Why Nigerians want singer to stop using ‘Mad Over You’ to create new music

When Runtown arrived at the formula that gave him his biggest hit – ‘Mad over you’ – he was elated. Once again he has a number one single that injected new breath into his career.

All through the early part of 2016, the singer had fought bitterly with his record label and lost the focus to make music. But midway through the year, he found his mojo. Teaming with Del B and Tspize, they all came together to create a powerful record that has sold and streamed millions. The video was also a hit, promoting the song across the globe.

Runtown has benefited immensely from this. His touring price went up, his performance cheques overflowed, and his celebrity became bigger.

“Last year was like too much. It was like a lot happened and I needed to get back to the studio and show my fans that it’s not done yet. I needed to prove to them that we can still do this number one.” Runtown said to Pulse.

“I didn’t let the troubles get to me. I was always in the studio channeling all the positive energy into my music.”

Hit songs don’t last forever, and Runtown has to continue on his winning streak. ‘Mad over you’ was successful, and the next single has to live up to the billing. There is no way on earth that Runtown and the team behind his music would allow him to completely abandon the wave from ‘Mad over you’, and seek new strategies.

This is a valid strategy which has worked wonders. Look just across town, and you will find other Nigerian stars using subtle repetition of elements in their earlier hits to make new music. Tekno, Mr Eazi, Kiss Daniel and more, have succeeded repeatedly by dropping the same music, only reworked with an altered melody and a new lyrical angle. It is also currently working with Davido who just released ‘Fall’, a record that is modelled after the phenomenal ‘If’.

But many Nigerians are not having it from Runtown. The singer is constantly trolled on social media for his new single ‘For life’, which borrows from ‘Mad over you’. Runtown is comically attacked and criticized by fans for sticking to his script. Check out the tweet below, which forced a response from him.

Why are Nigerians accepting the same formula from Davido, Tekno, Mr Eazi and Kiss Daniel, but aren’t cutting him enough slack? Why can’t he enjoy sticking to his formula without being trolled?

The answer is in the volume of content he has released. Runtown has overused that strategy and perhaps borrowed too much from ‘Mad over you’.

After the release of the hit single, Runtown collaborated with Illbliss on ‘Can’t hear you (remix)’, and there was ‘Mad over you’ in the instrumentation and lyrics. Nigerians did not complain about that. His next move was working with Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie on ‘Pain killer’. Fans and listeners could taste ‘Mad over you’ in that one too.

That’s two songs, drawing from the source. Runtown unknowingly expended his cable by working with that formula on collaborations. ‘For life’ is the third single in which fans can still see the correlation with ‘Mad Over You’. And they feel justified to call on the singer’s attention to his over-repetition.

Objectively, ‘For life’ is a great song. It is a fantastic record.

With production from the rising Krizbeatz (who has already scored Tekno’s ‘Pana’, ‘Rara’, and a few others), Runtown keeps things close to the template that has been responsible for the switch in the Nigerian pop sound. It’s mid-tempo Highlife, only designed with elements that are consistent with core African melodies.

‘For life’ opens with mellow guitar notes, repetitive, lush drums, and synths that are consistent with ‘Mad Over You’. The tempo from ‘Mad Over You’ is unaltered, but it all feels a little updated, with Runtown’s voice working in tandem with the instrumental to form a stretch of musical sweetness.

The theme is the same; Runtown professes his love for a woman in basic lyrics. He offers his soul, with admirable abandon, creating an emotional pull that is sure to resonate with his gigantic female fan base.

“If na fight make I fight for the love if na craze make I craze for the love” he sings, before bringing in his Ghanaian influence on the track (“Odoyewu my personal…”).

There’s a few rap lines thrown in for effect by Runtown to wrap up the song with the complete inclusion of diverse elements. The technicality and clear songwriting displayed all through the record, coupled with the immersive melody is enough to shoot this up the charts and generate massive acceptance for the record.

But it can’t be received objectively. Context has to play a part. And that’s why Nigerians are complaining. They have had enough of ‘Mad over you’.

It’s time to retire the strategy. The curtain has to fall on one of the greatest songs 2017 has seen and enjoyed. Runtown has to move past his biggest hit yet and focus on rewriting the formula for another hit.

Knowing who he is, and the level of skill that lies in his breast, there are many happy moments for Nigerian fans as the year unfolds. He is not just a genius, he is the self-styled ‘Sound God’.