Moving from Kaduna to Lagos to pursue a music career, Ckay started with production before he broke into the industry with his 2017 hit single Container. He went on to get signed by Chocolate City, where he dropped his debut and follow up projects Who TF Is Ckay and Ckay The First.
Last year he got signed to Warner Music and had a feature run that saw him appear on Davido’s A Better Time and Amaarae’s The Angel You Don’t Know, and drop the lead singles to Boyfriend: Felony and Kiss Me Like You Miss Me.
On Boyfriend, Ckay is the romantic young lover with his midtempo, airy vocals, as he merges pop styles from around the world, from the Mexican pop strings on Jeje De Whine, to the Indie pop sound of Kiss Me Like You Miss Me, and blending it all with Afropop, creating his own defining Afropop style.
CKay’s Boyfriend EP is laced with cocaine in every line and beat, addictive and a rush of that sweet energy of new love. The tracklisting tells a story of love, with each song exploring different themes.
Starting off with Felony, the first single to drop off the EP, Ckay is the sweet boyfriend in love willing to get locked up.
Amaarae and CKay’s vocals have that similar soft sweetness of a whisper, and they are proving to be an addictive duo on Show My Side as Ckay woos his lover.
Jeje De Whine is the only true dance song on the project and it stays true to its name. CKay’s sounds like a man on the edge, as the low Mexican influence on the piano heightens the sensuality of a slow gentle whine.
On Isabella, Ckay questions his feelings, wondering if he feels lust or true love.
On Skoin Skoin, he features Bianca Costa whose Portuguese verse floats over the beat with the calmness of a whisper, as Ckay sings on loving despite all the insanity of his lover and whatever she blames it on.
Mezebu features two of afropop finest new school artists; Oxlade and KiDi.
Kiss Me Like You Miss Me closes the EP and restarts the loop of CKay’s sweet young love. Mixing afrobeats with a tint of amapiano.
Ckay has come a long way since his debut in the industry, going by his feature run last year and his latest EP, we’ve just started to see the beauty of his style as he achieved mainstream success. Boyfriend isn’t experimentation of CKay’s sound, but a showcase.
[…] Gabzy’s Malone and Ckay’s Boyfriend are the best EPs from the last couple of months, so you should totally check them out if you […]
[…] his month, Ckay dropped his first project under Warner Music, Boyfriend EP. On Boyfriend, Ckay dares for sonic greatness, creating Afrobeats in his own unique style; heavy on guitar strings and his airy sensual melodies. […]