Fireboy Wants to Reintroduce Himself With “Adedamola”

Fireboy rose to fame in the summer of 2019; when the Nigerian pop scene was evolving, and the ‘Afrobeats to the world’ movement was in full swing. Burnaboy’s Outside, helmed by Ye and On the Low, was spreading like wildfire, all around the world. Beyoncé, by way of her The Lion King album, was poking at new conceptions of contemporary West African music. The album featured a star-studded retinue of talents—Wizkid, BurnaBoy, Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage, Tekno, Shatta Wale & Mr Eazi. The Alte scene, populated by a coterie of counter-culturists, was firing at full throttle. Tems heralded a distinct flavor of RnB, characterized by viscerally poignant singing and vertiginous melodies. Amid this revival, Fireboy emerged, alongside two other upstarts: Rema and Joeboy. By the end of 2019, the trio had cemented themselves as the most promising acts of the year. 

In November 2019, Fireboy released Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps, his debut album, to critical and commercial acclaim. His sinewy voice, preternatural mastery of melodies, and elegant writing earned him near-ubiquitous acclaim. Five years later, he’s on the cusp of another album release. This time his fourth studio album, eponymously titled, Adedamola. The circumstances of this release are however starkly different. If he aimed to cement himself as a promising talent with Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps. With Adedamola, his target is to convince his audience that, five years into his career, he is still as prolific.

Adedamola is not exactly a make-or-break album for him. His talents are still potent and he still has a lot of cultural cachet. But the stakes are higher. His last few singles do not match up to his standards, in quality and commercial reception. In 2022, when he released Playboy, he was at the top of his game, arguably the torchbearer of his generation. Today, he has fallen several steps in the pecking order. Adedamola however, provides him the opportunity to affirm his talent and erase aspersions. The album’s title, Adedamola, suggests a reintroduction, a rebirth. The album is poised for release on the 29th of August. Seun Kuti, Lojay, Lagbaja, Jon Batiste and Spinall are confirmed features. 

The album’s lead singles—Obaa Sima, Yawa & Everyday— have however been underwhelming. After releasing Playboy, he revealed on the Zeze Millz Show that he went through a protracted writer’s block, before finally finding the inspiration for Playboy. Perhaps his lackluster showing over the past couple of months can be chalked to another writer’s block. 

A more plausible theory is that the weight of following up after the colossal success of Peru bore down on him. It’s a familiar tale, the enormous pressure of living up to the expectations of fans, the label, and his personal expectations. The increasingly rapid pace of Afrobeats further complicates matters. Artistes now feel the need to release projects annually, or risk being relegated to the periphery. It’s a pattern that has left several others in the lurch. Whatever may be the case, Adedamola offers Fireboy a clean slate, a chance to reintroduce himself and reaffirm his place as one of Afropop’s leading voices.