Life is in phases, just as music. Artistes all over the world strive to chronicle each phase of their life through the music they release, some of them compartalizes this experience by releasing a body of work for such a phase. As they grow, the artiste changes, their sound takes a myriad of batons, it even affects their vocal range. In this process, they lose fans, gain some and in recent times, there has always been the constant call for a repeat of the phase the fans really cherished. It has happened to Wizkid, the fans of his “Superstar” album still find it difficult to accept whatever sonic experiment he tried on “Made in Lagos”.
During the week, Afrobeats sensation Simi was embroiled in an X exchange with some fans who questioned her new song “All I Want,” some of them find it difficult to relate with the new song.
Some of the respondents on the post urged her to replicate the “Simisola“(her debut album) template. The album has been adjudged as one of the classics the country has produced in recent years. Simi, an opinionated fellow, was quick to thwart such conversation.
She was right. An album like Simisola doesn’t come twice. She is aware however the fans are not aware, just as some fans still expect Wizkid to give them another Superstar album more than a decade after it was released. Artiste like Adekunle Gold have been able to effortlessly switch sound. He moved from the Adire wearing artiste to rocking dreadlock, piercing his ears and slaying in designer. The change of sound and style have been expressly accepted by the fans.
Beyond the whole call for the old Simi, another factor that might have been a motivating factor for all this clamour is down to the lukewarm reception to Simi’s releases. “Duduke,” her last solo hit song, was released in 2020. An album, an extended play and plethoral of songs have been released thereafter, none has been able to crack the industry bar, they get forgotten almost a month or two after the song or project is released.
Right now, the only time Simi trends is when she claps back at a fan, shows support at her husband’s show, they are mostly not related music.
Too many questions are begging for answers, are the fans right to ask for the old Simi? Is the new Simi a good change? How does she retain her place in the music industry?
Right now, the answers to these questions are dicey, perhaps, her soon to be released album might perish all naysayers talk.
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