Yemi Alade’s Empress Album Review
Triple-threat singer/ songwriter and actress Yemi Alade affectionately dubbed as “Mama Africa” released a 15-track album titled Empress.
This is her 5th studio album, and the theme of female empowerment is still powerful, from King of Queens to Empress, Yemi Alade basks in her Black Girl Magic as a Woman of Steel.
Empress holds features from stars like Patoranking, Rudeboy, Estelle, Vegedream, Mzansi Youth Choir, and Dadju who she featured on track 7 “I Choose You“.
I choose you is a symphony of organs and drums, a steady rhythm that Miss Alade known for.
There’s a reason why she’s arguably the most successful female afro-pop artist in Africa. Her popularity continues to soar, and I predict that this album will continue to draw pan African fans.
Yemi is a woman who knows herself, and it shows through her music. She is so in touch with her cultural side and also shines a light on others.
One thing I love about the album is that it features multiple languages, a celebration of what it means to be multilingual.
This is one of the reasons why Yemi Alade is widely embraced all over the world. She doesn’t just make music for Nigerians.
This album is an amalgamation of what Yemi is known for plus a mash of Afro-pop, Gospel House, Highlife, Soul, Coupe decale, Gospel, and even Dancehall; she created a body of work that has something for everyone but still manages to be authentic.
My current faves are Rain filled with the beautiful backing of the Mzansi Youth Choir and Temptation, which has a sonic composition that reminds me of Beyoncé’s Already.
Empress is filled with a lot of dancy tracks like Yoyoyo, reminiscent of Yemi’s break out song Johnny and Turn up.
Her vocals really shine throughout the album, and if you listen to the lyrics closely, you can see that she tells a story with each song.
Yemi Alade once again proves why she’s worthy of her crown; Empress showcases her ability to make feel-good music. I predict that the album will have more fans than Critics.
Lastly, stay up to date with all you need to know about African music at SOA, right here.
