While people in the real world shy away from expressing their feelings to people they claim to love, others are still in the yearning business. When social media commentators say real lovers are dead, people can call their bluff by pointing out Kunmie, the last living real lover.
If you are paying attention to social media or streaming platforms, you may have come across his music, a video with his music or content about his music. When the year started, one of the good surprises that came with it was Nigerian singer Kunmie and his infectious single, “Arike”. The marketing of the song kept it rotating on our screens, especially on TikTok. What many thought would be a one-time run proved otherwise with the release of his debut project “Before We Become Strangers”.
Featuring the pre-release chart-topping “Arike”, Kunmie’s Before We Became Strangers came packed with three additional songs, offering a short yet existing listening experience. The four-track EP embodies the feel and mood of a hopeless romantic’s diary. The themes and contents of the songs swing from affection, expressiveness, vulnerability, and yearning for love. Kunmie presents himself as a Prince in a Disney tale, slaying dragons for the woman he loves. However, the dragons being slain are doubts that may creep up in the head of the person whose feat he’s trying to sweep.
Like a real lover, Kunmie opens the EP with “I Admit”. A soft Afropop song where Kunmie takes responsibility for his actions. Something a lot of young people do not practice. What makes the song special is not the fact that he takes responsibility but the way he goes about it. His words comfort the ear and calm the listener. Almost like the warm hug you receive from your lover after a stressful day.
“Majẹkajá” follows. It has a different tempo but a similar message. The song feels like a sequel to the first, but the twist is him asking for an opportunity to right his wrongs. At this point, if he is not being considered for a re-run of the relationship, he might never get another chance. The genuineness in his voice is not only convincing but also reassuring.
There comes the lead single, “Arike”. The song is perhaps the core of Kunmie’s hopeless romantic nature. He pours out his heart, his feelings and emotions. At this point, one would not be wrong if they describe Kunmie as a wordsmith. His words are simple yet so effective. The song embodies the scene of two lovers taking a stroll, holding hands and sharing jokes.
The closing track, “One More Chance”, is Kunmie at his most vulnerable. If “I Admit” is the first, shaky realization that love has slipped through his fingers, this is the final, open-palmed plea. His voice flutters between quiet desperation and quiet acceptance, and by the time the last note fades, it’s clear: he knows the answer, even if he doesn’t want to hear it.
Overall, “Before We Become Strangers” is a cycle of hopeless romance who loves, hurts, but loves again in a loop. Kunmie’s simplistic writing style is a big asset but second to his ability to convey the right emotions and mood in his voice and delivery. As a real lover, while he errs, takes responsibility and fights for the love he holds dear. He understands that love can hurt, but it is also very forgiving as long as you take accountability and speak up. With this understanding, Kunmie does not hold back, and he displays that throughout the tape. From admitting to his wrongdoing, asking for a second chance and being vocal about his feelings and emotions. At a time when there is a shortage of yearners and lovers, there are Kunmies who do not shy away from the vulnerability that comes with love. Rather, they embrace vulnerability and let their love shine through it.
“Before We Become Strangers” is nothing short of a modern-day romantic diary, which proves Kunmie art and craft are real and not just a TikTok moment.
Written by Nana Kojo Mula.
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