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A good part of why I confidently predicted greater heights for the women of Afrobeats is because of the entrance of new talents whose music was bound to add excitement and diversity to the female end of the industry.
Kold AF is one such entrance and her EP 'KOLLIDE' offers a refreshing feel of what she's made of. In partnership with producer BGRZ, Kold showcases her genre-bending ability that shares the spotlight with her impressive songwriting.
Through an exploration of Pop and R&B underlined by a Dancehall technique, Kold is bringing her uniqueness to Nigerian music and while her talent is being meticulously onboarded, she's already shown glimpses of something capable of disrupting the scene.
A marker of a talented artist is their ability to adjust to the requirements of every song, and Kold embodies this important quality.
When exploring the subject of heartbreak like in 'Broken' and in 'Chess & Checkers' her vocals pack the depth required to convey the feelings of hurt required to convince listeners. Similarly, she deploys an infectious melody and heartwarming delivery aided by the honest and relatable writing in 'Nobody 2 Somebody' which discusses her struggles and self-belief.
When she talks about her romantic emotions in 'Love N Peace' and explores desires in 'Tension', Kold effortlessly molds the melody and employs a delivery that packs the sensuality required to sell the song.
The music in 'KOLLIDE' isn't Afrobeats leaning. In fact, only 'Love N Peace' which seems to be a staple from the Wizkid Finishing School is the only song with major Afrobeats leaning while the use of Pidgin & Yoruba in 'Nobody 2 Somebody' and 'Two Man Ting' adds vital Afrobeats context to the songs. It's interesting to see that Kold has elected to showcase her uniqueness early on rather than attempting to kowtow to mainstream demands to attract listeners before switching to her favoured style.
What this means is that early on, listeners would have a fair understanding of her cadences and those who love her music would form a community that would grow within her journey. I would be the first to admit that Kold's music isn't the commercially TikTok-driven music that currently litters the mainstream. However, it's good music, and that gives it a strong fighting chance amongst digital listeners.
Credit must be given to BGRZ whose production lifted Kold AF into her element and helped her offer impressive glimpses of her talent. A talent fit to earn her a place in the limelight.
Ratings: /10
• 0-1.9: Flop
• 2.0-3.9: Near fall
• 4.0-5.9: Average
• 6.0-7.9: Victory
• 8.0-10: Champion
Pulse Rating: /10
Album Sequencing: 1.5/2
Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.5/2
Production: 1.6/2
Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.5/2
Execution: 1.5/2
Total: 7.6 - Victory