“Say Yes” is Valjae’s evergreen romantic blues

The sweeter the poetry, the more interesting an RnB song can get, especially one that basically talks about a hopeful romantic serenading his lover. Valjae’s recently-released RnB jam, “Say Yes” is a prime example of how good lyricism can make or mar a romantic record, irrespective of genre.

“Baby, if I give you all of me would you say yes? I know the answer is in your heart but I am still waiting on you to say yes,” Valjae’s heartfelt request drifts over the bridge of the song. The song’s lyricism attempts to flatter and impress, and the passion behind every octave reminds one of some bohemian Shakespearean romance story. The song’s clear and simple writing helps to boost recall, creating a stronger chance of singing along to it by your second or third listen. This writer argues that its hook might actually just be a blessing in disguise, with how simple, short, repetitive and charismatic it is.

Another impressive part of the song is its composition. From its opening lines crafted in Nigerian pidgin, “Girl you do me like pin pin pin pon pon, Ogidi gan,” the song creates a jovial, and exciting feel that fortifies the rest of the intro. The song largely shifts on simple percussion, marinated by Valjae’s Afrobeats flow; yet, its subtle backing vocals and interesting cocktail of Piano chords and Bass drums create an intriguing progression.

The song’s tempo also lowers right in the second verse, with the bridge “Mama ye mama ye ye ye / Baby say yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah/ Mama ye mama ye ye,” before returning to its mid-tempo drift, creating a cinematic pace that helped reinforce the song’s message. The song decrescendos with a bit of what sounds like Valjae’s humorous a cappella rambles, creating a very cinematic finish to a great song.

The song’s greatest function is in its emotional impact, as it’s very likely it could conjure memories of an unrequited love experience upon just first listen. Its heartfelt vocalisation and emotive melodies help tune the record into a frequency of affection, love, yearning and warmth. As a love song, it’s definitely poised to stand the test of time.

With good harmony and a patient pace, the song rises and falls just enough to pique attention upon first listen. It easily feels like one of those mood-filler records that you definitely cannot leave at first listen, strengthening its replay value. “Say Yes” is a quintessential romance RnB song well accentuated with an Afrobeats flow for both a local and global market.

Born Victor Ladejobi, Valjae is a rising African musician based in the United Kingdom. He stepped into the scene formally in 2016, with the song “Calling”, as Val-junior, releasing music and developing his style before switching monikers. His stellar voice and poetic lyricism spotlight him as one to watch among his peers. Inspired by Nigerian greats including M.I. Abaga, Fela Kuti, Burna Boy, among others, the young bard has continued to pursue his musical dreams with grit, determination and African Pop.