans and beyond are likely to take interest.
This one is very special to me. “Queendom” is a departure from the usual soft melodies that I am known for, and in this record, I specifically echo sentiments that empower women and probes them to be the best version for themselves. I wrote the song after the slewed rise in gender-based violence cases which were recorded globally when the pandemic started and a lot of us were locked down. This project was extremely challenging yet rewarding. We had to plan and coordinate the project remotely due to the pandemic, which saw me working with a team of dedicated creators across Africa.
JoyRukanza
The colourful tapestry of JoyRukanza’s music reveals itself in the multi-genre offering in her upcoming debut album “MATTER-MORE-FOR-SIS,” which is set to be released before the end of 2021.
I recorded the song in Zimbabwe in 2020 and shot the visuals this June in two Tanzanian locations – Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo. I travelled from the UK, my makeup artist flew in from South Africa with a wardrobe that was curated remotely by my South African stylist while we had our creative producer travelling from Zimbabwe. It was an honor to work with an extremely dedicated cast and crew from Tanzania while also experiencing the rich cultural offerings from historical sites like Bagamoyo.
German-Cameroonian singer/songwriter, T’neeya, born Jennifer Tania Takoh, is an Afro-Soul/R&B artiste with a distinctively captivating voice, and lyrics to match. Having spent most of her early years in Cameroon, she moved to Berlin, Germany to further her studies in Fashion Design. Her passion for creating music inspired her to visit Ghana, a hub for African music, to explore the culture and connect with the recording and performing artiste within.
Since then, T’neeya has frequented Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria and Germany, coalescing all her experiences into her music, fashion & lifestyle. T’neeya has collaborated with artistes such as Kel P, Telz, Odunsi, Darkovibes, Kwesi Arthur, Toni Hauschild, Ace Tee, among others. She notes her musical influences as old school R&B, Lauryn Hill, 2face Idibia, Stromae, and in recent times Burna Boy & Snoh Aalegra.
T’Neeya photographed by Julius Tornyi
We caught up with T’neeya to chat about how her style of music comes together, specific songs from her impressive, growing discography and creating music at different points & places in her life.
— —
How long ago did you discover your passion for music?
Quite early I would say, some time in primary school, hard to pinpoint what age exactly.
What prompted you to make a career out of your talents
It happened naturally, I gravitated towards music and attracted people in that space through that, but I have to say my parents pushed me to own my calling and gave me the courage I needed to move fearlessly.
How does your multilingual ability come into play when you create music?
It’s like my superpower, it helps me connect with different people from different cultures, I definitely feel blessed.
Your style has tenets of Afro Pop, Soul and R&B, how did you arrive at this unique blend?
I experimented a lot throughout my career, still am, still learning and growing but with time I get closer to what defines me sonically as an artist. Growing up listening to different types of music was such a rich experience but at the same time overwhelming, I had to filter some stuff out over time… and here we are, looking forward to future Tee as she keeps evolving.
T’Neeya photographed by Julius Tornyi
Do you see yourself experimenting with some other genres any time soon?
You never really know, I never limit myself… the goal is to always stay true to myself and have fun.
What was the underlying thing you wanted to communicate through your “In Her Feelings” EP
I was really just venting and processing my own experiences/feelings, to be honest… hoping my audience could relate and not feel alone in whatever they were/are dealing with. It was very healing and freeing, I wanted my audience to feel the same through my words and music.
Your feature on KiDi’s “Twist” introduced you to many new listeners, how did that sync come together? And did you notice any particular impact from that song?
I think that was one of my first collaborations in Ghana, Eric, a mutual friend, brought us together and asked us to create a song for his club “Twist,” and I got to connect with a new audience which was fun.
What is it about the music scene in Accra that made you want to create music primarily from there?
I create music from everywhere, Accra is one of my favourite places to do that, it’s like my second home… the creative scene, the energy, just overall great vibes! For me, it’s not necessarily the place itself but the people I’m surrounded with, if you are surrounded by the right energy everything flows effortlessly. Have amazing moments in Cameroon, Nigeria and Germany as well.
Growing up, who were some artists that inspired the artist you are today?
BOB, Eminem, Lauryn Hill, 90´s R&B, Gospel… tough question lol.
T’Neeya photographed by Julius Tornyi
If you could have a collaboration EP of your dreams, which other artists would be on it?
An even tougher question hahah! It’s really hard to tell to be honest, how I feel today might change over time as I evolve… definitely Eminem, LaurynHill, loving the new sound wave from Africa as well!!! Burna Boy, man, this is why I prefer to move with the flow, just let the universe connect the dots over time, let’s see.
What would you say is the essence of T’neeya and her music?
I want to motivate, create an impact, promote a positive change and advocate for authenticity… embracing and loving yourself just the way you are unapologetically.
It’s never easy taking the unconventional route while doing anything. Afro-Soul artiste – Oluwatomiwa David Ayeni, who is better known by his stage name – Blackmantayne would tell you what his struggles feel like, but he’d rather let his music do the talking quite literally. He views music as a conduit through which he can tell stories and pass messages directly to the audience. No middlemen, no commercial attention grabbers, just a more undiluted form of what is on his mind and in his heart. According to him, this is what makes the genre noteworthy and personal to him. According to him, Afro-Soul connects with the soul…
“It’s deliberate, genuine, and honest because it has every sort of emotion put into it. The soul is the deepest element of our existence, and if something is said to be soulful, it has to resonate with the soul. That’s what makes it special.”
The aim of the music is clear – to create a bridge between the voice of the artist and the eyes, ears, hearts and most importantly – Souls of every individual that picks up his records to listen or watches his videos. With a well-defined sound, and the right words, Blackmantayne is writing his own separate chapter in the landscape of Nigerian, and even African contemporary music.
The air around the music that Blackmantayne makes is one of both confidence and introspection. As a person with an intimate understanding of the worth or weight of the messages he’s passing and the stories he’s telling, Blackmantayne walks with an air of confidence in his own art. He expresses his pride in what he does in saying:
“Other genres of music are beautiful but Afro-Soul is special and beautiful because it’s more.”
The introspection comes in when you listen to him do something commonly referred to in music circles as “Bleeding on the mic”, which translates to regular language as pouring your heart into what you say into the microphone while recording music. He is armed for the task of introspecting with a lot of of life experiences that would either make or break an individual. These experiences and their relatability value is what charges him to move forward and carry on making his own unique brand of music.
”People will actually go through the realities of life… So it’s a genre that does the work of healing and helps people when they’re distressed and going through the ups and downs of life.”
The elements involved in making this type of music are in some part – metaphysical. You need to be in touch with your feelings, passion, heart and soul to fully apprehend the music thereby setting the scene for an incredible and insightful musical experience.
On August 13th, 2021, Blackmantayne releases his debut album and he promises that it is something really special. In describing his new project Blackmantayne uses two words – “genuine” and “authentic”. Stay With Me is set to be a kaleidoscope of profound emotion, sonic finesse and most importantly… soul.
Like most people, I have turned to art as a salve for these uncertain and devastating times. The most prominent feature on my playlist has been Simphiwe Dana’s Kulture Noir, released 10 years ago this year. Dana, who burst on the music scene in 2004 with her critically acclaimed debut Zandisile, is celebrated for her socially conscious oeuvre which often shows up just at the most critical moments of our present.
Dana’s work has responded to the Marikana massacre and the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Chibok. So it makes sense why her work feels so important right now, especially in the midst of the grief surfacing all around us. Reflecting on this work a decade later is necessary, as it is crucial to archive the work of our sages not only while they are still living, but because the public archiving of African women’s contributions to art matters.
Kulture Noir feels so timely as it deals with internal and external worlds. It is a musical interpretation of some of the ideas popularised by some of Africa’s towering intellectuals. It dives deep into the ideas of the burdens that come with existing as a black person in an anti-black world, and the effects this has on one’s psyche.
The careful and deliberate arrangements of each track give the sense that when you immerse yourself in Kulture Noir you are entering a space of meditation, not necessarily to escape reality but to deal directly with this heaviness, hopefully towards healing.
Dana’s voice occupies the spaces between the syncopated rhythms of the instruments which make for a transcendental experience of this body of work. At some points her melodies are sustained in long notes, with a vibrato at their tail end, a signature sound of Dana’s in order to emphasise the mood of each song, in case it isn’t all clear just by hearing the instrumental accompaniment.
Dana is known for visually experimenting with Afrofuturism and expanding the idea for a contemporary African landscape. It is very rare though that her music is read to think about the transcendental in ways her visuals are. It is also rare that we even explore the expansive genius work of women artists such as Dana.
The lyrics and the instrumental arrangements work together to encourage our imaginations to take flight. Dana sings in isiXhosa, but not understanding the words doesn’t necessarily stop listeners from getting a sense of the themes explored.
Pan-Africanist ideology is not simply reflected in the lyricism, it is also heard through the merger of various genres bred on the continent. Dana adds a mythical element to the sound with a unique voice that she commands over each note. The way she sustains notes, and the ways she uses her voice to accent each word reminds one of the meditative compositions of the African prophet of Ntsikana.
Dana incorporates various forms of guitar playing from Maskandi of Kwa-Zulu Natal to Mali, to Afrobeat especially in “Fela’s Azania”–an attempt at recreating the legend’s musicianship.
Kulture Noir also reaches back to the percussive traditions of the Eastern Cape made famous by Nofinishi Dywili. By placing value on ancient and modern African compositional traditions Kulture Noir is another reminder of the contributions Africa has made to music as we know it.
Very rarely do we honour how Africa has always been on the cutting edge of some of the foundations of music. This is particularly appealing in recent times where we are reduced to nothing more than lab rats, where we constantly have to prove our worthiness as a civilisation.
This decade-old work emerges as relevant to our times. It speaks to the importance of African unity–an important message specifically for South Africans, who tend to boast of exceptionalism, which in the end breeds xenophobic violence. An anthem like “Hay’ihambo” calls us towards this unity reminding of us of our shared humanity and our shared spiritual source.
We tend to underestimate the power of self-love and the power of healing from history, and now as the world remains perplexed at the low rates of coronavirus in Africa, their narrative of Africa as a tragedy is challenged. Dana’s work both lyrically and sonically is on beat reminding us of how worthy we are.
The vocal arrangements play a role as both vocal and percussion together with the instruments. The vocals are layered as a call and response, with Dana filling the empty spaces between the breathing breaks left by the foundational vocals.
Lyrically, the work addresses our nervous condition, and perhaps this is why it is so appealing to me now that the most certain thing is uncertainty. Dana reminds us that our imperfect parts of ourselves are worthy, that we are worthy of healing.
Politically, her lyricism provides a scathing critique of the unfinished work of liberation movements, a relatable trend across the continent.
Where freedom has often given us wings, but not much ability to take flight due to the unbroken structural barriers.How do we live a high quality of life in a world where black people are closely followed by the possibility of poverty, where corruption is rampant, and leaders loot resources aimed at serving people? The failures of the state are ever more real in the middle of a pandemic where health systems of developing nations are already fragile.
“Aph’ amaqhawe” (where are the heroes) starts us off and we end with “iNkwenwezi” (star). Perhaps the reasoning for this is to remind us that in the end, we are our own shining heroes. That your imperfections matter, that your healing matters and that it begins with you. Dana seems to be concerned with the importance of lifting the heaviness. The careful curation of the album allows us to journey through pain and uncertainty to emerge on the side with less of a load to carry.
Morebranches Unplugged is a collection of the best music in our mailbox from the past week, straight to the interwebs.
I wish to make this column more profound but with the help of artistes and them giving adequate material, so here are some tips that could make your song more easily considered by a writer, and seemingly worthwhile to the potential listener.
I believe you came here for the music, so without further ado, I present this week’s top picks, consisting of diverse genres spanning from Hip-hop, to Afro-swing and Afro-pop.
We’ve decided to start this column because every week we receive emails from artists to give their songs a chance on our platform, sometimes we do, but due to the sheer amount of music submissions we get [and the subjectivity of art factor], we’re not able to give them all special treatment, meaning some potential gems slipping through the cracks.
The purpose of this column is to bring us closer to our mission of highlighting youth culture, without capitulating to the bias of the most popular names, but actually give a chance for alternative subcultures to keep developing by being a platform they can look to, and give motivation to keep creating because we acknowledge and celebrate their existence.
Every week from now, we’ll be publishing our top picks from our mailbox, well and poorly packaged alike, in a post like this, so keep the submissions coming to editor@morebranches.com.
However, we urge senders in the future to not send just a link to the track to be considered, but added text and visual material to give a writer an easier time of deciphering the message you’re trying to pass across.
Commas and Karma by Abena Rockstar
On first listen, you can feel the energy, swiftly backed up by bars from the rapper from Ghana. She has been making music since the age of 9, recording her first demo in 2006 and bagging some accolades along the way; her 2017 single Abena was selected for study at the Department of African Studies at Howard University in the US, and the same year she performed at Chalewote Street Art Festival.
This is my stand out song from her 2019 EP Harvest Season
Mutual by Nar’h featuring Vanilson
Nar’h
The song Mutual is a slow melodic lovers tiff which describes a young boy and girl sharing the same feelings towards each other. Nar’h is a Ghanaian artiste who features Vanilson from Angola on Mutual, which was also produced by Vanilson. The song was mixed and mastered by Plugn6ix. The cover art was made by plvgwill.
Fire Don’t Burn by Proof The Sensei
Proof The Sensei is an upcoming rapper based in Ibadan, Nigeria. Fire Don’t Burn is a love song written to appeal to the ones who feel like the “fire” of love consumes one, and so they refrain from the act almost entirely. In this song, Proof The Sensei and Remy Baggins try to convey the message that “fire” of love doesn’t burn and should otherwise be embraced. This single is the first track off Proof The Sensei’s sophomore EP “Sensei – Master of Elements”
Feels by Rexofthewest
His record “Feels” is a short story of confusion in which the protagonist’s mind is torn between feelings of lust and affection. He struggles to acknowledge the fact that he’s truly falling in love, but eventually gives in to the reality.
RexoftheWest is a Nigerian music producer, singer-songwriter and visual artist. He’s worked behind the scenes with the likes of Johnny Drille, Maka, Oxlade, Korede, Straffitti, and more. His vocal style draws techniques from legendary English band UB40, Jon Bellion, to name a few.
https://soundcloud.com/rexofthewest/feels
High Tension by D.i King
Following previous releases ‘Chobooi’ and ‘Dibi’, Afro Fusion artist, D.i King, returns with ‘High Tension’; the third single preceding the release of his EP. The song was produced by Keezy.
Doing Well by Kayus
Doing Well is a post EP single from Nigerian rapper Kayus ensuing the project titled ‘Plot Twist’ which he released in late 2018.
One Call by Otunba featuring Hameed Idowu
Otunba is a Nigerian afrobeat recording artist based in New York. His most notable release Good loving featuring Minz racked up over 24,000 plays on SoundCloud. One Call is the most listened track from the Otunba’s ‘Pure Vibez’ tape so far.
Burna Boy Aka Africa Giant has been taking his music and shine to the world since his last album ‘Outside’ virally blew up taking him from a B-class artist to one of Nigeria’s most demanded acts. His 2019 hits ‘Dangote’ and ‘Killin’ Dem’ are currently tearing up the airwaves all over the world.
Burna Boy, currently on his ‘African Giant’ tour paid a visit to radio personality Sway Calloway’s radio show Sway In The Morning for an in-depth conversation and to face the show’s coveted ‘5 Fingers of Death’ freestyle challenge before his sold-out show at the Apollo.
Before Burna Boy shut down his sold-out show at the Apollo, he paid veteran radio personality Sway Calloway a visit to his radio show, Sway In The Morning for an in-depth conversation and to face the show’s coveted ‘5 Fingers of Death’ freestyle challenge.
We’re all most definitely related. That’s my job as the African Giant is to bring you all home. – Burna responds to Sway declaring so in the beginning of his interview.
In his interview with Sway and his co-host, Burna was asked about his connections to the African culture, the current drug epidemic young people are battling, and how his sound is bridging the gap between his continent and the world.
It’s Friday again, the last day of the weekday and the unofficial day for most of the new releases we’ve been expecting all week just in time for the weekend chills.
We’ve taken the time to round up seven of the best tracks you should definitely be adding to your playlist.
The work of Haruki Murakami is made of the weird and the
crazy. Woven into his tales of ‘normal’ people and not so normal experiences, which
must have had you shook in one way or another. He would always hold your hand
down a dark alley, point into the encompassing darkness and say ‘look’ to the
abstract concepts such as Johnny Walker in Kafka
on the Shore.
Nigerian producer Charlie X (CHx) fancies himself an
abstract concept. Asides his drive for creating music, there is almost nothing
you can find on him. Fortunately, his career stretches back to simpler days,
when he was a member of a producer group, this gives you a warped sense of the human
behind the mask.
Frequent collaborator Paybac, who also dons a mask,
sometimes says his is a “touchstone of his, a reminder to make magic”, Charlie
is anything but. If asked, there’s a likelihood he will refute any claims of
the mask being special – he is just an abstract concept after all.
Even as he remains a major cause to ponder, his catalogue of
projects is getting more and more expansive. After building musical Nirvanas for
the likes of Djaji Prime, Boogey and Paybac, he will release the part two of Faceoff, a joint project with the latter
two rappers later this year.
The first installment of Faceoff,
released in March 2017, was a project that flexed the strength of every
creative involved. It also – more importantly even – showed the peculiarities
of their levels of artistry. They were like Little
People [read your Murakamis] weaving the chrysalis, powerful but yet
unseen. These differing narratives are welcome into the cash scenting folds of
mainstream music is needed for a balance.
Enjoy my interaction with the abstract concept.
How did
theLost and Found come about? What period marked the genesis of your interaction with
both these artistes?
CHx: The Lost and Found was an idea I had and discussed with all the parties involved. That is Paybac and Boogey as artistes; Sizzle Pro, Black Intelligence and myself as creative directors.
I started working with Boogey in 2012, Paybac the following year. I was actually
introduced to both of them by the same person.
How
extensive was your input besides the production? Did you influence the themes
and final selection of songs?
CHx: The Lost and Found projects were controlled and directed more by the producers. The rappers trust our visions – we talk about the general theme and song themes down to very specific aesthetics.
The truth is, I have a very huge input besides the
production of projects I work on. The producers produce on their own after
conversations have been had.
What
was the usual day in the studio like?
CHx: Boogey and Paybac write to the songs either in the studio or on their own. I call them whenever they are available. The studio is in a home so most studio time is just spent living life.
What
and who did you listen to while making the album? Did any project or producer
serve as a resource for inspiration?
CHx: I honestly cannot remember music I listen to when working on a project. I listen to so much random music constantly. I can’t really make an influence list like that – I don’t know.
Word on
the street is that Charlie X is an abstract concept. What feeds this?
CHx: I guess that is subject to the interpretation of whoever is experiencing the subtract concept.
After Faceoff,
you’ve done individual projects with Boogey and Paybac. When was these projects
conceived and how long before they were executed? Talk us through the making.
CHx: I can’t say exactly when project starts because I can have a project idea and start making it before telling the artiste. Or have an idea, tell the artiste before I make it.
I’ve been making several projects with the same artiste, at
the same time with several other artistes. So, everything is modelled from a
timeline perspective. I usually just write down all the tasks I have and
details about each project from the music, collaborators, sounds I want to try
out, things I wanna do: Project roll-out plans, people I need for different stages
of the project, outstandings, designs, etc.
How do
you keep your sanity in this world?
CHx: I don’t think anyone is sane; that is a very subjective thing. It really depends on who you ask.
Because
we’re in the Internet Age.
O
jewa ka eng? [Music
edition]
CHx: Most of the things about the things that socially affect others don’t really affect me. I am just an abstract idea after all.
There
still are complaints that BBQ &
Shayo didn’t get the
promotion it deserved. Why was this?
CHx: It costs a lot of money to promote music. We had an extensive media press run in Lagos for and after the release of the project which cost money. We plugged the song on radio but couldn’t raise the budget we required for a video and promoting the video.
Also, there was a lot of internet noise that did not
translate to sales or streams. So it didn’t make any business to keep spending
on the project.
Autopilot by Paybac marked an important shift in the
tone of Paybac’s music. Unlike the melancholy of The Biggest Tree, Autopilot was the ultimate fun album of
2018.
CHx: The tone of Autopilot was intentional, hence the name. I initially wanted to make it for random rappers but couldn’t get to anyone willing to work on a project.
Paybac comes to my house to chill a lot. So I told him about
my idea for the project. He said he could do it. I made the beats and sent them
over.
Rexx
was phenomenal in BBQ &
Shayo. How did
that song come about?
CHx: The song came from a sample of a song I liked. I made the beat and Rexx heard it. He asked me about it was for and I told him all about the project. He said he would love to add his flavor to it and asked if he could try something on the beat. I’m always open to stuff like that. We recorded and that part of the song was born even before the rappers heard the record and wrote to it
Djaji
Prime’s Expression is somewhat a futuristic album in the
sense that the production is really different from anything around, anything
else you’ve done.
CHx: The sound for the project was achieved the same way I work on other projects the only difference being I spent a long time having regular conversations, watching films and listening to random music with him before we made anything. I did this because this was his first project and I needed to establish the best way to present his ideas.
How
large is your circle?
CHx: I do not think I have any type of circle. Others disagree but people that you hear me make music with are just people that bug me a lot until I yield or someone I just thought would work well on a idea. Or an artiste a person I know talked me into working with.
What
genre and movement of music is your sample trove?
CHx: I listen to anything and everything; right now, I’m listening to more ambient music; Jazz and the blues.
Do you
have a solo release in the works?
CHx: I was meant to record something last year. I started writing but got distracted and I haven’t returned to it.
Two African superstars – BurnaboyDaminiOgulu and MrEaziTosinAjibade will be performing at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this year happening at the Empire Polo club in Indio, California from from April 12-14 and then for a second weekend from April 19-21. Perth, Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino and Tame Impala will headline the show while actor and DJ, Idris Elba, Solange, the 1975 and Janelle Monáe will perform.
TMZ reported that Kanye pulled out of Coachella and won’t be headlining this year after an alleged fallout over the stage’s size and design. In 2018, Wizkid was billed to perform at the festival but was unable to due to what the singer termed ‘Visa issues’. Burna and Eazi had a great year, both grossing streams and press worldwide. As much as it is a big deal, it doesn’t come as a surprise to many Nigerians. All the best to Burna and Eazi, they won!
In July 2017, Wizkid released his highly anticipated mixtape Sounds from the Other Side [hereafter referred to as SFTOS], it was built on a solid premise of Africa’s golden boy giving African music a voice on the global scene and confirming the not so subtle secret of Africa being the emerging market of music, art and creative; full of talents waiting to be heard, the moment felt cathartic.
The promotional campaign for SFTOS was top-notch and unmatched for an indigenous African act and when SFTOS came, it was released across various musical platforms with a vigorous global campaign that saw the mixtape go on to chart in France, Canada, Belgium, and the US.
The release and success of SFTOS was a solid crystallization of a truth that had been years in coming. The truth is that the Nigerian music industry has expanded its frontiers. In the last decade alone, a noticeable shift has occurred in the industry which has positioned it as a force to be reckoned with within the global music space, as the sonical quality of the musical offerings have stepped up, the lyrical contents have also undergone marked improvement and the tools for furthering the fan and artist connections have been adopted and used brilliantly by Nigerian acts.
The Nigerian music industry has placed itself into the wider consciousness of an ever-expanding musical landscape. All as a result of Globalization and Nigerian music’s expanding profile, Nigerian artists have received co-signs from international acts, been signed to international labels, Nigerian songs have become certified radio hits in foreign lands and Nigerian artists have been sought out for collaborations beyond the coast of Africa. This has been the defining character of Nigerian music since circa 2009; this westward push.
Music is the elixir of the soul, in its truest form – music is meant to provide a heightened sense of self-awareness to the listener and serve as a vehicle of release for the artist, true to its nature, good music is good regardless of constraints of space, language or time, good music is in all sense universal, this means that a song that hits in Nigeria could easily sift across the Indian Ocean and find its way into a Chinese home to be enjoyed, the tools that break the constraints of time and space have aided the proliferation of Nigerian music around the world, allied to this facts and the improvement on standards in the Nigerian music industry it is not hard to see why our music and musical gods have become objects of adoration the world over.
However tempting it is to call this revolutionary or the first of its kind, it would be simplistic to call this outwardwave the first of its kind, pioneers like Fela Kuti, Onyeka Onwenu and King Sunny Ade have had varying level of exposure to foreign markets but the rise of social media platforms, streaming services, foreign tour dates and the visibility that this brings means that now more than ever the acceptance level of Nigerian music is truly universal.
The perks of this global movement for Nigerian artists are numerous; it opens up a whole new plane of visibility to their art as well the possibility of a global brand and ultimately yields better remuneration for the artists. Artists are after all humans, they must think of their financial security and it is only right they get as much attention and material benefit for their efforts, our Musical Gods are after all mortals and needs to profit off their art.
Like everything in the world, the integration of Nigerian music into the global space also has negative consequences, consequences which are much harder to pin down.
Tim Parks in an article titled The Dull New Global Novel writes that “As a result of rapidly accelerating globalization we are moving toward a world market for literature. There is a growing sense that for an author to be considered “great,” he or she must be an international rather than a national phenomenon.”The resulting consequence of this international visibility is that the “greatness” of artists are now judged by their international footprint and how they are perceived globally, with international acclaims perceived as more important than national honors, the holy grail for aNigerian artist is no longer to win the “Headies” award but to win a Grammy, by no stretch of imagination should this be an offense, after all caps should not be placed on ambition, what is however discouraging is the relegation of national and regional awards like the Headies to the back burner and a barely concealed thirst for international awards by Nigerian acts to validate their musical talents.
This view is not isolated to the musical acts, their fans are indirectly influenced by this attitude and have come to accept international visibility as the ultimate barometer of success, when pressed on why Wizkid should be considered as Nigeria’s finest act, fans of WizKid would point to the fact that he regularly hangs out with American A-List artistes and plays at sold-out events overseas, this to them is proof of an artists “greatness”.
It is this lack of international visibility that makesOlamide, a local champion for the average Nigerian music fan, the same Olamide who has released7 albums in 7 years and played a key part in the underground revolution.
Parks further commented that “From the moment an author perceives his ultimate audience as international rather than national, the nature of his writing is bound to change.” On SFTOS, Wizkid added numerous gains to his brand from a financial and media point of view but a more forensic look at his musical offerings since that westward push would reveal that to a significant extent Wizkid’s sound has been stuck in a musical purgatory.
Wizkid’s music in that period was made from a place of awareness of his international audience and a need to cater to this international audience, as a consequence of this awareness Wizkid experimented with Reggeaton and Island sounds that distinctly marked SFTOS, his inability to infuse the nuances or subtleties of his home region ensured that in the end he birthed a good but not great album.
A much earlier example of this issue is D’banj who after years of immense success in the Nigerian industry attempted to take “Nigeria to the world,” ultimately the success or failure of that attempt is open to debate but what is clear from that sojourn was that the musical output of D’banj suffered, signed to theKanye West owned G.O.O.D music imprint, D’banj had to cater to a whole new audience whose aesthetic understanding and appreciation of his Afro-pop genre was at best rudimentary and at worst uncomprehending.
Wizkid’s colleague and competitor Davido also dropped his Son of Mercy E.P under Sony Music in 2016 to largely negative critical reception of the body of work for the lack of originality in its writing and a departure from the well-crafted Davido sound in favor of an “Americanized” sound and it is also on record that Davido considered that period in his career as particularly difficult.
An important point to be taken from Davido’s Son of Mercy E.P was that he alluded to the fact that he didn’t have creative control over what contents made the final cut for the project. Sony Music controlled the creative and musical direction of that project and tried to condition Davido’s crossover to the American musical scene on the basis of a sound that just wasn’t his.
In a 2009 TED talk, notable Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie spoke on the danger of single stories, she famously said “The single story creates stereotypes , and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue but they are incomplete”,the terms on which Africa and Nigeria, in particular, has been integrated into the Global musical consciousness has been through the sonorous sounds of “Afro-Beats” and this has created a single story for the musical acts fromNigeria in particular, artists who reach global levels are now often shoe-horned and introduced as Afro-beat Stars, the problem is not that it is far off point. It, however, is amisrepresentation of African music, its multiplicities, and different sounds, there are other forms of artistic expression within the African space, Juju, Fuji, South African House, and Burna-Boy’s signature Afro-Fusion are examples of other forms of African music that can often be ignored, misinterpreted and packaged off as Afro-Beats
The danger of this new integration of African music into the global music space is that the awareness it gives to the artist is damaging , the artist becomes overtly awarethat for every step taken, every verse recorded or song released he is catering to two separate markets and to maintain his marketability in both markets, he walks a tightrope that may sometimes constitute existential conflicts in his creative process, a suitable solution to this conundrum can be found in the re-invention of Wizkid and Davido after their international campaigns, Wizkid after SFTOS in late 2017 starred on the Afro-beat created “Manya” with Starboy label mate Mutay as well as “Ma Lo” with industry best friend Tiwa Savage, this mini-renaissance has continued with hit singles in 2018.
Davido after the Son of Mercy E.P teamed up to return to his basics and recorded “IF” which has given his career a new lease of life and repositioned him as one of the leading lights of the “Africa to the world” movement.
The point being, progress into global stardom isn’t bad, far from it, it is often the next logical step for our musical Gods from every point of view, what is important is that our Musical Gods do not get artistically bogged down by these foreign commitments or see this international visibility as barometers of their superiority over other domestic acts and lose sight of their origin, one popular adage In Nigeria says “a stream that forgets it’s source is bound to dry up”
It would be impossible to cut off the transition of Nigerian musical acts, their sounds, and products into overseas markets, this evolution is here to stay, the most important thing is that the artists don’t lose touch with their inner self in this bid, Africa to the world is here to stay, our music will trend overseas, our artist would gradually become global citizens in musical terms but this global citizenship must be grounded in their inner Nigerian experiences and influences to make the art thrive and to push the culture forward, if anyone tells you otherwise, show them videos of Davido’s set at the Wireless Festival 2018 where the delirious crowd shouted “30 billion for the Akant oo” over and over as they were hypnotized by Davido’s grounded in Nigeria music. Now, that is the way to go.
This is a list of new age minds creating music across Africa, across multiple genres, topics, ideas and patterns. The list consists of DJs, soul artist, bands, producers, rappers, singers etc. They attempt to break the barriers of what’s generally accepted because their sounds attempt and try new ways of creating music as Africans. In a realm of more experimentation being allowed as acts like Burna Boy gain global recognition for his experimental genre of Afro-Fusion, this list is a go-to of the ones who will take the next evolution mainstream.
What a time to be born, the 90s generation of music will be an amazing future to look forward to, take hold of them now and become a fan of their lovely catalogue being created in it’s rawest and cocoon form.
