ASA: ASHA

     Asa, whose real name is Bukola Elemide, was born in France to Nigerian parents. Looking at her, one would say she is into more of jazz or even country music. With locs, spectacles and tottering a guitar, coupled with a deep timbre voice, a lot of listeners never thought she was Nigerian.

    First time i remember listening to anything from her, late 2006/early 2007, i stumbled upon Eye Adaba, (literarily meaning, DOVE ) on radio. My first thought was, "goddamn" and also "who's this", i loved the song because of its solemnness and calm approach, her voice, so pure and the way the song rides. It was not very popular on radio at the time, because the go-to music popping on radio was Afro-pop, Tuface, D'banj, P-Square, Timaya, Olu Maintain, 9ice amongst others. These musicians had banging pop songs, that was killing the dance floor across the nation, constantly on repeat on radio stations and the streets, these guys owned the music scene.

    Late 2007, Asa drops her debut album, self titled, with another lead single, 'Fire on the mountain', as a typical Nigerian, when we hear "there is fire on thee mountain", it signifies a big problem without a feasible solution in sight. The single was soothing, thoughtful, evoking and well, spoke to us as a people about out struggles as a country and the challenges we as citizens go through. 

    The album was 10 tracks, which in itself was a surprise at the time, with song titles divided between Yoruba and English, none of which is a party starter, but all songs touch different topics, from human struggle, love, world peace. 

    Starting with Jailer, Asa does not hold back, chastising government officials for high handedness and advising them to be good, its a good bop, with bouncy beats and beautiful guitar riffs, yet the lyrics stands out. What she did on 360, just beautiful. "we don't have to go the 360, all you had to do is 180", i mean, just do something and people would meet you halfway, to achieve love, peace and make the world a better place. On Bibanke ( meaning, If i am crying), Asa was reaching out to a love lost and cying out for what should have been. This is my favourite song in the album, it touches me deep, because we have all experienced lost love at some point in life, either through death, heartbreak or even relocation. Whenever i listen to Awe, which is more a ballad, self conscious and even with my limited knowledge of the yoruba language, it made me think about alot of things.

    The album as a whole, gave me the opportunity of a different perspective about different spheres of life, about hope, love and joy. I praise the courage of making such an album, even though it was mostly recorded in France, but as a Nigerian, i give kudos to her for creating such a masterpiece. With Cobhams, handling the production, the combo between them birthed this great work of art that swept awards in Nigeria and abroad, remains one of the best album ever made and is always a point of reference in Nigeria music.