J’odie’s ‘African Woman’ is a breathtaking display [Album Review]

By Ayomide Tayo

Album-African Woman

Artiste- J’odie

Producers- Wole Oni, Phat E

Label- Dun Entertainment Company (2012)

There are still some people who believe Joy Ese Odiete should have won the maiden and only edition of West African Idols in 2007.

The first spot went to Timi Dakolo and the second spot to Omawumi. Both acts have gone on to have critical and commercial success in their careers.

Five years later, J’odie comes out from the land of the forgotten to release her debut album African Woman. Produced largely by Wale Oni, J’odie delivers an album that is ’50 shades of brilliant and captivating’. This songstress has a voice that will haunt your spirit and captivate your mind. This album isn’t paperweight, is the real stuff, the real deal.

The LP starts with the soothing ‘I Lost Mind’ which features a flirtatious Spanish guitar (played by Phillip Uzor). This is the kind of music you expect to hear while walking the cobblestones of Madrid not Lagos; the kind of music that pours sunshine from her lips to the listener’s heart.

J’odie’s creative expression is epitomized on ‘My Own Story’ where she sings ‘If I write my own story, I will tell it how I like. I can be the hero or the villain if I want. I can sail the seven seas or hide in my own room. If I write my own story, only possibilities”

‘Biko’ is an epic ballad telling of a woman refusing to let go of her lover. With her strong voice, J’odie knocks another song out of the park. The grandness of the song makes it feel like the soundtrack to a Hollywood romantic movie.

J’odie goes deeper into her Igbo roots on ‘Akpona Igbunu’. Wole Oni should be given credit for creating a track so beautiful and commanding. With Jodie’s voice leading the march this is a track that pushes the boundary of mixing indigenous and western sounds to create a sound so moving.

We enter rock territory in ‘Oh Mama’ and on ‘African Woman’ J’odie jumps steps into the Euro Pop scene as she exalts the uniqueness of the black woman’s physical attributes and hair.

The last three tracks on the album drive home the African theme. ‘Under The Mango Tree’ is a calm and soothing song with a Caribbean touch where J’odie sings about meeting her lover under a mango tree. ‘Sugar Coconut’ is as sweet as what she sings about and oh…yeah peppered by that Spanish guitar. Unless you live under a rock, there’d be no excuse to miss J’odie’s quiet hit single ‘Kuchi Kuchi’. It is the last track in this 10 song album. With every listen it gets better.

Despite the short duration of this album (41 minutes) J’odie has presented songs that should last a lifetime.

African Woman is the most artistically bold album since Asa’s debut album in 2007. Thank you, J’odie!

Rating- 4/5