Singer lost in 2016, and needs to win in 2017

You know all of those plans that you make at the dawn of the New Year, and decide mentally to achieve during the new calendar year? You work hard at creating these goals and targets, some of them scare you, and others are like pieces of work.

Look through that list now. How many have you achieved?

It’s that time of the year, and Chidinma just like many others must have looked through her list and attempted to check through and evaluate her achievements. But as that pen moved from one item to another, she would have been unable to cross anything off. Only thing she did was leave Capital Hill Records/The Goretti Company, and even that isn’t an achievement.

If anything, it was the curse of her year. The bane of her pain. And the one event that led to a cascade of non-events in her calendar year. It set her on to her negative slippery slope that ended with her releasing next to nothing for the year.

Chidinma quit Capital Hill Records in March 2016, with news sources bearing the news. Further investigation from sources revealed that she opted not to extend her contract after failing to agree on a sharing formula with the record label for her income. As expected, Chidinma’s stock plummeted, with her name failing to be a part of the music industry mainstream conversations. She wasn’t playing the game of music, and so, had no chance to win at it.

She only recently returned with a new song, titled ‘Fallen in love’.

Chidinma recently returned with a new single and photos to mark her renewed push. The song is called ‘Fallen in love’, released under a new imprint – 40fied Music Company – and it serves as the first taste of the new Chidinma. Sources say there’s an album being recorded, and Chidinma is rebranding to chase a new dawn in her music.

‘Fallen in love’ finds Chidinma expressing her newfound love in a classic Highlife beat that flows and hits in equal measure. The artwork has the singer wearing her natural hair, all made up, with romance the aim of the creators.

And, well, that’s about it.

‘Fallen in love’ isn’t necessarily a terrible song. But it isn’t one of Chidinma.s best, either. For starters, the beat is generic Highlife, with no angle or gimmick thrown in to make it different from the numerous love songs that inundate the air on a daily level, and the hook, (“I’ve fallen in love with you oh, I’ve made up my mind for you”), fails to worm its way into your ear. Moreover, the love thing is almost clichéd right now.

In many ways, ‘Fallen in love’ feels like a return of Chidinma into some of her relatable tracks. There’s a formula to this thing, with Chidinma’s lyrics appearing to fill in the spaces with just enough writing to support the lyrics and a male vocal intermittently adlibbing.

What’s the standout line here? “Baby mu na gi for life, I no go do you anyhow, baby, you are my number 1?” Less than a minute later, the song’s over. That was a quick song, just some seconds shy of 4 minutes.

Of course, this is just one song, and we’re not saying she should entirely leave music, but she needs a stronger comeback song to fully throw her back into the thick of things. Chidinma has been away for far too long to release a lukewarm single. She needs one which packs a stronger punch, and hits the playlists hard.

‘Fallen in love’ is not that song to make a comeback with, and knowing Chidinma, she has stronger bullets in her arsenal. She just needs to shoot them as soon as possible. Until then, we won’t be falling in love with this one.

2016 is at an end. The last month of the year is here, and as it peters out for her, she needs a new plan for the new year. A plan that is inclusive and dynamic enough to make her win on every front.

If that happens, she needn't wait for the year to start ticking it all off. She can achieve from the start.