Joeboy: Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic
Lagos-born singer, Joseph Akinfenwa, more commonly known as ‘Joeboy’ released his debut album Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic in early February of this year, therefore solidifying him as one of Nigeria's youngest, most exciting breakout stars. In the title, Joeboy is clearly exploring the idea of love without explicitly stating it. Clocking in at 14 songs but only 36 minutes, the exploration of both beautiful and magical love is so well executed in these tracks.
Released via Banku Music under emPawa Africa, as one of the first artists to participate in the programme, Joeboy is one of the success stories of Mr Eazi’s talent incubator ‘emPawa Africa’: an initiative with aims to accelerate the careers of African artists through funding and individual mentorships. Thus, pun intended, empowering an emerging new wave of music stars.
Still in the infancy stages of his career, but already making real headway in the Afropop scene, I’d say Joeboy’s swift ascent has taken his sonic reach much further than the continent. From recording covers in his student room and growing up with a musical family but never really engaging with instruments at the time, Joeboy explains how he had music “seep into [him] subconsciously,” something I definitely personally resonate with. Coming off his 2019 EP Love and Light and a string of successful singles in 2020: such an excellent run topped off with this latest project, is a straight trajectory for global superstardom.
I think one thing that surprised me, after notable collaborations with the likes of Mr Eazi, DJ Neptune and Major Lazer was the lack of features on this album. As the sole vocalist on this project, Joeboy in a statement to Pitchfork, explains how “working on this project changed [his] life” in discovering a new version of himself he “never knew before.”
With lyrics that so effortlessly encapsulate the balance in the sweet innocence of youthful love yet the pain of heartbreak, his gentle vocals just glide over the production of E Kelly, Killertunes, Dëra, and BeatsbyKO. One of the main criticisms for this album was the repetitive nature of the themes and similarity within the tracks sonically. Whilst these themes may seem over romanticized, they are not without a sense of the realism. Tracks like ‘Runaway’ and ‘Door’ also display the disappointments and tender vulnerabilities of being in love. In essence, I like that the tracks blend into one another so the project sounds like a beautiful journey in love but at the same time not without nuance.
The two singles, ‘Lonely’ and ‘Celebration’ were premiered prior to the album release. The video for my favourite track of the two “Lonely’ was directed by Adetula “KingTula” Adebowale and follows two neighbours who realise their mutual interest in one another. So much warmth and positivity radiates from Joeboy’s music in general but from this project in particular. It is truly a celebration of love.
Enjoy Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic below and the beautiful visuals for ‘Lonely’ here.