Falz and Simi are the new pair of artistes who have done several collaborations without belonging to the same band. This has given thoughts to a new kind of career relationship among artistes where chemistry may not only lead to great vibes, but also a lasting ‘cash and carry’ kind of musical relationship without the usual misunderstandings known to have split great bands.
Incidentally, the two singers came up with an EP titled “Chemistry’, containing the tracks; ‘Chemistry’, ‘Enough’, ‘Shake Your Body’, ‘Show Your Pepper’, ‘Foreign’, ‘Want To’, and ‘Cinderella’, as a way of taking their strategic relationship to the next level in this kind of new order. For Falz and Simi, this followed the huge fan attraction they got from earlier collabos like ‘Jamb Question’ and ‘Soldier’.
In the same spirit of collaboration, Falz’s sophomore studio album – a 17-tracker titled ‘Stories That Touch’ – is a collabo with 12 artistes, including Oyinkansola, Phyno, Chigurl, Simi, Reminisce, Sess, Reekado Banks, Poe, Chyn, Bez, M.I, and Show Dem Camp.
On the other hand, with ‘No Forget’ and ‘Take Me Back’ the sonorous Simi also has a career alliance with Adekunle Gold, apart from both of them being romantically linked. This was just as Big Brother Naija 2017 Housemate, Jon Ogah featured Adekunle Gold and Simi in the song, ‘Uncle Suru’.
The beauty of this fling is such that it is not only mutual and respectable to the parties, it is also refreshing to the fans. Thus, you find like-mind artistes coming back to do stuff together once the initial effort is well accepted.
For example, Skales and Burna Boy have done a couple of works together that have sat well with their fans. There is ‘Temper’, off the ‘Never Say Never’ album by Skales and ‘Gbefun One Time’ from the same album. Olamide on the other hand has featured the likes of Phyno, Timaya, Davido, Oritse Femi, Lil Kesh etcetera in his songs.
Apart from the combo collaboration between Falz and Simi, it is not that the concept is new among Nigerian artistes, one can only agitate for more as such efforts also give pep to the diversity of tunes which is the new order, especially in Africa.
Therefore, if the most unexpected break-up, as in the case of the P-Square brothers could happen, it is safe for fans who are somewhat at the receiving end to get used to occasional partnerships that will not end in the usual problems associated bandmates, and musical labels.
For example, Wizkid broke the family bond in the Banky W led E.M.E records that used to house his longtime friend Skales and others like Niyola and Shaydeeboi when he decided to go solo.
When Mo’hits broke up, it was for the same reasons of dissatisfaction with the contribution of the other party in terms of content and profit after what appeared a long period of tolerance.
There couldn’t be so much distant reasons why Plantashun Boiz, Styl Plus, Remedies, and KC-Presh among others parted ways in their musical careers. Often, ego and greed have been attributed to divorce among musical groups whereby after breakthrough, some artistes suddenly realise that the signed contract is not profitable to them in terms of profit sharing.
I wish to say that under this new order; the type that exists between Falz and Simi, it is difficult to beef one’s partner for disloyalty, profit sharing, low contribution etcetera, because if you didn’t find anything great in the other guy, you don’t need the collaboration. Besides, since it is only a fling, separations in this case will go on almost unnoticeable.
