The Best of 2021

It's the last month of the year! Actually, it's the best season of the year, and we can’t deny that 2021 has been good to us musically. Well, we have more than a few songs to back up this part. 

The truth is a lot of artists brought on their A-game this year. Even the new artists came with a bang. Looks like they all had enough time to rest and be creative with lockdown last year. 

While we can rightly say they have all done well, some songs have been exceptional. In fact, we haven’t stopped dancing to them since they came out. I know you are already running through a list in your head. But to make it easier, I have decided to compile a list of the top songs this year.

Kilometre -Burna boy

Bloody samaritan -Ayra starr

Somebody’s son -Tiwa Savage ft Brandy

Rock -Olamide Baddo

Running to you -Chike ft Simi

Crazy Things -Tems

Show me -Joeboy

Focus -Joeboy

Bounce -Rema

Thunder Fire You -Ric Hassani

Flex -Kizz Daniel

Promise -Niniola

Early momo -Vector ft Good girl LA

Woman -Simi

Alcohol -Joeboy

Holy Father -Mayorkun

Monalisa -Sarz

For You -Teniola

Lonely -Joeboy

Somebody Baby -Peruzzi ft Davido

Squander -Falz ft Niniola

It Is What Is -Adekunle Gold

Ojuju -Oxlade & Troniq

Away - Ayra Starr

Question -Burna Boy

Pretty Girl - Adekunle Gold ft Patoranking

Loving is harder -Johnny Drille

The Don -Mr Eazi

Understand -Omah Lay

Peru -Fireboy DML

The best part is how some artists feature two to three times on this list. That is not what I would define as luck, and neither should you. It is something that only comes from hard work. And that is highly commendable because long hours of thought and considerations went into these masterpieces. But more importantly, they are a testament to the artist's growth. Some of them debuted last year, some 2019, and have already recorded milestones like this. Well, that’s the beauty of music, isn’t it?

Is there any song you think should be on this list? Kindly let me know which song and why in the comments. In the meantime, why not create a playlist of your favourite songs this year on Epoh Music?

A Truly Merry Christmas

December is that time of the year that gets us all excited. It's the Christmas season and the last month of the year. Just as that songwriter puts it, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. We know it has been a long year for everyone, particularly because we have had to make up for the compulsory holidays of last year while grappling with the challenges of this year itself. At least now we can legitimately take a break. But what makes it even more wonderful is that we can celebrate Christmas as we know it this year. 

This year we are grateful for life. We are grateful for being able to return to life as we know it. We are grateful for being able to share beautiful moments in each other's company again. We are grateful for the wonderful songs that help seal those moments. We are grateful for the opportunity to share a dance again. The events of the last two years have taught us that it is a privilege to be able to celebrate together, and for that we are grateful.

We wish you a truly merry Christmas and a happy New Year from all of us at Epoh Music. Kindly let us know what you are grateful for this Christmas. 

Music Genres to Watch Out for in 2022

One music genre birthing another is not a strange occurrence in music. It is a principle that applies to every area of life. A new concept is a derivative of previously existing ones. 

Another thing that is common with every genre of music is that it is birthed by people who go beyond the rules. People who refuse to be held bound by rules. People who desire to create a sound of their own. And from creating the new sound end up creating a legacy for generations to come. This is true in both traditional and contemporary music. The point is music will continue to evolve. There will always be something new for our ears. In the meantime, here are two genres you should watch out for in the coming year. 

Amapiano

Amapiano is a Zulu phrase that translates as The piano. The sound which emerged from South Africa in 2012 is not only taking the airwaves by storm but is on its way to dominating it. In 2020, Amapino began to increase in popularity and fan base across Africa. The sound has a unique blend of Jazz, Deep house and Lounge music. Although the origin of Amapiano is still largely debated, its similarities with Bacardi have made some people hold Pretoria as its place of origin. Trust me, some of your favourite songs this year are Amapiano. Here are a few Nigerian Amapino songs to enjoy the season. Trust Naija artists to always represent now. 

Highway -DJ Kaywise ft Phyno

Southy Love -Peruzzi ft Fireboy DML

Woman -Rema

Kilofeshe -Zinoleesky

Monalisa - Lojay & Sarz

Squander -Falz

Yaba Buluku -DJ Tariko ft Burna Boy, Preck & Nelson Tivane

Hallelu -Masterkraft ft Bella Shmurda & Zlatan

Alté

The name of the genre already suggests non-conformity. However, Alte is not a new sound, it is a mix of R&B, Pop, and Afro-Fusion. To the fans of Alte, it goes beyond music, it is a culture. It is the Gen Z culture. It is breaking away to create something that truly defines you. Derived from the word Alternative, Alte is used to characterise sounds that exist as a subform and unique blend of the predominant sound. The point is there is no standard definition for Alte. Alte is what you call it. Alte is what you make it. Alte is a step away from whatever is considered the norm. 

With this definition, we are tempted to say all genres started as Alte. But Alte is not merely the evolution of sound as it interacts with various cultures. Alte is a music genre and culture born of the desire of a generation who do not identify with the norm and rebel against it to create something that suits them. 

Notable Nigerian artists of this genre are Tems, Odunsi the Engine, Lady Donli, Wavy The Creator, Black Beatz, and Cruel Santino. If you are looking to understand this sound more, here are a few Alte albums you should listen to. 

Everything You Heard is True -Odunsi the engine

Suzie's Funeral -Santi

Enjoy your life -Lady Donli

For the love of woman and country -Oma Mahmud

P.S. Thank You for Waiting -Wavy The Creator 

BT4W -Tome

For Broken Ears -Tems

Why not create a playlist for your favourite songs on Epoh Music? There are scores of Alte songs not listed here waiting for you on the platform. Happy listening!

Choosing a Music Producer

Thankfully, music is a passion that pays. Other people are not so lucky in their areas of interest. But it doesn't matter, does it? They do it for love. Music rewards when you give it your best, and you give your listeners the best. However, certain factors could hinder you from giving the best to your listeners, which is how you make money from music. One of them is the Producer.

A Music producer gives life to your music. You can have a great voice, write beautiful lyrics, but that is not enough to make great music. A music producer seals the potential of your song to be successful or unsuccessful. Here are five things you should look out for when working with a music producer.

Professionalism: lookout for how they present themselves and their brand. Music production is a serious business. And if a producer doesn’t care about how their business looks to potential customers, then you should be concerned about what their attitude to your song will be.

Expertise: just as an artist has a style of music they specialise in, so do producers have a particular style or a few they are good at. Beware of Producers who claim they can do all styles or a ridiculous number like eight genres. Specialisation comes before competence. 

Your expectations: have set expectations and let them guide your choice of a producer. If you don’t stand for anything, you will fall for everything. Any producer who cannot give you what you need for your music should be ruled out no matter how successful they are. The point is that it is not the producer you need.

Chemistry: your producer should connect with you as an artist, your song and your message. Only then can they take what you have and make it what it needs to be. If you don’t see any connection between you and your producer, your project is already missing an essential ingredient. You cannot make a sound judgement on a song unless you have connected with it.  

Cost: of course you have to consider money. Pick someone whose full services you can afford. Don’t insist on a producer, only to get a half-baked service from them because they can’t give their best at the price you can afford. Don't do that to your song. This is not to say you should be haunting for cheap services. That won’t serve you well either because you can fall into the hands of a quack. 

Honestly, many songs are great on their own. This greatness has just been lost during production. If you have a song like that, it's not a bad idea to have a new producer work on the song afresh. When you have that song ready, a platform to share it is not a problem. Epoh Music has got you. It is free, and you can manage your content on the platform from your Artist account.

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