The first time I heard Teni was on a freestyle video that went viral on Instagram. And she blew my mind.
I forget the year and song, but Teni’s voice was unforgettable as she added her lyrics to a popular tune and essentially made it her own. She sounded like what I thought the modern-day version of a bard would sound like: melodic, rich, and full of life.
When Teniola Apata, also known as Teni, broke out with her song, Fargin, it was as though a cool sea breeze had blown over the music scene. Adding to her artistic talent was her comedic nature which had everyone falling in love with her. I mean, the only thing Nigerians love next to music and sports is comedy.
Teni quickly released a series of singles such as Wait and Pareke, which won her the Rookie of the Year award at the Headies in 2018. She continued the success line with Askamaya, Case, Uyo Meyo, Sugar Mummy, and Billionaire that cemented her status.
We’ve anticipated her debut album for a long time, and now it is finally here. Wondaland, a 17-track creation from Teni’s heart and mind, is as colourful and fun as its maker. The album opens with MAJA, a short intro track where Teni tells everyone that she will not let anyone stop her. The song also includes her oríkì – praise poetry among Yoruba culture that describes one’s heritage and expresses what people hope someone will become.
I found that particularly interesting because it’s refreshing to see that utilized in a song. It is even more meaningful as this is Teni’s debut body of work, so she’s letting the world know who she is and hopes to become. The album continues with For You featuring Davido, which she had released as a single earlier last month. A fan favourite already.
Following are Moslado and Game Over, which are my personal favourites. Moslado has a chill vibe that you can dance to, and the guitars on the song paint a picture of elderly men drinking palm wine and listening to highlife music at an outdoor bar. Game Over, on the other hand, presents the imagery of young lovers having a wild night.
There are songs that I predict will be fan favourites. One of them is Hustle – on which she chronicles her struggles in making it and asks people to understand. Another is Injure Me featuring Olamide – which shows Teni’s playful Sugar Mummy persona as she instructs someone who has been catching her eye to act right and consent to her requests.
One song which brought tears to my eyes is Dad’s Song which she wrote for her father, who passed away in 1995. Assasins raided the Apata home and shot Simeon Apata, Teni’s ex-soldier father, who had a leg injury in front of his three wives and ten children. Before his death, Simeon was sort of like an unsolicited vigilante who helped people in the neighbourhood when robbery attacks occurred. He became a target for that specific reason.
In the song, Teni tells her father how far she has come, dropping her debut album. She also lets him know that she is no longer afraid because she feels him rooting for her. “I’m glad that I am alive to keep on pushing all your dreams, and I can become everything that you wish so that you can see. Daddy, Ẹ ru o ba mi mọ (I am not afraid anymore), you are standing by me. Ẹ ru o ba mi mọ (I am not afraid anymore), you are always next to me.”
Teni gave us a bonus track titled Black, where she speaks for all of us as Black people and Nigerians who face so much in the world and our country, Nigeria. From Police Brutality to bad government, we want to be free to live our lives. And Black perfectly expresses that feeling.
I would describe every song on the album because let’s face it, Teni made magic on this album. But, I want you to listen to the album for yourself. Teni is a talented songwriter and vocalist, and I’m happy all of it came to play on this debut project. I will patiently wait for the world to open back up, so we can see her perform all the masterpieces on this album, live in concert.
