SoKid’s ascent within the Nigerian music scene has been fraught with a competitive approach, one where his lyricism and stellar delivery take centrestage.
In his latest eponymous EP, his lyricism soared with such intrigue that led this writer down a cursory search to the song’s author. One name stood out: Queenly Agharase Okoro, the writer behind “Reflex”, the EP’s focus track.
For a myriad reasons, songwriting remains an underspotlighted art form within the creative scene in Nigeria. Nonetheless, with increased awareness in music publishing processes, authors like Brown Joel, Mbryo, and a host of others have begun to gain their deserved attention.
Okoro’s penmanship in “Reflex” is distinguished by her intentional and clever use of emotional vulnerability, minimalist imagery and repetition for emphasis as her sleight of hand technique.
“Hope you don’t mind/ If I put you on the line/ And I hope you got some time/ You be my peace/ Oh, the peace of my mind/ Girl, I cannot let it slide,” she paints a vivid imagery of a lovelorn romantic.
Delivered over a subtle emo-pop melodic composition, her lyrics connect with profound vulnerability. “You make me wan craze anytime you undress/ Girl I know it’s your reflex/ I hope we got a thing so/ I mean rough sex/ Baby, tell me how you felt,” she carves a solid hook that explores widely unspoken realities in contemporary romantic relationships, one where fetishes and fantasies actually exist between partners. Her code-switching between Nigerian Pidgin, “You make me wan craze” and English language amplifies the song’s local reception and easy recall.
The icing on the cake for Okoro’s penmanship is in the simplicity within her poetry. The song hovers between its hook and chorus. “High, I’m getting high/ Me and you we go dey for life/ All other girls, they no get your style/ They no get vibe, and I can’t deny,” the chorus rings clear with catchy allegories that emphasise the depth of romantic intoxication involved in the scenario.
Overall, Okoro’s pen in SoKid’s “Reflex” is easy-going, catchy, emotionally intense and vulnerable. It’s a new age of emo Afro-pop lyricism where sweet-tongued romantic lyrics shine alongside emotionally intense plot lines. In “Reflex”, Okoro establishes a towering prowess with the pen, ranking as one of Afrobeats’ most alluring songwriters in recent times.
