Back in 2017, a host of the pop culture podcast Loose Talks Giants furiously asked, “Who the fuck is Ckay?”—a question that turned into a buzzy internet soundbite, a burning topic on Twitter, and an eventual diss-esque response project of the same title from Ckay. But not much can top landing a globally-adored chart-topping hit with “Love Nwatiti”, securing sold-out shows, and multiple RIAA certifications as a way of ensuring everyone knows who the fuck you are.
Ckay, the Nigerian singer, songwriter and producer, has since become the poster kid for African music’s immutable position in the international sphere. Manoeuvring the world’s consciousness at such a quick pace and lofty height—especially as one of the continent’s first contemporary artists to achieve truly global status—may prove a daunting affair, leading to the questioning of self. However, on his 2022 full-length debut, Sad Romance, Ckay had seemingly figured out who he is as an artist. Or, at least, who he wanted to be: a guy existing in a world of his own, making and peddling his own sub-genre, Emo-Afrobeats—a fusion of introspective storytelling and traditional Afrobeats influences.
With his sophomore album, Emotions, he attempts to showcase the more complex nature of growth and interpersonal relationships. The cherry-sweet ballads and duets that lined Sad Romance give way to bouncy, energetic pop tunes, signalling a somewhat new and evolved Ckay who has ditched the rose-coloured lenses from which he once viewed the world.
“At its core, Emotions is about vulnerability and growth,” Ckay said of the album in a press statement. In many ways, Emotions presents as an honest and perhaps autobiographical window into the throes of personal evolution and romance. In 2024, this may look like confusion, caution, angst, denial, make-believe, self-reliance, conflicting emotions, and everything in-between.
On the album’s opening track, “That Feeling”, Ckay spares no time in making known his current headspace. “If you are looking for the love of your life, I am not the one,” he sings on the Amapiano-licked track. Love and commitment are no longer experiences his lovers are to expect from him, but a good time is still guaranteed. That doesn’t stop the very human need for connection and intimacy from rearing its head, though.
At different points in the often self-indulgent project, Ckay openly admits to his unwavering desires to be loved. He asks, “How deep is your love?/Is it deeper than the ocean floor?” on the successive record “Ride or Die”, where he tests the waters of his lover’s loyalty. “Fall In Luv” sees him challenging his love interest’s stance, asking: “Why you dey do like say you no dey fall in love?”. Meanwhile, “Mysterious Love”—a groovy, uptempo number characterised by its use of the Oja flute—is penned from the perspective of a guy in “serious love.”
Much of the album’s appeal lies in its production work, which is owed to Ckay’s background as a producer. The features on the album are also thoughtfully crafted. These days, you can’t really tap into the rhythmic flux of a traditional African album without calling for an assist from revered Highlife duo The Cavemen: on the twangy “Addicted”, they join Ckay for an exchange dedicated to their lover, switching between English and Igbo. While international collabs may sometimes prove tricky with artists struggling to find their footing on Afrobeats tracks, Ty Dolla Sign sounds right at home on “Dorime”. Olamide, meanwhile, puts his singing voice on display on “Wahala” for a few lines, before returning to the veteran rap cadence the world has come to love him for.
By the end of the album, things shift gears into a more ruminative zone with Olamide once again making an appearance, this time on the track “Vanity” for a reflective moment on the trials of fame. Closing out with “Final Form”, Ckay offers a warning to anyone trying to test him, stating, “I go show you my crase if a nigga want to try me.” He shows that the lovelorn, purple-haired guy is gone, and a blonde, carefree maven has emerged, ready to face anyone—including himself.
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