There is a deep well of talent that Nigerian music draws on, where the skill of storytelling in sound is as important as the voice that tells it. Through generations, songwriters have had a leading role in determining the songs and the narrative that define the industry, making the art of performance both greater and putting their own unique stamp on it.

Abimbola Ibirogba is among the best in the world making it onto the scene, using his pen as a tool of purpose and accuracy to craft songs that strike a chord to the point of evoking feeling.
As a songwriter, Abimbola knows the fine balance between soul and structure of a record, and he weaves his lyrics well to complement the melody and emotional gravitas of the music. His output on Kaey’s Expensive Taste is a clear indicator of this talent as she prepares the ground for Kaey’s vocals to flow in all their glory. Even though the song itself is a relaxed record, there is a certain undeniable depth to it that derives from the subtlety of Abimbola’s writing. Everything is placed with care that allows Kaey to flow through the song with a smooth elegance that highlights her vocal range and also the best bits of Abimbola’s writing.

Expensive Taste is confident, pairing lavish instrumentation with a vocal performance that is smooth yet dynamic. Abimbola’s songwriting provides the support that allows Kaey room to show off her vocal skills without pushing the performance toward the level of overpowering theatrics. There is a natural harmony between the melody and the lyrics, a trait that characterizes all exceptional songwriting. Verses flow by like conversation, and hooks find their way into the mind of the listener like a comfortable old friend. It is this capacity for writing songs that are both purposeful and effortless that makes Abimbola stand apart among other new songwriters.

Beneath the song’s instant gratification, though, there is skill in Abimbola’s delivery that transcends lyrics. He knows how to use cadence, rhythm, and theme resolution in the telling of a song, making each aspect of Expensive Taste cohere.

The relaxed groove of the track never becomes monotonous, thanks to how the lyrics give a gentle tug and then release, leading the listener through variations of tone and mood. Kaey, in response, compensates this leading by playing a forceful yet sensitive performance, underscoring how great performance augments great songwriting and vice versa.

A sign of a really talented songwriter is how well he or she can get lost in the music, and let the singer inhabit the world that they’ve built. Abimbola does this effortlessly on Expensive Taste. We sense him in the words, but never overpowering Kaey’s performance. Rather, his words are an unseen undertow, pushing the song forward while making it stick every moment. It’s the sense of restraint and self-knowledge that makes the divide between a strong songwriter and a gigantic one.

In an industry that tends to celebrate the voices on stage and ignore the ones in the wings, Abimbola Ibirogba is subtly leading by example and redefining what it means to be a songwriter. What he does on Expensive Taste is a benchmark of his capacity to string together songs that are both full of substance and style, showing that the pen may be mightier than the mic.