Woman of Steel (album) explained

Woman of Steel
Type:studio
Artist:Yemi Alade
Cover:Women of Steel album cover.jpg
Recorded:2018–2019
Length:52:00
Prev Title:Black Magic
Prev Year:2017
Next Title:Empress
Next Year:2020

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.[1] [2] 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 singles "Home", "Give Dem", "Vibe", "Shake", "Remind You", and "Shekere".[3] Although critical reception to Woman of Steel was mixed, the album was considered to be Alade's best album yet.

Background and promotion

Woman of Steel primarily explores topics such as love, socio-politics and poverty. Alade spent three years recording the album and said it would be released on August 30, 2019.[4] Musically, Woman of Steel is an Afrobeats record that incorporates elements of R&B and highlife.[5] Alade describes the album as a "buffet with different kinds of meals and drinks", and named it Woman of Steel to reflect her tough veneer to command the same degree of respect as her male counterparts.[6] She derived the title after coming to the realization that she is her own superhero.[7] The album's cover art features Alade wearing a headcap inspired by the Nefertiti Bust artwork.[8] Artists featured on Woman of Steel include Rick Ross, Duncan Mighty, Angélique Kidjo and Funke Akindele. In an interview with The Star newspaper, Alade said some of the songs that made the album were recorded the previous year while others were recorded in August 2019.

Alade teamed up with Belaire Rosé to launch and promote the album in Lagos, Paris, London, New York and Nairobi.[9] The Lagos edition of the launch party was held at the IMAX Theatre in Lagos; celebrities such as Denrele Edun, Dat Warri Girl, Illbliss and DJ Sose were all present at the event.[10] The launch party in Kenya was held at the Blue Door Restaurant and Lounge in Westlands, Nairobi.[11] Celebrities who attended the event include Chimano, Musyoka, Nadia Mukami, Naiboi, Patricia Kihoro and Victoria Kimani.[12] Alade launched the album in Kenya because she considers Nairobi to be her second home. In October 2019, Alade submitted the album to The Recording Academy for consideration in the Best World Music Album category at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.[13]

Composition

On the album's opening track "Home", which is reminiscent of church music, Alade sings about her appreciation for her love interest. The mid-tempo track "Give Dem" contains Latin strings and an Afrobeats-infused percussion; the song takes a showy route.[14] In "Vibe", Alade portrays herself as a sexually liberated woman; this is exemplified by lyrics like "I want a boy wey go love me scatter, wey nor go knock before e enter, wey go love me pass him sister, give me brain make I mental". In "Night and Day", she incorporates guitar melodies found in Soukous music.

The nostalgic track "Shekere" is a remake of Angélique Kidjo's "Wombo Lombo". The reggae track "CIA (Criminal in Agbada)" tackles political corruption. The romantic ballad "Remind You" contains lyrics recorded entirely in conventional English. In the Igbo highlife track "Yeba", Alade speaks about rejecting marriage proposals from two broke men. The Duncan Mighty-assisted track "Shake" has a dancehall feel and is reminiscent of Tekno's "Pana". In the R&B and Afrobeats-infused track "Lai Lai", Alade is acceptant of her love interest despite his humble account balance. In the pro-wealth track "Poverty", Alade denounces poverty and endorses wealth. She enlisted Kenyan singer Ivlyn Mutua to translate the song into Swahili. "Nobody" draws comparisons to Wizkid's "Sweet Love".

Singles

The album's lead single, "Home", was released on August 21, 2019. Its production incorporates elements of fuji music and live instrumentation.[15] Alade released a music video and a short film to support the song's release.[16] The video for "Home", which was directed by Alade's frequent collaborator Clarence Peters, features scenes of her dancing and wearing flashy African attires. Moreover, it features a folky narrative and follows Alade and her love interest's romantic relationship at a beach. The short film that accompanied the song's release was written and directed by Peters. The film depicts an emotional love story between Nneka (Alade) and Austine (Frankincense Eche-Ben). In the film, Nneka escapes an abusive grandmother and a mundane life in rural Nigeria in order to reunite with Austine.

The Krizbeatz-produced track "Give Dem" was also released on August 21, 2019, as the album's second single.[17] The accompanying visuals for "Give Dem" were shot and directed by Clarence Peters and contain energetic dance moves.[18] The album's third single, "Vibe", was released on October 28, 2019.[19] In the video, Alade demands affection from her love interest and alludes to her lust-driven desires.[19] The Natives Dennis Peter described the video for "Vibe" as a "collage of bright, sun-soaked shots that capture the singer at her usual, exuberant best".[19] The Duncan Mighty-assisted track "Shake" was released on November 20, 2019, as the album's fourth single.[20] The visuals for the song were shot and directed by Paul Gambit. In the video, Alade evokes her sensual side, posing on a bed in a powder blue mesh gown and performing several dance sequences.[21]

The album's fifth single, "Remind You", was released on January 22, 2020. The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Ovie Etseyatse; in it, Alade fantasizes about getting dressed in sensual clothes for her love interest Djimon Hounsou.[22] The album's sixth single "Shekere", which was released on February 5, 2020, features vocals by Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo and interpolates her 1996 classic "Wombo Lombo". Alade spent three years working on the song and was in contact with Kidjo's brother prior to meeting her. The visuals for "Shekere" were directed by Ovie Etseyatse and highlight various African cultural dances, including the Maasai jumping dance.[23] In the video, Alade is seen in various beaded looks and ankara prints while Kidjo wears a Zulu headdress.[24]

Other releases

On April 30, 2019, Alade released the remix of "Oh My Gosh", which features a rap verse from American rapper Rick Ross and is a slight departure from her dance-inducing Afrobeats sound.[25] [26] The song's accompanying music video was directed by Ryan Snyder; in it, Alade and Rick Ross are surrounded by colorfully-clad dancers headed by Izzy Odigie.[27] [28]

Critical reception

Woman of Steel received mixed reviews from music critics. Pulse Nigerias Motolani Alake awarded the album a rating of 6.9 out of 10, praising Alade's songwriting skills and commending her for "addressing a myriad of topics" on the project. Alake also opined that the album is Alade's best album yet. A writer for Filter Free Nigeria, who goes by the moniker the Waistbead Whisperer, praised Alade for sticking to her musical formula but ended up criticizing the album's depth, content and lyrics.[29] Mide Michael of TooXclusive did a track-by-track review of the album and granted it 8 out of 10; Michael also considers the album to be Alade's best album yet.[30]

In a less enthusiastic review, music critic Michael Kolawole said the album is underwhelming despite "offering an abundance of upbeat songs".[31]

Track listing

Credits adapted from AllMusic and other publications.[32] [33] [34]

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's back cover and AllMusic.[35] [36]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Woman of Steel by Yemi Alade . Apple Music . 20 March 2020 . August 30, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200222071102/https://music.apple.com/us/album/woman-of-steel/1476427551 . 22 February 2020 . live .
  2. Web site: Woman of Steel, Yemi Alade goes Universal. . The Lagos Review . 20 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320180639/https://thelagosreview.ng/woman-of-steel-yemi-alade-goes-universal/ . 20 March 2020 . live .
  3. Web site: Debola Abimbolu . Yemi Alade Premiers two new singles, "Home" and "Give Dem" off her coming 'Woman of Steel' album . Native . 19 March 2020 . August 22, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200319213133/https://thenativemag.com/music/yemi-alade-premiers-two-new-singles-home-give-dem-off-coming-woman-steel-album/ . 19 March 2020 . live .
  4. Web site: Elizabeth Musyimi . 'Woman of Steel' up for Grammy's — Yemi Alade . The Star . 18 March 2020 . 18 October 2019 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321040049/https://www.the-star.co.ke/sasa/word-is/2019-10-18-woman-of-steel-up-for-grammys--yemi-alade/ . live .
  5. Web site: Motolani Alake . Yemi Alade releases 15-track new album, ‘Woman of Steel’ . Pulse Nigeria . 21 March 2020 . 30 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190914064704/https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/yemi-alade-releases-15-track-new-album-woman-of-steel/9dv496f . 14 September 2019 . live .
  6. Web site: Damola Durosomo . Yemi Alade’s Journey to Becoming a ‘Woman of Steel’ . OkayAfrica . 19 March 2020 . August 30, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191203012541/https://www.okayafrica.com/yemi-alade-journey-to-becoming-a-woman-of-steel-interview-new-album-nigerian-music/ . 3 December 2019 . live .
  7. Web site: Yemi Alade Releases New ‘Woman of Steel’ Album . Business Daily . 19 March 2020 . October 25, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191106030909/https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/lifestyle/music/Yemi-Alade-releases-new--Woman-of-Steel--album/3815720-5324902-ki5tdv/index.html . 6 November 2019 . live .
  8. Web site: Damola Durosomo . Watch Yemi Alade's New Music Video for 'Give Dem' . OkayAfrica . 20 March 2020 . August 21, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320180702/https://www.okayafrica.com/yemi-alade-drops-two-new-singles-from-her-forthcoming-album-woman-of-steel-give-dem-music-video/ . 20 March 2020 . live .
  9. Web site: Josephine Amoako . Yemi Alade and friends spotted toasting "Woman Of Steel" album release with Belaire bottles that feature her portrait! . Glitz Africa . 19 March 2020 . September 9, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191012092447/https://www.glitzafrica.com/yemi-alade-and-friends-spotted-toasting-woman-of-steel-album-release-with-belaire-bottles-that-feature-her-portrait/ . 12 October 2019 . live .
  10. Web site: Bolaji Alonge . Yemi Alade appears on wine label at Lagos album launch . Music in Africa . 19 March 2020 . 6 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191209025719/https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/yemi-alade-appears-wine-label-lagos-album-launch . 9 December 2019 . live .
  11. Web site: Thomas Rajula . Yemi Alade gives a taste of 'Woman of Steel' . Daily Nation . 18 March 2020 . 16 October 2019 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321040051/https://mobile.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/showbiz/yemi-alade-woman-steel/3116136-5313252-format-sitemap-p6gq9dz/index.html . live .
  12. Web site: Yemi Alade launches 'Woman of Steel' . The Star . 18 March 2020 . 17 October 2019 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321040047/https://www.the-star.co.ke/sasa/society/2019-10-17-yemi-alade-launches-woman-of-steel/ . live .
  13. Web site: Ferdinand Ekechukwu . Yemi Alade Up for Grammy Awards’ Consideration . This Day . 18 March 2020 . October 12, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200318181545/https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/10/12/yemi-alade-up-for-grammy-awards-consideration/ . 18 March 2020 . live .
  14. Web site: Motolani Alake . Yemi Alade: 'Woman of Steel' is best album yet [Album Review] ]. Pulse Nigeria . 19 March 2020 . September 3, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200319225725/https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/yemi-alade-woman-of-steel-is-best-album-yet-album-review/me1dc4j . 19 March 2020 . live .
  15. Web site: Debola Abimbolu . Yemi Alade shares 'Woman of Steel' album with African romanticizing music video for "Home" . Native . 20 March 2020 . September 2, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320180638/https://thenativemag.com/music/watch-yemi-alade-romanticize-nigerian-roots-home-music-video/ . 20 March 2020 . live .
  16. Web site: Damola Durosomo . Watch Yemi Alade's New Short Film for Her Latest Single 'Home' . OkayAfrica . 20 March 2020 . September 10, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320180638/https://www.okayafrica.com/yemi-alade-short-film-music-video-new-single-home-clarance-peters/ . 20 March 2020 . live .
  17. Web site: Damola Durosomo . Watch Yemi Alade's New Music Video for 'Give Dem' . OkayAfrica . 21 March 2020 . August 21, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320180702/https://www.okayafrica.com/yemi-alade-drops-two-new-singles-from-her-forthcoming-album-woman-of-steel-give-dem-music-video/ . 20 March 2020 . live .
  18. Web site: Dennis Ade Peter . Yemi Alade's video for "Give Dem" colourfully amps up her diva persona . Native . 20 March 2020 . September 25, 2019 . 20 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320211511/https://thenativemag.com/music/yemi-alade-video-give-dem/ . live .
  19. Web site: Dennis Ade Peter . Watch Yemi Alade in the cherry video for latest single, "Vibe". Native . 21 March 2020 . October 29, 2019 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321030926/https://thenativemag.com/music/cheery-music-video-yemi-alade-vibe/ . live .
  20. Web site: Dennis Ade Peter . Yemi Alade reaches for new levels of sexy in New Video for "Shake" featuring Duncan Mighty . Native . 21 March 2020 . November 21, 2019 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321035747/https://thenativemag.com/music/yemi-alade-flaunts-sex-appeal-music-video-duncan-mighty-assisted-shake/ . live .
  21. Web site: Damola Durosomo . Watch Yemi Alade's New Music Video for 'Shake' Featuring Duncan Mighty . OkayAfrica . 21 March 2020 . November 21, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320180645/https://www.okayafrica.com/watch-yemi-alades-new-song-music-video-for-shake-featuring-duncan-mighty/ . 20 March 2020 . live .
  22. Web site: Tami Makinde . Yemi Alade is not afraid to get sexy in the New Video for "Remind You" . Native . 21 March 2020 . January 23, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200313224655/https://thenativemag.com/music/yemi-alade-not-afraid-get-sexy-video-remind/ . 13 March 2020 . live .
  23. Web site: Debola Abimbolu . Watch Yemi Alade & Angelique Kidjo celebrate in New Video, "Shekere" . Native . 21 March 2020 . February 5, 2020 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321022959/https://thenativemag.com/music/yemi-alade-angelique-kidjo-celebrate-african-music-shekere-video/ . live .
  24. Web site: Damola Durosomo . Angelique Kidjo Joins Yemi Alade In the Vibrant Music Video for 'Shekere' . OkayAfrica . 21 March 2020 . February 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200311183028/https://www.okayafrica.com/watch-music-video-for-yemi-alade-angelique-kidjo-song-shekere/ . 11 March 2020 . live .
  25. Web site: Oh My Gosh (Remix) - Single by Yemi Alade . Apple Music . 20 March 2020 . April 30, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320121834/https://music.apple.com/us/album/oh-my-gosh-remix-single/1460664461 . 20 March 2020 . live .
  26. Web site: Yemi Alade Connects With Rick Ross For 'Oh My Gosh' (Remix) . OkayAfrica . 20 March 2020 . August 29, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200218160612/https://www.okayafrica.com/yemi-alade-rick-ross-oh-my-gosh-remix-download/ . 18 February 2020 . live .
  27. Web site: Damilola Animashaun . Watch Yemi Alade & Rick Ross In The Video For Their 'Oh My Gosh' Remix . Konbini . 20 March 2020 . 30 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320120154/https://www.konbini.com/ng/music/yemi-alade-teams-up-with-rick-ross-remix-oh-my-gosh . 20 March 2020 . live .
  28. Web site: Yemi Alade Connects With Rick Ross For 'Oh My Gosh' (Remix). 2019-04-29. OkayAfrica. en. 2020-03-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20200218160612/https://www.okayafrica.com/yemi-alade-rick-ross-oh-my-gosh-remix-download/. 2020-02-18. live.
  29. Web site: Yemi Alade: "Woman of Steel" is the Singer's Best Album Yet . Filter Free Nigeria . 20 March 2020 . September 9, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320012655/https://filterfree.ng/music/yemi-alade-woman-of-steel-review/ . 20 March 2020 . live .
  30. Web site: Mide Michael . [Album Review] Yemi Alade – Woman of Steel ]. TooXclusive . 20 March 2020 . September 11, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320112018/https://tooxclusive.com/album-review-yemi-alade-woman-of-steel/ . 20 March 2020 . live .
  31. Web site: Kolawole Michael . Yemi Alade sparks little light on Woman of Steel . Medium . 21 March 2020 . September 24, 2019 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321103928/https://medium.com/@kolawole_m/yemi-alade-sparks-little-light-on-woman-of-steel-8cd57c5148bc . live .
  32. Web site: Woman of Steel by Yemi Alade . AllMusic . 21 March 2020 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321151610/https://www.allmusic.com/album/woman-of-steel-mw0003316828 . live .
  33. Web site: Adewojumi Aderemi . Yemi Alade Releases Short Film For Her Love Song, 'Home' . Konbini Channels . 21 March 2020 . October 9, 2019 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321141027/https://www.konbini.com/ng/music/yemi-alade-releases-short-film-love-song-home . live .
  34. Web site: Damola Durosomo . Listen to Yemi Alade's Infectious New Ballad 'Oh My Gosh' . OkayAfrica . 21 March 2020 . August 8, 2019 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321152139/https://www.okayafrica.com/listen-to-yemi-alades-infectious-new-ballad-oh-my-gosh/ . live .
  35. Web site: Violet Johnson . Yemi Alade Unveils Official Artwork And Tracklist For "Woman Of Steel" . Guardian Life . 21 March 2020 . 21 August 2019 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321155131/https://guardian.ng/life/yemi-alade-unveils-official-artwork-and-tracklist-for-woman-of-steel/ . live .
  36. Web site: Woman of Steel by Yemi Alade - Credits . AllMusic . 21 March 2020 . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321151625/https://www.allmusic.com/album/woman-of-steel-mw0003316828/credits . live .

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