Adekunle Looks Forward
Photograph from The Guardian, Nigeria
Like in every other life scenarios and arts, the Nigeria music space has meandered through genres, with each genre wholly appealing greatly to the people before being usurped by another. Before Afropop became the proverbial "Word in the Streets", the Nigerian populace had known predominantly, the beautiful tunes of highlife music. This was the tunes that made the likes of King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obe, Victor Waifo and others loved and famous. The late and legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti brought a game changer with Afrobeat. This was hugely consumes home and abroad. But these days, Nigerians (and Africans in general) have been swept off their feet by a wave of Afropop tunes that are both youthful, and African. It has been dubbed Africa's answer to pop--as headlined by the late Michael Jackson and others.
There has been great artistes recognised for this genre of music--Afropop. Tu-Face Idibia, D'Banj and Wizkid easily come to mind. They are all international award winners. But, when you cast your gaze not much away from these international headliners, Adekunle Gold doesn't take long to register in your optic membrane. When that happens, you realise he isn't registered there because of his noise. No, you wouldn't notice him if it came down to drama, swagger or noise. You notice Adekunle Gold because of his unique style.
Born Adekunle Kosoko, but more known by his stage name Adekunle Gold, he strikes you as unassuming, and generally chasing his own style. Adekunle Gold is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and graphic designer. A graduate of Arts and Design from Lagos State Polytechnic, Adekunle Gold barely sings in a language other than his mother tongue--Yoruba. His brand of music he describes as urban highlife. But a seed hardly falls far from its tree, does it?
His classification of his music is a further attempt to separate his style, but he is still generally regarded as an Afropop artiste. Afropop music, since it gained acceptance among Nigerians, has consciously incorporated other separate genres of music. Artistes have used bits of highlife and Afrobeats tunes in their Afropop music. The variants are hardly even noticed by the consumers.
Of Adekunle Gold's popularity, it isn't entirely a naive error when people say there was no Adekunle Gold before 2014, the year he released the single, "Sade". Although Adekunle Gold has been actively in music since 2010, Sade swept through the Nigerian populace in record time, making him a more relatable name in Nigerian music. In 2015, “Sade” earned him nominations in the City People Entertainment Awards' 'Most Promising Act of the Year' and The Headies' 'Best Alternative Song' categories.
Photograph from Financial Watch, Nigeria
Since then, Adekunle Gold is a man that does not understand how to look back. Signed to Olamide's YBNL, he has released singles like 'Orente', 'Pick Up' and others. His median album, "Gold", has only been in store since July 28th, 2016. The signs are that it would be well.
Many believe Adekunle Gold would become an Afropop brand to recon with. His tunes are beautiful and soft, and his love song, 'Orente' has been described as "a pampered child". Those who have compared him to 9ice, another Afropop artiste, hope that his career would transcend the latter's. Adekunle Gold would be working hard to ensure that, too.
