NOTE THIS: In a few years, Afrobeats might not be the most popular/populous genre in the Nigerian music scene. You heard it here first.
If you’re an avid follower of Nigerian music, there is the understanding that music from the 2000s wasn’t the same as that of the 2010s and currently in the 2020s. The sound escaping from the music scene has gone beyond what was coined from the holes of Fela’s afrobeat core and has now territorially become fluid.
This is a good thing though. At least we believe so. Art is fluid, and music is art. Music creativity shouldn’t be confined to just one sound where if an artist isn’t singing about love, the objectification of the woman figure or singing about making money, the song doesn’t qualify as a hit song worthy enough to blast the stereos of a party scene.
In the last two years, we have experienced a meteoric rise in artists who aren’t confined to the rigidity of how Nigerian music ought to sound, confined to the nuances of Afrobeats and are in fact, now carving genres yet to have a specific name for the moment. The most beautiful aspect of this discovery is music isn’t restricted to the old and mature minded creatives alone, rather the age range for music talents by the year is slowly becoming hip; youths in their 20s are now holding the reins for music creativity and conversations on who deserves the spot for big 3 or big 4 is day by day, becoming a broken record no one desires to hear of anymore.
It is why for every artist and the fluidity of their sound, there is always an audience ecstatic to hear it. Take Speed Darlington for instance; despite the caricature of how his music might be, there still is an ecstatic audience willing to enjoy his music. (Argue all you might, his Spotify monthly listeners say otherwise)
In recent times, we have seen the escalation of sound that don’t qualify as Afrobeats, they neither fall under the R&B category, and it’s becoming even more glaring that music is taking a fast turn. The conventionalism of what and how music should be doesn’t work anymore— music is being made as the artist deems fit.
The trajectory of music has escaped beyond a means of livelihood, as was mostly the case with millennial music legends and now, music has become a way of expressionism for young-minded creatives; the brazz feel that is heard in Elestee’s rap songs, the indie-ness of Celeste Ojatula’s music and the quirkiness in Zaylevelten’s music, amongst many others.
Although in present times, not many are swept off by the wave of unconventionality of what is termed music fluidity. It feels more like people appreciate the unconventional because it’s ’not normal’. Despite the rhythmic ambience that Solana’s ‘Okunkun’ holds, there are sects who will genuinely appreciate her music art and yet another sect who will like the thought of being on the next soon-to-be trend; all whilst jamming Asake in the same breath.
We are now experiencing a true plethora of talents, and not just talents, talented talents who are taking expressionism as a concept beyond the borders of what it’s known for.
As said earlier, in years to come, while Afrobeats might not be as popular as it currently is; in fewer years even, there will be an influx of collaborations that border on untapped waters in the Nigerian music space.
One of the delights of whatever is going on in the music scene and the delightful gen z’s dominating this scene at a steep pace, is that collaborations that will occur will be a sheer display of creativity and art in its finest form. Music has gone beyond what one stands to gain by another being featured on their songs, it has now become what will become of the collaboration should it happen.
In short terms, this simply means music collaborations will fuse the exemplary melodies of two artists who are using music as a form of expression; creating a sound that will extend into a high rise of the sixth musical heavens. How would one expect the feature of say for instance, a feature of Nztckw and Solana to sound? The fuse of gen z’fied highlife and Yoruba pop? That’s what the future of the Nigerian music scene holds!
This is not to diminish the everlasting influence of Afrobeats and its kid, Afropop. Afrobeats has indeed come to stay and for every sound crafting new territory for itself, a stem is borrowed from Afrobeats, amongst many other genres that have long existed in the music scene. The point being made in this instance, is that Afrobeats no longer will become the dominant genre that every artist has to yield to, nor will it be a highlight feature for music in the nearest future. Not with how experimentation is made with sounds, through the auditory lens of the ‘next gen.’
Music is becoming more flexible than ever, it’s not just stems borrowed from infusions of amapiano, soukous or kompa. It’s not just that. It is now music becoming a torrent of whatever the creator says it is.
For our next prediction, Afrobeats will still stand aloof but newer generations will assemble and dismantle the longstanding genre, only to make from the rusts, sound redefined.
Leave a Reply