Some years back, a unique style of African music originated from South Africa, and it's called Amapiano. It's basically a style where the sound (beat) does most of the work, crafted in a modernized African way, with very little voice or lyrics in the song. However, over time, it has evolved into a style that now often includes lengthy lyrics.
When the genre landed in Nigeria, the powerhouse of music in Africa at large, we (Nigerians) took it personally and beautified the genre into a more ear-tingling style.
Wanna see or hear some of the works? Follow me as I share three tracks:
Ojapiano by Kcee
This track, with its very unique and never-seen-anywhere style, is the biggest among the songs that came out as a result of fine-tuning the South African Amapiano music style. This track was made in an African way, drawing inspiration from the Igbo culture in the eastern part of Nigeria. The beat is the selling point of the song, especially with the exceptional flute work.
Interviews were conducted when the song was released, and it was discovered that the flute was not digitally produced but rather a real craft by the fluteman. The song made such big waves that it revived the dying career of Kcee, the songwriter.
There's also a remix of the song where he featured OneRepublic, an international group.
Amapiano by Asake and Olamide
This is the song where we literally replaced the word "Amapiano" with "I'm happy and I know". This song is a clear definition of what the Nigerian music industry represents — perfection at its finest. It isn’t a change of style but rather a spray of perfect finishing.
This is my biggest favorite song by Asake, and I just love everything about it — the beat, the lyrics, and the video as well.
Yaba Buluku [Remix]
This song is originally owned by the Yaba Buluku Boys from Mozambique, but when they involved the Nigerian artist Burna Boy, the song got a brand-new retouch and spread even more across the world.
Thanks for reading.
Photo/thumbnail is mine