'The current Afrobeat does not do justice to Fela’s original Afrobeat', singer says

Brymo has spoken out about today’s music trends and how far thrown it is from the original sounds.

Nigeria is a heterogenous society with various elements of music combining drawing inspiration from earlier traditional purist sounds to create the full spectrum of today’s music. A major sonic raw material come from Fela Anikulakpo Kuti, the originator of the immersive and conscious jazz-heavy Afrobeat.

"The art of blending genres and making everything sound as one is not new to our music scene, and has also always been there,” Brymo says via email, as he bares his heart. “If the great Fela Anikulapo were to be alive now, people will call afro-beat alternative. In our time however, it is a new trend, I believe this is because there are a great number of genres already worldwide, and so everyone is just fusing everything together.

Brymo is one of the leading lights of the alternative scene, carving his path in a society where pop music is a way of life, and subgenre-specific audiences continue to dwindle. Commercial music, as it is commonly referred is interwoven into the fabric of daily living, and to ignore the pull of it can be tasking. Brymo remains part of a determined group of acts, dedicated to following the alternative route.

“I don't feel lonely at all, because every day more and more people are entering the scene. Music never runs out of disciples. In fact I spend more time these days enjoying and creating music, and I know that other artistes are coming with plenty promises and potentials,” He says.

“Everything dies eventually. From the 70's to this day we have witnessed the birth and gradual death of genres like "Apala", "juju" and even "traditional highlife". (I am particularly interested in making some 'Apala' music, with the hope of revamping the genre). The survival of say "Afrobeat" is owed to the intensity of the idea behind it, and the sacrifices its founder had to make. Even at that, the current influx of 'Afrobeat' music does not do justice to the original.

“My point is; the life span of an idea is heavily dependent on its purity. If we collectively fall in love with our music, and keep at it, even on the days when it doesn't pay the bills, then we are on our way to creating something that has the potential to survive for a long time.”

Brymo, in his career has released 3 studio albums, and one compilation LP. The singer is currently working on a new project which, according to sources, will be the released this year. The singer will continue his prolific and potent partnership with producer Mikkyme Jones, although with a little catch – ‘Electronic Music!

“I am currently working on a new album and Pulse will definitely be in the know about the release and such. Mikkyme Joses of course is working exclusively on this one, and we are delving into electronic-pop music.”