Celebrity Gossip & Gist

Nonso Amadi – The New Wave Of Soul Music

Published

7 years ago

September 26, 2017

The Nigerian music industry has had its full of talents and superb individuals who graced its four walls with their exceptional characteristics and talents.

Almost every day, a new personality breaks through. With the growing number of persons in the music industry, the fight to be on top and be relevant has become fierce.

What keeps a person at the top usually is talent but overtime talent doesn’t just keep you on top, the people do and the only way they can keep you on top is when you give them what they want.

For Artists like Lil-kesh, CDQ, Terry G, Kcee, Timaya, Harrysong, Dbanj, Oritse Femi e.t.c talent wasn’t all what they applied in getting to where they are, they actually gave Nigerians what they want.

The world we live in is in constant evolution, music surely isn’t an exception. The kind of sound our fathers listened to isn’t the type we listen to now.

In the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s thereabout, Music was all about Fuji, Juju and Highlife. Legends such as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Victor Olaiya, King Sunny Ade, Oliver D Coupé, Lagbaja, Pasuma Wonder, Osupa et cetera were the musicians then.

Then music was always about telling stories, criticizing the government, addressing one problem or the other, chanting praises for prominent figures or the aftermath of smoking Indian Hemp or Marijuana.

Fela was prominent when it comes to outright government criticism. He was fearless, out-spoken and was quick to identifying the lapses of the government.

But today music has taken a totally different shape. Unlike Fela speaking against the government we’ve got Wizkid singing for the ladies.

I doubt if there is any artist in Nigeria today that speaks about the government, talk more of criticizing it in their songs.

The theme of music in Nigeria today is predominantly Love and Party Bangers.

Afro-pop is by far the most practiced genre of music in Nigeria, Rap could pass for 2nd place, Rhythm and Blues next then Soul music. Relatively nothing is heard of Fuji and Highlife.

We might want to join R and B with Soul because artists who practice R and B claim to practise soul too as is the case of out focus today, Nonso Amadi.

Against the backdrop of Soul music in Nigeria, ,It’d be receiving boosts as Nonso Amadi, the new boy from the block, is bringing in a new wave.

With over 1 million streams on Spotify and Soundcloud on his debut track “Radio” which also featured on one of the most popular apple music radio show – Beats 1.

I once saw a comment on Social media about Nonso, I quote

“Wow,

This young dude is a bundle

of talent… Just watched his

video on soundcity and we

were arguing if he’s Nigerian

or not, with his sweet voice

until the name came up”

Signed to Indepent, Nonso Amadi has outgrown the title “the new boy from the block” because I believe a person with an EP & an Album is not a new boy.

Nonso has got 13 feathers to his cap which includes songs such as Gele, Suicidal, Ocean, War, Don’t, Angels, Stay and the song currently garnering waves Tonight and a host of others.

He has been active since 2015 and has got and EP titled War and an album he tagged Alone.

If before now I was told a Nigerian could sing the way Nonso does and make it, I’d argue with all I’ve got but it is now evident in Nonso. The possibility of a Nigerian singing soul music and doing well in it is gradually becoming feasible.

Nonso, like every other artist coming into the music industry, was received with very little importance placed on him but bit by bit and with “Tonight” he is gradually stamping his feet as the new wave in soul music and not just soul, the Nigerian music industry as a whole.