On Simi’s “Duduke” being the most played song in the country & not having a moment
Examining the disconnect between SImi and the demographic who control popular culture
Since she broke out in 2014 with “Tiff”, Simi has had a hit in circulation almost every year from “Jamb Question” & “Joromi” to “Owanbe” & “Mind Your Business”. Regardless, conversations about her in popular culture have always been based around what she’s wearing, who she’s dating or whether or not she’s pregnant, and her place in the actual music industry is never really given much thought or presence.
Her latest single, “Duduke” is probably the most glaring example of this, where the announcement of her pregnancy took over the course of the conversation, rather than the fact that the song is actually one of the most played songs in the country right now, topping the charts on every DSP and radio station at the moment.
Currently, we’re all celebrating Nicki Minaj & Doja Cat’s first number 1 on the Billboard Charts, given how impressive it is that a black female artist has garnered enough listens to make their songs the most played in the country. The fact that an artist like Nicki Minaj after delivering hits for so many years has only reached the top of the charts in 2020, is telling, especially when artists like Lil Nas X or Roddy Ricch reached these heights after a short time in the game, and also stayed at the top of the charts for many weeks after they got there.
In the Nigerian charts, which we can only measure through curated playlists on DSPs giving us indication of how many people are listening, Simi is currently occupying the top 2 spots across the board, with “Duduke” and her contribution to Ladipoe’s latest song, “Know You”. Before yesterday when “Body Count” dropped, she was the only woman featured in the top 10 on Apple Music, Spotify & Audiomack, yet, the conversation about her remained either non-existent or only about her personal life and choices. Simi is one of the most talented women we have in the music industry today – not many people are aware of the fact that she writes, produces and mixes her own songs, which is a very impressive feat given how scarce it is to find women who work behind the scenes in music.
With this in mind, she clearly puts in the necessary work towards making the kind of music her audience enjoys, and her position at the top of the charts shows that there are people (somewhere) who are listening to her music. On one hand, this could be telling of the fact that women always have to do and be more to gain the attention of a wider audience, even when they’re doing as much (in this case, more) than their male counterparts.
Artists such as M.I or Odunsi The Engine are constantly given praise for having both song making and writing talents, an extraordinary feat which doesn’t require them to work any harder than they need to in order to gain the praise. These artists also get attention for things outside of music, from Odunsi’s outlandish hair to M.I’s ‘double entendre’, which never seems to affect how their music is received by any audience. This is not quite the case for Simi, whose number 1 song was mostly celebrated by the fact that she announced that she and her husband are with child.
Contrarily, however, it’s also not that hard to see why Simi is typically counted out, especially considering the fact that the socially conscious and liberal young demographic who would care about these achievements, don’t seem to like her. While the injustice is clear, it’s also quite difficult to root for Simi, because she often perpetuates harmful ideologies, which this demographic are definitely holding her to.
The echo chamber of (younger) millennial and Gen Z audience, who have dominant currency in popular culture will always hold you accountable for your wrongdoings. This year alone, on her talk show, ‘Stoopid Conversations’, she has said a few flagrant things which polarise her, and cause a disconnect between her and this audience. In the first (now deleted) episode, she very boldly said that she believes homosexuality is a choice which she doesn’t think it’s natural.
Our generation, unlike the older Nigerian generation, are a lot more tolerant of things society forces us to believe is other. We have enough access to information for anyone in our age bracket to have moved past this bottom line, and it was disappointing to see that Simi is part of a group of people who haven’t. As a woman who belongs to a marginalised group in society and has a platform, it’s very irresponsible to add to the vitriol the LGBT community are fighting every day. To her, it might seem as though she’s innocently stating her opinion, however, she inadvertently lost the support of some people who would be loyal fans, whilst also managing to piss off the rest who are apathetic towards her.
This isn’t something we can pin to a gender divide because anyone who harbours the same or similar beliefs to her and voiced them on a platform everyone has access to, would get the same treatment. Kizz Daniel is a good example of this, another artist who always has at least one hit in circulation, however, after showing his misogynistic tendencies several times, has been relegated to the background and no one really cares when he achieves anything these days.
We carried out a survey amongst some members of our community, to find that 59% of the people we approached didn’t like or dislike Simi, but were apathetic towards her. When we asked why, people cited several different reasons for this from not liking her voice and intonation, to others who said it’s because they think she dresses badly. To put in perspective, someone like Tiwa Savage, who in the past has said derogatory things about feminism, still appeals to a wide group of women, because she defies set norms by living loudly and seems to be doing exactly what she wants to be doing rather than what she’s supposed to be doing.
Beyond her statements, Tiwa is more relatable to the group of young women who would celebrate Simi’s achievement, because she appears to be more relatable and align more with our ideologies through her music as well. Simi, on the other hand, appears to pander a bit more to these norms – from her views on the LGBT community to the way she presents herself – which as an enlightened generation who are trying to break free from these norms don’t really fuck with. This could contribute more to people’s apathy towards her and explain why she’s left out of conversations about music and not about gossip and vitriol.
Regardless, the numbers show that people are listening to her anyway, and there’s clearly a set of people who have a similar mind frame to her, and care about her music – it’s just not the people who determine and dictate what’s popular culture. We’re never going to hear Simi pop off in the club, and are more likely to hear her music at a wedding (before 8pm) or when our parents are trying to be ‘current’.
The missing link between her numbers and whether they care however, is that these people who listen to her don’t control or even contribute to popular culture. Yesterday, when “Body Count” dropped, most of the conversation surrounding it was about how much of a moment it was for women, and also it’s place in the charts. This just goes to show that when women achieve these feats, there are people ready to celebrate, and given all this, it’s a bit annoying that a prime candidate who could change the status quo for women in music for our generation is actually unable to.
The way the music industry around the entire world is set up, there’s only room for one woman at a time, and if we didn’t have all these reasons holding Simi back, she would 100% break the chain and bring another seat for herself to the table considering her talent.
Featured image credits/Simi/YouTube
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Luwa.Mp4 Releases Riotous Debut Album, ‘punKstA*’
Across the album’s 12 tracks, Luwa.Mp4 continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock,...
Rising singer and rapper Luwa.Mp4 has released his debut album titled ‘punKstA*.’ The underground star who has been on a release spree all year long, announced the imminent arrival of his debut only a couple of days ago with a cryptic trailer video and an Instagram caption that simply read ‘PUNKSTA* MONDAY.’
Before the arrival of ‘punKstA*,’ the rising fusion star had been showcasing his diligence and talent with a consistent output that has seen him put out over a dozen songs since the start of the year. A string of singles led to a 6-pack titled ‘lore skooL,’ while a deluxe version that housed 5 new songs came just a month later.
His debut album’s lead single, “pUNK FANTASY,” arrived in late July, setting the stage for what could prove to be a pivotal moment in the underground star’s burgeoning career.
Across the album’s 12 tracks, the eclectic singer continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock, Afropop, Hyperpop, and Rap into something uniquely different. Tracks like “Pure Water,” which was previously teased on Cruel Santino’s Subaru Live Stream, the abrasive, Tecno-influenced “pROMISED NEVERLAND,” and the more laidback “pEEp MY RIDE” put on display the sort of varied, autotune-soaked approach that has set him apart and helped carve a growing niche.
While Luwa decided to go solo on his debut, credited as the only recording artist, the album was brought to life by a cast of talented producers like frequent collaborator TOPSY, Emyboi, JTRN, 3CB, FVKK.ANDI and Jeremy Cartier.
Listen to ‘punKstA*,’ here.
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Shekhinah Returns With Surprise Album, ‘Less Trouble’
The South African R&B star is at her most assertive on her first album in four years.
South African R&B and Pop singer Shekhinah has released a new surprise album titled ‘Less Trouble.’ The Durban star, who had been quiet for most of the year, took to social media shortly before midnight to share the new album’s cover, synopsis, and tracklist, simply stating, ‘If you’re seeing this my album LESS TROUBLE is out now at Midnight,’ in an Instagram caption.
The soulful singer first began teasing ‘Less Trouble,’ her first album in over four years, about a year ago when she released its lead single “Risk,” a bouncy Afropop-inspired collab with Ghanaian star MOLIY. A few months after the release of “Risk,” she put out “Steady,” a dreamy pop number that suggested that something bigger was on the horizon. But then it was largely radio silence about a project until its surprise arrival at midnight.
If 2021’s ‘Trouble In Paradise’ represented a coming-of-age for Shekhinah, subsisting some of the dreamy, youthful exuberance of her debut album for more measured musings on themes like heartbreak and grief, ‘Less Trouble’ finds her at her most assertive, writing and singing with the acuity of someone who is grown, decisive and discerning. The delicate opener “Break Up Season” sets the tone for the rest of the album as she shows little tolerance for shady behaviour and toxic patterns.
Other standout cuts on the album like “Bare Minimum,” a sombre collab with fellow South African award-winning singer lordkez, the ethereal, in-your-face interlude “New Casanova,” and the percussive “What Are We,” where Shekhinah contemplates the nature of a relationship but ultimately demands all or nothing, all drive home a part of the album’s synopsis, which reads ‘A BOOK ON MORE HEARTBREAK BUT LESS HEARTACHE.’
Shekhinah invites a couple of new collaborators on ‘Less Trouble,’ featuring the aforementioned MOLIY and lordkez as well as multi-instrumentalist Mars Baby and Young Stunna across the album’s 11 tracks. Mpilo Shabangu handled the majority of the album’s production, while other producers like Michael Morare, her longtime collaborator, Mthintheki Mzizi, and Vuyo also contributed to the album.
Listen to ‘Less Trouble’ here.
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The NATIVE’s First Impressions Of Amaarae’s ‘Black Star’
‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for Amaarae, and The NATIVE team offer our thoughts after a...
Change has always been a constant theme in any discussion about the career of Ghanaian-American star, Amaarae. Since she emerged as a singular voice in the late 2010s, she has evolved from a sirenic Afropop-adjacent singer into a Punk-Pop firestarter with minimal fuss. ‘Fountain Baby,’ her 2023 sophomore album, was a sweeping departure from the lilting melodies and shapeshifing cadences of the hypnotic ‘The Angel You Don’t Know,’ emphasizing her commitment to charting new courses with her music.
In the lead-up to her new album, ‘Black Star,’ she has wholly embraced a Pop aesthetic and sheen that was reflected on the album’s promotional singles, “S.M.O.” and “Girlie-Pop!.” Now that the album has arrived, the singer has advised listeners not to go in expecting a continuation of the soundscape on ‘Fountain Baby.’ As keen followers of Amaarae’s career from its start, we are sure that ‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for her, and we offer our thoughts after a few listens.
WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF AMAARAE GOING INTO THIS ALBUM?
Kemnachi: I had zero doubts that she would impress me again. Amaarae always comes correct. She is audacious with her choices, taking creative risks most artists would not dare to imagine, and somehow rendering them seamless, deliberate, and effortless. Her music has a way of enveloping me: it’s fluid, slightly dangerous, and yet irresistibly sensual. Every project feels like an immersive world she has curated down to the finest detail. With ‘Black Star,’ I knew it was not going to be a mere collection of songs but another meticulously constructed realm.
Bamise: I expected something fun, genre-bending, and sonically diverse in the fashion that Amaarae’s music typically is. I may have taken the album title a bit too literally, though, because listening made me realise I had an eye out for some Pan-African statements or something to spark discourse on African identity, but I didn’t quite catch any of that.
Boluwatife: Amaarae has largely delivered throughout her career, so I knew she was going to come correct again. She’s one of those forward-thinking artists who take the kind of risks most others wouldn’t, but she always manages to make it work. She’s proven to be a musical omnivore who constantly meshes her wide-ranging influences into something new, fluid, icy, and more often than not, sensual. I knew ‘Black Star’ wasn’t going to be any different.
WHAT SONGS STOOD OUT ON THE FIRST LISTEN?
Wale: I liked “Girlie-Pop!.” I feel like it captures Amaarae’s vision of pushing Afropop into the future. She’s also really grown comfortable with music and lyricism and will not dumb down her message for anybody. The instrumental for “Girlie-Pop!” is also a wonder; it’s so dense, but there are pockets for Amaarae to be emotive about her feelings. Top song!
Daniel Akins: I need to hear “B2B” at the next rave I’m at. Amaarae is in her Dance era, and I’m here for it. Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” with PinkPantheress is the collaboration I knew I needed, and I’m glad they finally linked up. It’s a clear standout on the project; their ethereal style complements each other.
Shina: “B2B” was the one that did it for me. That is my favourite track on the project. The number of times I ran it back was unhealthy for a first listen. It was also really fun to catch the Don Toliver “Best You Had” sample. I need to hear this outside!
HOW WELL YOU THINK THE GUEST APPEARANCES ENHANCED THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE?
Israel: The guest features on Black Star aren’t mere flexes. They’re strategic, theatrical, and sometimes emotionally resonant. They enhance, yes, but they do so on Amaarae’s terms. A standout for me was PinkPantheress on “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” The tradeoff is that a few songs feel like dazzling cameos rather than an integrated conversation, yet overall they enhance the album’s drama, texture, and bravado with precision.
Daniel Banjoko: Everyone showed up and delivered, no weak links here. Instead of just guest spots, they felt like vital pieces of a bigger puzzle. Charlie Wilson on “Dream Scenario” nailed his part especially, making the track sound exactly like its name promises.
Moore: The guest appearances on ‘Black Star’ feel very intentional; each one enhances the album’s world without overshadowing Amaarae’s vision. PinkPantheress’s signature airy delivery meshes with Amaarae’s experimental pop sound. Naomi Campbell’s commanding voice on “ms60” is an unexpected but powerful addition, adding drama to the track. Each feature feels carefully chosen.
WHAT SONG IS THE BIGGEST SKIP?
Bamise: Not to be a party pooper, but I don’t get the PinkPantheress collab, “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” It feels like a PinkPantheress song with less pop in it, and just borrows the title of the iconic Soulja Boy song but has no other similarities. It’s between that and “ms60.” For me, the chorus of that sounds like something I’ve heard from Amaarae before, and I doubt its absence would have diminished the album.
Shina: I feel like biggest skip is a strong word for a solid project, but if I have to pick a song to skip, it’ll be “ms60.” I think it’s easily forgettable.
Wale: It’s hard to single out a song that stuck out to me, but hearing Naomi Campbell on “ms60” threw me off. It’s just too contrived to bear for me.
WHAT SONG HAS THE BIGGEST HIT POTENTIAL?
Boluwatife: My gut answer would probably be “She Is My Drug,” just because of how she beautifully reworks the melodies from Cher’s “Believe.” DJ remixes of this song could go crazy. But if I were to think a bit more logically, TikTok would probably lap up “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.”
Daniel Banjoko: “Kiss Me Thru the Phone pt 2” goes crazy. Amaarae and PinkPantheress are the perfect match. This collab feels like it was destined to happen, and it delivers in full. Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long, and now I just need more tracks from these two, ASAP.
Moore: “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” has the biggest hit potential on the album. The song has a nostalgic, sad party girl vibe that makes it appealing, and it’s also catchy and well-produced. PinkPantheress consistently performs well on platforms like TikTok, and her fanbase overlaps in a really interesting way with Amaarae’s. The collaboration feels organic and exciting, and will likely create a lot of buzz.
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Wale: There is a very visceral quality to how Amaarae expresses desire that I don’t hear very often in a lot of music. It’s abstracted and warped in futuristic textures, but it’s very profoundly human, and it’s always great to hear that even as she advances the sonics of her delivery. I do, however, have an issue with the thematic scope of ‘Black Star.’ I thought there would be overt references to her experiences of navigating her Ghanaian identity, but those references are limited to samples and interpolations. It’s still an incisive listen and a triumph for finding ways to advance music from Africa.
Bamise: It’s Amaarae; she can never go wrong. But for me, this is the album that excites me the least from her catalogue. Other than how bass-heavy some songs on the album are, like “S.M.O.” and “She Is My Drug” among others, it feels similar to other projects I’ve heard from her in a way that’s not exactly refreshing or mind-bending. I may have gotten spoiled by how diverse and eclectic Amaarae’s music tends to be, but I wanted more from her. I expected more gangster, Hip-Hop Amaarae. Thematically, I didn’t get anything that gives the Black Star of Ghana, or black stars are ruling the world. Will I listen again and enjoy every bit of it still, though? Yes, I will.
Shina: So first off, this is a solid body of work. I love the fact that Amaarae stuck with the Dance, Electro-Pop route she was going with throughout the album. The features also played their part, adding their unique touches to each record. I would say, though, a feature I would’ve loved to hear on this project is 070Shake. I think she would have been perfect on “100DRUM,” but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Thematically, I think Amaarae could’ve leaned heavily on her Ghanaian heritage, seeing as the title and cover of the album are a nod to that. Maybe Amaarae just wants us to dance, and that’s what I’m just gonna do, and you should too.
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