Nigerian music artist, Adedamola Adefolahan, famously known as Fireboy DML, has expressed his view that the Afrobeats genre doesn’t always delve deep into meaningful lyrics and genuine emotional expression. He believes that Afrobeats often focuses more on creating a vibe rather than conveying profound emotions through its lyrics.
In an interview on BET, Fireboy highlighted the importance of infusing Afrobeats with sincere soulfulness and thoughtful lyricism, aspects he feels were somewhat lacking in the genre before his arrival. He underlined the importance of fellow Afrobeats musicians tapping into their deepest emotions and personal experiences to create music that truly connects with audiences on a deeper level.
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According to Fireboy, the Afrobeats scene prior to his emergence was primarily centered around creating enjoyable vibes, but he sensed a void in terms of genuine soulfulness and lyrical depth in the music.
“The Afrobeats scene before I came in was built on vibes. But I realised that there was something lacking, and that was pure soul and lyricism in our music.”
He went on to say that he has created a new sub-genre within Afrobeats called Afro-Life, which focuses on profound lyrics and soul-stirring melodies. Fireboy’s Afro-Life seeks to bring depth and emotional complexity to the Afrobeats scene, providing listeners with music that goes beyond surface-level enjoyment.
“That was what I brought into the game. That’s why I call it Afro-Life — it’s Afrobeats that has some depth to it.”