{"id":38053,"date":"2020-03-09T16:05:04","date_gmt":"2020-03-09T15:05:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/?p=38053"},"modified":"2020-10-29T17:40:17","modified_gmt":"2020-10-29T15:40:17","slug":"niniola-femi-kuti-fantasy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/niniola-femi-kuti-fantasy\/","title":{"rendered":"Niniola\u2019s &#8216;Fantasy&#8217; with Femi Kuti: a Nigerian music collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<h4 class=\"pam-featured-content pam-featured-content\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38096 pam-featured-content pam-featured-content\" src=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/b4cd0bda-niniola.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/b4cd0bda-niniola.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/b4cd0bda-niniola-759x531.jpg 759w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/b4cd0bda-niniola-1010x707.jpg 1010w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/b4cd0bda-niniola-661x463.jpg 661w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/b4cd0bda-niniola-465x326.jpg 465w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/b4cd0bda-niniola-375x263.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1010px) 759px,100vw\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/span><\/h4>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Modern Afro House star Niniola teams up with Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti for a sweet and luscious track &#8220;<\/b><b>Fantasy&#8221;<\/b><b>, featuring Femi Kuti on saxophone and African Giant producer Kel-P on the mixing boards.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Two eras of Nigerian musicianship collide on \u201cFantasy\u201d, bringing together Niniola, the \u201cQueen of Afro House\u201d and Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti for a smooth and modern collaboration. PAM sat down with Niniola to get her take on the track and what it means for her musical evolution and Nigerian music in general.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Niniola came onto the scene in 2014 with an Afro House banger \u201cIbadi\u201d produced by Sarz who produced two tracks from Wizkid\u2019s\u00a0<em>Ayo<\/em>\u00a0album. Since that initial success, Niniola has included a healthy diversity in her sound, rooted in Afro House, touching on r&amp;b and afrobeat, and singing in both Yoruba and English. Her work culminated in the 2017 album\u00a0<em>This Is Me<\/em>. \u201cThe exploration will always continue\u201d Niniola said when speaking to her musical diversity, but, she says, \u201cI make Afro House because Afro House is music you can dance to. I\u2019m a dancer so I love music with rhythm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Afro House is a relatively modern sound when looking at Nigerian music, and it\u2019s a sound that\u2019s been gathering international attention. A great example is Niniola\u2019s breakout hit\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maradona<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The track was so contagious it eventually got picked up by DJ Snake for a remix, was sampled on Beyonce\u0301\u2019s \u201cThe Lion King: The Gift\u201d project for\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIND YOUR WAY BACK<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and got shoutouts from the likes of Drake and Timbaland. When speaking about\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maradona<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Niniola remarked, \u201cit was a turning point for everything&#8230; DJ Snake brought my music to a whole new audience.\u201d\u00a0<br style=\"clear: both;\" \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"NINIOLA FT FEMI KUTI - FANTASY (OFFICIAL AUDIO)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uW3hLhyWDLg?feature=oembed&#038;autoplay=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\"><br style=\"clear: both;\" \/>We asked how all this attention from European and American superstars fits with an Afro Centric mindset and Niniola told us, \u201cI just do what I love and I stay true to myself&#8230;I work with whoever I want, and English is my language so I sing in English&#8230;I have a broad appeal with my music and different types of fans, some who just wanna hear me sing, others who want to see me dance. I welcome everyone who wants to listen to my music.\u201d That said, it doesn\u2019t seem the collaboration will cease anytime soon. When asked if there are any surprises for her future projects, Niniola that she\u2019ll, \u201cbe working with Timbaland on some tracks for (her) next album.\u201d We asked for more info, but Niniola told us with a smile in her voice that, \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t be a surprise if I told you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">International collaboration has been a norm for Nigerian musicians since the days of Fela Kuti, however, on Niniola\u2019s latest track\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fantasy\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">there is an internal collaboration that builds a bridge between heritage and modernity. We asked Niniola how she linked up with Femi Kuti. Apparently \u201cFemi said yes to work on the track before even hearing the album.\u201d He had been a fan of Niniola\u2019s previous work. \u201cIt\u2019s such an honor, he\u2019s a true legend\u201d she says, \u201cHe\u2019s so good he just does what he does with the track and it\u2019s great.\u201d Knowing Femi was able to show up and lay down the sax on\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fantasy\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with an artist that has in many ways built a career on a new Nigerian sound, is a testament to the roots and influence of Femi, Fela, and the Afrobeat generation.\u00a0<br style=\"clear: both;\" \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38089\" src=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bb2a9f67-niniola-apata-photographed-by-edesiri-ukiri.png.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bb2a9f67-niniola-apata-photographed-by-edesiri-ukiri.png.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bb2a9f67-niniola-apata-photographed-by-edesiri-ukiri.png-759x531.jpg 759w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bb2a9f67-niniola-apata-photographed-by-edesiri-ukiri.png-1010x707.jpg 1010w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bb2a9f67-niniola-apata-photographed-by-edesiri-ukiri.png-661x463.jpg 661w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bb2a9f67-niniola-apata-photographed-by-edesiri-ukiri.png-465x326.jpg 465w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bb2a9f67-niniola-apata-photographed-by-edesiri-ukiri.png-375x263.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1010px) 759px,100vw\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Photo credit: Edesiri Ukiri<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br style=\"clear: both;\" \/>Whether it\u2019s Afro House, Afrobeats, or the many iterations of R&amp;B and Hip-Hop that are sparking up in Nigeria, it\u2019s clear that there remains a great respect for the country\u2019s previous and current masters. This love and respect is perhaps best incarnated in the producer of\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fantasy<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Kel-P, who, most notably, produced Burna Boy\u2019s Grammy nominated album\u00a0<em>African Giant<\/em>. This isn\u2019t the first time she\u2019s worked with Kel-P. Her 2019 single &#8220;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boda Sodiq&#8221;\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">also had the markings of the Afrobeat inspired producer. When speaking of Kel-P, Niniola says, \u201cHe\u2019s so talented and loves Afrobeats&#8230;he\u2019s easy to work with and an awesome collaborator\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using Afrobeat inspiration isn\u2019t new. It\u2019s a formal and respected recipe for Nigerian artists in today\u2019s music scene. What is worth noting, however, is the flexibility and ease with which the genre is imbued into Afro House, carried by the sweet and skilful voice of Niniola, and complimented by the smooth and precise saxophone of Femi Kuti. All-in-all\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fantasy\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a great track and example of where Nigerian music and Niniola come from, and where they\u2019re heading in art and sound. Niniola said it best when in our conversation she mentioned, \u201cthere is so much great music out right now to listen to\u201d and lucky for us Niniola\u2019s has more new music and exciting projects to add to the Afro House movement.\u00a0<br style=\"clear: both;\" \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38099\" src=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/50340f04-img_3592___niniola___taha1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/50340f04-img_3592___niniola___taha1.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/50340f04-img_3592___niniola___taha1-759x949.jpg 759w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/50340f04-img_3592___niniola___taha1-1010x1263.jpg 1010w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/50340f04-img_3592___niniola___taha1-661x826.jpg 661w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/50340f04-img_3592___niniola___taha1-465x581.jpg 465w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/50340f04-img_3592___niniola___taha1-375x469.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1010px) 759px,100vw\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>Photo credit: Edesiri Ukiri<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Modern Afro House star Niniola teams up with Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti for a sweet and luscious track &#8220;Fantasy&#8221;, featuring Femi Kuti on saxophone and African Giant producer Kel-P on the mixing boards.\u00a0 Two eras [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":38096,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[26773],"location":[8172],"yst_prominent_words":[19696,26769,19698,19697,26764,10211,26766,19700,26765,9365,26770,19702,26771,26772,8852,26767,8543,11351,8449,26768],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38053"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/52"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38053\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38053"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=38053"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=38053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}