Chunes!

So far, we can say that the new wave of artistes are working twice as hard to take Afro-Fusion to a distinctive level by making wide ranges of music while telling their stories. Blending our Western African sounds with every other genre possible such as Hip Hop, Trap, R&B and very recently, Drill while maintaining the beauty of our music would make you understand that.

Nigerian singer and songwriter, Michael Obinnaya Elekwa, professionally known as BAYA presents a smooth and wavy mix of Afro sounds and R&B in his latest single “O’Town Vibes”. In this new chune, it’s imminent that life inspires his music as he rolls out relatable lyrics. The intro came in softly and gradually transitioned into the body of the song with the roll of drums and continued with the consistent afrobeat kick.

“Leave the devil standing far away, fight and live to fight another day”…In the first verse, Baya talks about staying happy and wanting to have fun despite any negative encounter. With his melodious vocals, he also sings about chilling with his homies as they vibe to songs and turn the party right up which according to him is “the typical life of an Owerri youth”.

“Let me take you down to mi area, where the vibe a bussin up dem head pon de stereo”, he sings out in a Patois accent while taking us through his musical journey back in his hometown Owerri. You can tell he values his roots as he not only mentions the eastern vibes but also incorporates that into the artwork for the song.

As the sound makes its way through your speakers, you’ll feel the need to relax and catch some cruise just like the inspiration behind the song. “The song was written on my birthday when I turned 21. There were bottles, blunts, cute girls too… I was so faded that day. I had one of those moments that felt so good, I had to put it in a song”, he tells me during a brief chat.

You can listen to the song through this link: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/baya/otown-vibes