Nigerian Star Khaid stays on track with ‘Emotions’ EP
Nigerian Star Khaid, on his sophomore EP ‘Emotions’, Khaid retains the elements that brought him early success while showing glimpses of artistic depth.
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Having proven himself another teenager set to ride the commercial wave to the top, listeners became naturally curious about what else he had to offer.
Khaid arrested the attention of listeners with his hit single ‘With You’ which preceded his debut EP ‘Diversity’.
Entering the industry as a 17-year-old meant Khaid crafted music for the listening pleasure of a demographic largely conditioned by TikTok appeal. And while the music might appear gimmicky and template-like, it worked in the current market.
This template is largely retained in ‘Emotions’ EP where the melody, delivery, and writing are paper thin and arranged with the thoughts of how they fit into TikTok dance routines and vocal modulations.
Songs like ‘No Time,’ Anabella’, and ‘Jolie’ are sonically similar to his earlier offerings with slight alterations in tempo and production. ‘Anabella’ is already on course for commercial success and there are no prizes for guessing which platform is driving its commercial push.
On ‘People (Evil)’, Khaid uses Pop rap melodies which are very popular with a young demographic who take delight in American Trap music. The lines “I want to be a baller, not a mechanic” appear personal (as Khaid used to be a mechanic before being discovered) as well as commercially driven as it’s a popular phrase on Nigerian social media.
Despite the template nature of the EP, Khaid shows that he’s capable of making music that excels in its musicality as opposed to being crafted for internet gimmicks. On ‘Jara’ and ‘Hold Me’ whose drum arrangement seems to be a slower variant of Wizkid’s ‘Don’t Dull’, Khaid shows that he can offer more beyond the type of music that has made him into a teenage sensation.
At some point, Khaid would have to grow beyond making music whose entire arrangement is crafted to fit into TikTok dance routines and vocal modulations. But for now, he’s 18, and it’s fine for him to do what appeals to the demographic that drives his success.
Ratings: /10
• 0-1.9: Flop
• 2.0-3.9: Near fall
• 4.0-5.9: Average
• 6.0-7.9: Victory
• 8.0-10: Champion
Pulse Rating: /10
Album Sequencing: 1.4/2
Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.2/2
Production: 1.5/2
Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.2/2
Execution: 1.4/2
Total: 6.7 – Victory
Pulse/O.O
