Nigerian artistes have failed fans this September

In three days, the hallowed month of September will draw its curtains, and October will usher itself in. This inevitable passage of time represents growth in many ways, but in Nigerian music the expected growth that September promised has in the most part failed.

This month was meant to be the defining 30 days of music in 2015, with an expected eight album release dates planned.Iyanya, Wizkid, Davido, LeriQ, Harrysong, Eva, Jesse Jagz, Orezi, and Samklef were all in running to release their projects. Of all these nine players, only Iyanya, LeriQ, Orezi and Samklef came through.

LeriQ’s undefinedis a generational piece of art, Iyanya projected intrinsic happiness on Orezi brought on the good vibes in “The Ghen Ghen”, and Samklef is a music man on “The Sound Of Music”.  The rest went blank.

The most painful of all of these failed promises are the projects of Wizkid and Davido. The pair, who have had all year to grow the expectation of their fans, with high-profile collaboration and exotic sounds, have time and again delayed their projects. Instead, they have fed Nigeria froth. Single after single have kept them musically fresh, but a body of work to crown their efforts have gone missing.

Wizkid’s postponement smacked of sheer irresponsibility. The young man is at the height of his musical powers, and concert commitments. One would expect him to consolidate his current stand with a new body of work. But no, he found just the perfect excuse to push back an album, which he knows isn’t ready to taste daylight. According to the singer the overwhelming legend of 2face Idibia, gave him new benchmarks for success, hence his need to remake the project.

Harrysong looked the other way. He made no mention of his project after initially announcing his LP. Instead, we are made to feed off the success of ‘Reggae Blues’. I take nothing away from the genius that went into crafting that hit song, but a man with such stupendous melodic ability should be able to put together an album to define the growth in his career.

For Jesse Jagz who has found his way back home to Chocolate City, the jury is still out on the quality of his music after his return. Two albums have been promised by the man, “Return Of The Gods”, and “Gunspiracy Theory”. Both albums are yet to take form…or at least publicly.

Eva, well, Eva still remains a work in progress.

Why do we have a system of failed promises? Many will point to external factors as the reason for these delays and postponements. But when examined analytically, the failure to release these albums is squarely on the shoulders of the artistes and their record labels.

Iyanya’s release is a testament to this. After bringing on external pressure on himself to launch his album in Abuja, the singer fought through thick and thin to get his work ready for the big day.

These bogus release dates are hurtful to the fans, the art, and ultimately the artiste. They delay his work, and hold back his potential to kickn ahead with a new phase of creativity.

September is almost at its end. Many unfulfilled promises will end with it too.

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