Sonia celebrates motherland in ‘Nigerian Spirit’ video

Though she’s based in Canada, after so many years in Italy where she took the world music scene by storm, Sonia Aimy’s latest work, Nigerian Spirit, shows that her soul truly belongs to Nigeria and African in general. The new track is the first single off her forthcoming album of the same title expected to hit the music market in the coming months.

As a follow up, Sonia has released the video of the song, which is making waves across the world, enjoying ample airplay and screening on major social and online media.

The song is basically a narrative about Nigeria, her birth place, which over the years has witnessed degeneration of some sorts from the religious, socio – cultural, economic, human capital development to political inertia and the damage to both the psyche of the people and the land by Boko Haram insurgents, as well as the heavy toll massive corruption and abuse of office have had on the country.

Sonia captures this message so well in these lines: “The reality about my childhood is that there was no Boko Haram, no fake pastors and juju priests. Leaders are even more corrupt now and people are now too materialistic conscious. There is just too much confusion.”

In the song, the singer took the audience way back to the moral and cultural sanctity of the traditional Nigerian society; days when children were taught good morals and etiquette through moonlight tales by their forebears and how all of that have given way to modernity with its attendant cultural influences, which has brought socio – cultural implosion to the fabrics of the society.

On the other hand, the video of the single aptly captures the sensation and tumbrels of emotions that she wants conveyed to drive home the essence of her message. Her voice texture, carriage and pitch and of course with the subdued tonal inflection, all added to the beauty and delivery of this music as she in her sonorous and velvety voice carried through the combination of soulful, afro jazz, highlife, as well as traditional African folklore.

The production, both technical and artistic wise as well as stage and scenery depictions, are all professionally and creatively executed, with the sound very clear and neat. The picture is also of quality; very crispy, colourful and aesthetically inviting. There’s also a creative deployment of costumes and makeup to drive home the message, with her attired reflecting the traditional green and white colours of Nigeria, including her headgear and lips. In some other cuts, Sonia and her backup artistes were adorned in full African traditional costume to reflect the originality of message and scenery.

This is one music and video that anyone across the world can easily relate to as she in telling the story of her country, Nigeria, has simply told the story of the world because the images and narrative are common placed one in the world today. But the beauty of it all is that she also offers spiritual and physical rejuvenation, as she sang of hope and redemption in the horizon. This is what has made her relevant and given her works a measure of currency, as she’s more than just an artiste, but a crusader and humanist, lending her voice to championing the cause of humanity.

With an amazing fans base across the world, Sonia has no doubt risen to stardom and has performed with a number of world greats, such as African musical legends Hugh Masekela, the Mahotella Queens, Miriam Makeba, Ignawa and Williams Parker.