Tunde Fisher, the merchant of love melodies

By: Tomide Marv 

It has been over five years since Tunde Fisher (born Akintunde Akinola) began honing his music craft, composing romantic melodies out of his romantic notions and experiences. He is the kind of man that answers what he would do for love with a demo of tender songs written for a lover or in memory of one. He is the eccentric lover boy crooning away his lovesick and lustful wishes.

While Tunde Fisher’s music is yet to marinate with popular consumerism, his talent puts him on a radar that favours artists with less mainstream motion. From a music-loving teenager inspired by the musical dexterity of Ebenezer Obey and pop sensibilities of 2Baba to a young, passionate loc’d singer, Fisher is slowly building a decent contemporary pop catalogue. I won’t dig into his many music releases that express feelings for an array of women. I hope you get my point, though that Tunde Fisher belongs in the class of male Afrobeats singers who came of age when Nigerian pop music shares clear boundaries from other genres. I am talking now when song makers pull up, dripping out in expensive designers and automobiles.

That is energy that blurs with artistic and emotional expressions of this day’s popular music. It’s also agreeable that in this era of his generation, Afrobeats sound is refined and more vibrant and diverse.

On recent song “Sade” (2020), Tunde retains the same headspace, musing for love, as he worked this pon-pon-pon, up-tempo medley. Perhaps devoted is the word for Fisher’s artistry. The three-minute-long track that way in concept, theme and delivery.

The song title “Sade” borrows from the Afrobeats’ glossary; a sort of “Jane Doe” name for a gorgeous Nigerian babe. The beat drops and bounces like eager marbles on soft piano keys and xylophone twinkles. It is a fun feel, with minimal drums, that snatches listeners into a dance mode. It is eccentric. It is vintage 2020s Afrobeats.

Tunde Fisher’s voice is butter-smooth, effortlessly gliding over pop melodies with a carefree charm. His singing approach is characterised by a loose, spontaneous feel, as if he is allowing the song to unfold naturally. The song’s opening lines echo his flirty observation of Sade’s aura; the bad millennial chick. He croons about her banging body, and moves to beg her to not jilt him. Perhaps, he has sincere and deep admiration for her, his superficial and sultry thoughts just take the lead. Or he simply can’t handle unrequited love. In the second verse, he brings out the staggering flows synonymous to Afrobeats. The song is lyrically adaptive and spontaneous.

The song’s abiding sense of groove is present from the start to finish. Tunde Fisher tenders his love submission to Sade. It is an unconvincing sweet-nothings, but I’d leave it to her. By the close of the song, he flexes vocals and adlibs that exemplify his R&B influence. Think Tunde Fisher, think good times, bright lights, dance. Think the pre-2020 inducing, up-tempo Afrobeats sonics with the pon-pon-pon time signature. Think African beauty, a gorgeous Nigerian lady, the exact kind he sings about on “Sade.”