Observant Nigerian music followers who have enjoyed tunes in the past few years from the likes of ID Cabasa, Dagrin, TufaceIdibia, 9ice and KSB already know Kayefi’s voice in the chorus of these massive Nigerian hit makers’ number one songs.
But now Kayefi, Lawal Deborah Olufunmilayo, strikes out alone. Hailing from Yoruba-speaking Ogun State, Kayefi blends Ijala (a traditional Yoruba chant) with African melody and elements of neo-soul; think Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, Ledisi, Bahamadia – to create a unique take on Afro-Soul, a movement that’s been quietly taking root all over Africa in the last few years, behind all the glitz and glamour of the commercial African dance music industry, but especially in Nigeria and Ghana.
Kayefi is taking Afro-Soul to a whole new level with top UK producers like Simba and Kayode Samuel. The new EP ‘Crazy World’ is Kayefi’s calling-card. Apart from Oreske, the overall sound is deep, organic, acoustic, real musicians, real instruments…and all tunes written and composed entirely by the lady herself.
The title track brings to mind Erykah Badu, before kicking into a gentle root-reggae pulse for a whole different neo-soul vibe; ‘Here they go again’ is a driving, Afro- rock-inflected number; Idowu Ogbo, about a love-affair gone bad, switches the mood yet again, with keyboards against a sweet horn section and Kayefi’s unique Ijala vocals; Ma ni rare casts a small string section against bluesy trumpet in this distinctly Nigerian take on a song with a gospel-tinged deep southern soul feel while the beautiful Ojeje is a folk-jazz tune with a cautionary lyric –when do you give advice to your loved ones, and when is it better to let things take their own course?
But Kayefi knows, too, that, sometimes, she has to give her fans something to hit the dancefloor with and ‘Oreske’, in several different mixes, had been getting solid mainstream radio action over the past few months from the likes of DJToddlaT (BBC Radio 1/1X and elsewhere) as well as on all quality Nigerian club floors in Lagos, London and Germany.
But, as Kayefi rightly insists, there is more to music than just dance, and urges us to take the time to read her poetic and poignant lyrics, whether or not one understands Yoruba, because a large part of Kayefi’s unique message is in the lyrics as well as the notes.
KayefiOSHA, in Yoruba, means roughly ‘mysterious deity’. In her music Kayefi continually gives thanks to that deity, who guides her soul and gives her the strength and talent to write such fine songs.
The EP Crazy World was released November 28, 2016 in Nigeria and January 30th 2017 to the rest of the world.
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