10 years after: How 'Yori Yori' turned Bracket into the ''Least Expected'' superstars
It was around this time a decade ago that the duo of Smash and Vast released the album, ''Least Expected'', which would forever change the course of their career.
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Bracket, the duo that comprised of Obumneme Ali a.k.a Smash and Nwachukwu Ozioko a.k.a Vast made the most impressive start to their careers with the success of the single, 'Happy Day' in 2006.
Initially a three man group, they soon parted ways with the third member, Bistop, and two years after their debut album, they scored a bigger hit in 'Yori Yori', one that was to become a national anthem.
From the North to the South, 'Yori Yori' was the soundtrack in every household sparking the sensational rise of the singing duo.
''We didn’t plan for the song.'' They admitted at the time, ''When the third member [Bistop] left the group for academic reasons, it became a big challenge for us who decided to stay back.
So, we were looking at a commercial song that would be a bit dance able, and at the same time, we wanted something unique. We didn’t know ‘Yori Yori’ would get so big.''
Signed unto Ape Planet, they released their first album as a duo in 2009 titled, ''Least Expected'', a honest reflection of the success they were enjoying in such a short time.
The album which was largely inspired by trending pop sounds had nine tracks and featured notable guest appearances like P-Square, J Martins and then a rising singer, Storm Rex.
Outside the lead single, 'Yori Yori,' songs like 'No Time' featuring P-Square also became an instant favorite on the dance floors taking radio station playlists by storm.
The song has a relatable message as they narrated situations happening around them while the collaboration with one of the biggest groups at the time increased their popularity across the various fan bases.
While they retained their positive vibes in 'Gossip', they also helped introduce the rising force that was female singer, Storm Rex on the song, 'Dis Beat.'
Other records like 'Ada Owerri', a delightful high-life sound that shares all the joy and affections that comes with finding the one you love from a particular city in the East and the Michael Jackson influenced 'Leaders of Tomorrow,' a simple song passing the message of protecting the kids, who are the future leaders, contribute to make this album a solid project.
While the fame may have come a bit ''Least Expected'', they did put in work into delivering a cohesive body of work that showed their growth, versatility and ability to adapt to modern sounds.
Hence, it was no surprise to see Bracket become one of the most followed Nigerian duo in the past decade, managing to even penetrate into other African countries where they enjoyed a major following.
A decade may have passed since the release of this album, Vast's long battle with cancer may have slowed down the progress they were enjoying, which saw them put out three other projects, but in the end, 'Least Expectation' will be remembered as the ultimate coming of age album, one where the members left behind the shadow of the one who left and embraced their calling to deliver a body of work that will help them define their path.
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