Victony’s life is straight out of a superhero tale. This past Tuesday made it exactly a year since the singer’s car crash that claimed a friend and, for several months, his ability to walk. Colleagues and fans contributed finances towards his welfare, and soon we saw him again, first moving around with a wheelchair. Now he walks, going about his life with a renewed vim.

 

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On a musical level, that event has coloured his perspective ever since. Last year’s ‘Dark Times’ came just three months after, featuring two songs that offered an accurate view into the mindset of a survivor such as the emotive “Pray” ending with a solemn prayer from his mother. ‘Nataraja’ with Rexxie was also released and it reflected Victony’s truest self through reflection.

Victony’s latest song “Kolomental” was released yesterday, the first year anniversary of the accident. He shared a brief note on Twitter, in memory of his beloved friend. On the record, that brooding sense of melancholy lingers. The Blaise Beatz-produced song begins with the twinkly chords you’d expect from a Victony song, introduced by the line, “I no fit reason am, e go kpai me o”. Steeped in weariness that’s no doubt influenced by the heavy subject, the first verse talks about the many times he’s been on the receiving end of some wrongs, and about being unable to “calculate the calculus, e plenty gan.”

His resolve comes in the chorus, dropping some much-needed perspective. “Make I face my front, make ogbanje no use me test run/ Make potopoto no stain my cloth, Home advantage everytime I ball”, he sings, detailing why he’ll always ignore certain comments on social media and elsewhere. It’s entirely valid to protect one’s mental health and reputation by choosing not to engage with obviously malicious comments. With celebrities increasingly being prone to trolling online, some time off is a step many have been taking. Victony would rather unlook and put out music, which is the one thing he has control over. 

With the ‘Outlaw’ EP expected on May 6th, “Kolomental” for sure portends an interesting run-up to that. If anything, it’s shaping up already as a worthy completion of the journey that began a year ago. 

Stream Victony’s “Kolomental” below.

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