Empress (album)

Last updated
Empress
Empress by Yemi Alade cover art.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 20, 2020 (2020-11-20)
Recorded2018–2020
Genre
Length48:00
Label Effyzzie Music Group
Producer
Yemi Alade chronology
Woman of Steel
(2019)
Empress
(2020)
Singles from Empress
  1. "Boyz"
    Released: February, 2020
  2. "True Love"
    Released: June 2020
  3. "I Choose You"
    Released: November 20, 2020
  4. "Deceive"
    Released: December 23, 2020
  5. "Turn Up"
    Released: February 18, 2021
  6. "Temptation"
    Released: April 7, 2021
  7. "Dancina"
    Released: May 12, 2021
  8. "Rain"
    Released: June 21, 2021
  9. "Double Double"
    Released: October 29, 2021

Empress is the fifth studio album by Yemi Alade. It was released through her label Effyzzie Music Group on 20 November 2020. It features guest appearances from French singers Dadju and Vegedream; her colleagues from Nigeria, Patoranking and Rudeboy; British Grammy-winning singer Estelle; and Mzansi Youth Choir from South Africa. It is an afrobeat record with 15 tracks that incorporates elements of gospel music, couple decale, soul, pop, dancehall and highlife; all afro.

Contents

Alade released "Boyz" and "True Love" as leading singles from the album. [1] [2] Three singles charted on Billboard Top Triller Global, making Alade the only Nigerian woman to have such entries with a single album. [3]

Background and promotion

Empress includes a diverse range of afropop. On its cover is art that showcases Alade as an African royal. This is an afrobeats record that is built mostly in elements of highlife and dancehall. The melodies of Empress are suited to a live experience. [4]

Alade revealed in an interview that when she released her previous album Woman of Steel , she was already recording Empress. She spent two years recording the album. She said that most of its tracks were produced in Amsterdam with the help of her European sound engineers alongside her crew. [5] The album features guest appearances from French singers Vegedream and Dadju, and Nigerian artistes Patoranking and Rudeboy. It also features the British Grammy Award-winning singer Estelle and the Mzansi Youth Choir.

Composition

The first album track is "True Love" which incorporates elements of amapiano South African house music; Alade sings "DJ play that happy music, .... leave the negativity for back" as a mode of setting aside sadness for happiness through music. The second track is "Yoyoyo" built in highlife from southeastern Nigeria; Alade fantasizes about a typical Nigerian play boy and college scarlet girl. Mami water is a Nigerian concept of a mermaid. It is used to describe light-skinned beautiful women or women possessed by the spirit of Poseidon. The Vegedream assisted track is "Lose My Mind". Alade collaborated with a French singer and rapper to produce a song with an African expression of love. "Dancina", the fifth track, is a dance song with a European/Ghanaian originated beat. "Boyz" is a dancehall track in which Alade describes the qualities of the type of men she desires. "I Choose You" featuring Dadju is a pop song. [6] Alade again uses dancehall and afrofusion elements in "Control", the eight track. "Temptation" features Patoranking, Alade's counterpart and co-coach on The Voice Nigeria . "Ice" is a dive from afrobeats, in which Alade displays her vocal dexterity. [7] Rudeboy was featured on the eleventh track "Deceive", in which Alade tells of a story of deception in love. "Turn Up" is another highlife track; Alade sings about loving an ideal celebrity-like man. "Rain", the thirteenth track, features the Mzansi Youth Choir from South Africa; an African gospel music Alade sings about unison. "Weekend" features the British Grammy-winning singer Estelle; Alade takes a break from her regular Pan-African sounds in this track. [7] The last track is "Double Double". Alade uses electronic highlife to express joy for her achievements. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Pulse Nigeria5.9/10
Scoove Africa8/10

Empress garnered 10 million streams on YouTube and YouTube music within days of its release. Within four weeks, it had twenty million streams on all streaming platforms.[ citation needed ]

Motolani Alake of Pulse said the album "explores different aspects of love and emotion – be it in from the perspective of kinship as heard on 'Rain' or romance as heard on the others [sic] songs on the album." He gave the album a score of 5.9/10. [4]

Oyin Aregbesola of Sounds of Africa said the album is "an amalgamation of what Yemi is known for plus a mash of Afro-pop, Gospel House, Highlife, Soul, Coupe decale, Gospel, and even Dancehall; she created a body of work that has something for everyone but still manages to be authentic." [6]

Olayiide Bolaji of The Scoove Africa gave the album an 8/10, saying that Empress "is Yemi Alade's best album yet... she incorporates Afrobeats into all parts of the world while featuring timeless music..." [8]

Notjustok describes the album as "a feast of sounds", saying, "Its diverse yet cohesive nature serves as an aural depiction of the cultural richness of Africa with something to suit everyone's palates." [9]

Accolades

Awards for Empress
AwardYearCategoryResult
African Entertainment Awards USA [10] 2021Album of the YearPending

Track listing

Credits adapted from Genius, album cover art and other publications. [11] [12]

All tracks are written by Yemi Alade

No.TitleLength
1."True Love"3:55
2."Yoyoyo"3:08
3."Mami Water"2:25
4."Lose My Mind" (featuring Vegedream)3:23
5."Dancina"2:30
6."Boyz"3:05
7."I choose You" (featuring Dadju)3:24
8."Control"2:42
9."Temptation" (featuring Patoranking)3:27
10."Ice"3:16
11."Deceive" (featuring Rudeboy)3:28
12."Turn Up"3:06
13."Rain"3:16
14."Weekend"3:36
15."Double Double"3:03
Total length:48:00

Personnel

Credits adapted from Alade's album cover.

Charts

Singles from the album charted in Top Triller Global ( Billboard ). [13]

Charts 2020SinglePeak position
Top Triller Global ( Billboard )"True Love"15
"I Choose You" featuring Dadju

"Dancina"

9

11

Release history

RegionDateVersionFormatLabel
Various20 November 2020StandardEffyzzie Music Group

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timaya</span> Musical artist

Inetimi Alfred Timaya Odon , better known by his stage name Timaya, is a multiple award-winning Nigerian singer and songwriter. He hails from Odi, Bayelsa state, South-South Nigeria. Timaya became one of Nigeria's most popular performers by combining Nigerian pop with elements of dancehall, hip-hop, and soca. Dubbed the king of the Afro-Soca music genre, Timaya is well known for his blend of Afro-Caribbean/Dancehall music and other music genres. He is the founder of DM Records Limited, which he is also signed to.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darey</span> Nigerian musician

Dare Art Alade – popularly known as Darey – is a Nigerian multi-platinum Afro R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, philanthropist, humanitarian and entrepreneur. He is also the son of the African jazz musician and entertainer Art Alade and the creative director of Livespot360.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiwa Savage</span> Nigerian singer (born 1980)

Tiwatope Omolara Savage, known professionally as Tiwa Savage(listen), is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress who has been called the Queen of Afrobeats. Savage sings in English and Yoruba; her music is a blend of Afrobeats, R&B, afropop, pop and hip-hop. Savage's contributions to the Nigerian music industry have earned her several achievements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemi Alade</span> Nigerian singer and songwriter (born 1989)

Yemi Eberechi Alade, is a Nigerian Afropop singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Her music which incorporates Afro; Highlife, Dancehall, Pop and R&B has been of influence in many African countries and the world as she is acclaimed "Mama Africa" for this and her versatility in using different African languages and attires in her songs and music videos. She sings in English, Igbo, Pidgin, Yoruba, French, Swahili and Portuguese. Alade's father was a police commissioner of Yoruba descent, while her mother is of Igbo descent.

<i>King of Queens</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Yemi Alade

King of Queens is the debut studio album by Nigerian singer Yemi Alade. It was released by Effyzzie Music Group on 2 October 2014. Yemi Alade collaborated with producers such as Selebobo, Sizzle Pro, Shady Bizniz, Philkeyz, Young D, GospelOnDeBeatz, DIL, OJB Jezreel, Mr Chidoo, Fliptyce, EL Mcee and Beat Nation. The album's release was preceded by three singles—"Johnny", "Tangerine" and "Kissing". It features guest appearances and skits from Bovi, R2Bees, Phyno, Chidinma, DIL, Selebobo and Diamond Platnumz. Yemi Alade promoted the album by touring several African countries, including Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. The album's deluxe edition was released in November 2014, and contains French versions of songs originally performed in English. Its cover art was unveiled on 21 October 2014. According to the music platform A Nation of Billions, King of Queens sold over 100,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spinall</span> Nigerian disc jockey

Oluseye Desmond Sodamola, professionally known as Spinall, is a Nigerian disc jockey, record producer, and songwriter. He was the official DJ to Wande Coal while he was affiliated with Mavin Records. He created a style edge to his outfit known as TheCAP, tracing his roots back to his culture.

<i>Mama Africa</i> (Yemi Alade album) 2016 studio album by Yemi Alade

Mama Africa is the second studio album by Nigerian singer Yemi Alade. It was released on March 25, 2016, by Effyzzie Music Group. The album is the follow-up to her debut studio album King of Queens (2014). It features guest appearances from P-Square, Sarkodie, Sauti Sol, Flavour N'abania, Rotimi Keys, DJ Arafat and Selebobo. The album was produced by GospelOnDeBeatz, DJ Coublon, Selebobo, Philkeyz, BeatsByEmzo, Masterkraft, Rotimi Keys and Mr. Chidoo. It was supported by six singles: "Na Gode", "Do As I Do", "Ferrari", "Kom Kom", "Africa" and "Tumbum". The album's deluxe edition features collaborations with South African musicians Bucie and AKA. Mama Africa won World Beat at the 2017 Independent Music Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnom</span> Ghanaian record producer

Joseph Bulley, known professionally as Magnom, is a Ghanaian record producer and recording artist, who produces music ranging from Hiphop, dancehall, and Afrobeats. He gained the attention of Ghanaians after he produced the song "illuminati" with Ghanaian BET award winner Sarkodie.

Chris Alvin Sunday professionally known as Krizbeatz or KrizBeatz the drummer Boy, is a Nigerian record producer best known for producing Tekno his first single "Pana". Ranked 3rd on Pulse Nigeria's 2016 list of "Top 5 Best Nigerian Music Producers", KrizBeatz has worked majorly with Yemi Alade including several artistes like Oyibo Rebel, Skales, Lil Kesh and Koker while also releasing his own single titled "Erima" and the hit single "911" featuring Yemi Alade and Harmonize which further pushed his career to limelight. The song "911" currently has over 13 million views on YouTube.

Akwuba Charles Ugochukwu, professionally known as DJ Coublon, is a Nigerian record producer and sound engineer. He is best known for producing hit songs with several prominent artists in the Nigerian music industry, including Kiss Daniel, Iyanya, Yemi Alade, Tekno Miles, Patoranking, Seyi Shay, among others. 

Ifiok Effanga, professionally known as Fiokee, is a Nigerian guitarist from Akwa Ibom. He is known for his trebley guitar solos infused with highlife steeped guitar lines. He was born on the 10th of January 1982. Fiokee is associated with acts such as Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Patoranking, Reekado Banks, Adekunle Gold, Flavour, Simi, and Kiss Daniel, among others. He studied at the Petroleum Training Institute in Effurun, Delta State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selebobo</span> Nigerian singer and songwriter

Udoka Chigozie Oku, also known by his stage name Selebobo, is a Nigerian singer and a songwriter. Formerly signed to Made Men Music Group. Selebobo is most known for his singles, "Yoyo', "Selfie", and "Waka Waka". He has also collaborated with Flavour N'abania, Yemi Alade, Tekno Miles, Emma Nyra, and Iyanya. He was also a nominee of the Producer of the Year category at 2018 The Headies.

Afrobeats, or Afro-pop or Afro-fusion, is an umbrella term to describe popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that initially developed in Nigeria, Ghana, and the UK in the 2000s and 2010s. Afrobeats is less of a style per se, and more of a descriptor for the fusion of sounds flowing out of Nigeria and Ghana. Genres such as hiplife, jùjú music, highlife and naija beats, among others, were amalgamated under the "Afrobeats" umbrella.

<i>Afrikan Sauce</i> 2019 studio album by Sauti Sol

Afrikan Sauce is the fourth studio album by Kenyan band Sauti Sol, released on their eponymous record label Sauti Sol Entertainment. Primarily an Afropop and R&B record, Afrikan Sauce marked a departure from the traditional acoustic sound of their previous albums. It features guest appearances from Patoranking, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Vanessa Mdee, Yemi Alade, Khaligraph Jones, Nyashinski, Bebe Cool, Mi Casa, Toofan, Jah Prayzah and C4 Pedro. The album comprises 13 tracks and was supported by the previously released singles "Melanin", "Girl Next Door", "Afrikan Star", "Short N Sweet" and "Tujiangalie". Afikan Sauce received positive reviews from music critics, who characterized it as a "game changer" and commended it for having "substantial replay value". The album won Album of the Year in Africa at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shekere (song)</span> 2019 song by Yemi Alade featuring Angélique Kidjo

"Shekere" is a song recorded by the Nigerian Afro pop artist Yemi Alade and produced by DJ Coublon, taken from her studio album Woman of Steel (2019). Alade collaborated with the Beninese artiste Angélique Kidjo on the track.

<i>Woman of Steel</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Yemi Alade

Woman of Steel is the fourth studio album by Nigerian singer Yemi Alade. It was released on August 30, 2019, through Effyzzie Music Group and Universal Music Africa. Described by Alade as a "buffet with different kinds of meals and drinks", the album represents a thematic and personal shift in her sound. Musically, it is an Afrobeats record that incorporates elements of R&B and highlife. Woman of Steel features collaborations with Rick Ross, Duncan Mighty, Angélique Kidjo and Funke Akindele. It was supported by the previously released singles "Home" and "Give Dem". Although critical reception to Woman of Steel was mixed, the album was considered to be Alade's best album yet.

<i>Black Magic</i> (Yemi Alade album) 2017 studio album by Yemi Alade

Black Magic is the third studio album by Nigerian singer Yemi Alade, released by Effyzzie Music Group on December 15, 2017. A follow-up to her 2017 EP Mama Afrique, the album features guest appearances from Falz and Olamide. Black Magic was made available for pre-order in November 2017. Prior to disclosing the album's title, Alade posted the acronym BM on social media and wanted her fans to guess its meaning. The album was produced by DJ Coublon, Vtek, Sarz, Krizbeatz, Young D, Sess, Fliptyce, IAmBeat, Philkeyz, 2Kriss and Echo. It was supported by the previously released singles "Knack Am", "Single & Searching" and "Heart Robber". The album received generally negative reviews from music critics, who panned its lyrics and Alade's songwriting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemi Alade discography</span>

Nigerian singer Yemi Alade's discography consists of five studio albums, two extended plays, fifty-nine singles, four promotional singles, fifty-two music videos, and two cameo appearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adesope Olajide</span>

Adesope Olajide known professionally as Shopsydoo OR Energy Gawd, is a Nigerian UK based Media personality, radio and television personality, talk show host, event host and podcaster. He is the host of The Afrobeats Podcast,.

References

  1. "Yemi Alade releases uplifting dance song "True Love" | AfrikaLoud". afrikaloud.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  2. "Yemi Alade showcases beautiful African aesthetics in video for, 'True Love'". Pulse Nigeria. 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  3. "[Album] Yemi Alade – Empress ft. Rudeboy, Patoranking, Estelle, Vegedream". tooXclusive. 2020-11-20. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  4. 1 2 3 "Yemi Alade's 'Empress' uses 'space' to produce feel-good music [Pulse Album Review]". Pulse Nigeria. 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  5. "Yemi Alade talks to about her album "Empress", her collaboration with Africa's top artists and more! – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  6. 1 2 "Yemi Alade's Empress Album Review". Sounds of Africa. 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  7. 1 2 H, Blue (2020-12-07). "Yemi Alade: Empress Album Review". Gilox. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  8. "Yemi Alade Empress Album". THE SCOOVE AFRICA.
  9. "Yemi Alade's 'Empress' is a Feast of Sounds I Notjustok". Most Trusted Voice in Music & Afrobeats from Nigeria & Africa | Notjustok. 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
  10. "African Entertainment Awards USA 2021". African Entertainment Awards USA. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  11. "Empress by Yemi Alade". Genius. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  12. "Here is Yemi Alade's 'Empress' album cover art and tracklist". NaijaMusic. 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  13. "Yemi Alade". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-12-03.