It would appear that I have been sleeping on Darey. I mean I’ve heard of him and I think I’ve heard a song or two – his Sisi Eko remix with Flavour Nabania being one of them because Flavour – but I never realised that he sings the kind of songs that endear me to Nigerian music the most – polished production over the most traditional of lyrics and sound.
Orekelewa was that alarm bell though. Meaning ‘a beautiful damsel’ in Yoruba, the lyrics are gently beautiful, telling of love of a bygone era – not all this “Sisi, off ya pint” nonsense that we have going on at the moment.
There is an ethnicity to it that I had come to only expect from Adekunle Gold when it comes to Yoruba music. What is this genre? Juju? Apala? Or highlife? Whatever it is, Darey delivers it with Orekelewa and we are here for it.
The video is another work of excellence. Featuring Victor Olaotan as the grandfather, Saka as the family butler, Chigul as the housekeeper, and Linda Ejiofor as Darey’s wife (well, wouldn’t you??), it takes you down memory lane, of when love was simple, pure and uncomplicated, and makes you want to hope again.
I’m sure Darey had his reasons for not releasing Orekelewa as a Valentine’s Day song, but this one is a hit in my books.
Congratulations, we’ll have this one on replay:
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