I want people to realize that Afrobeats is beyond vibes, beats, instrumentals etc. Afrobeats is so much more. I want to show the world that Afrobeats can be deeper, personal, expressive etc. Also, that an Afrobeats album can be cohesive. I think I have succeeded in making that point, it might just take a while to digest, in that attention span is at an all-time low especially in a place like Nigeria. I bet they'll eventually realize how beautiful and deep the album is.
Fireboy DML to OkayAfrica[1]
Apollo (stylised in all uppercase) is the second studio album by Fireboy DML, released on 19 August 2020. It comprises seventeen tracks and features guest appearances from D Smoke, Wande Coal, and Olamide.
Synopsis[]
On Apollo, Fireboy DML folds a diverse sonic palette into a contemporary Afropop iteration. Afrobeats fuse with the laid-back R&B of "New York City Girl" and the sensual melodies of "Tattoo", and his silky voice conjures poignant emotions. Lyrical musings on fame, doubt and love—woven between melodic percussion from producers like Type-A—add enticing layers to the singer-songwriter's music.
Background[]
The recording process took weeks, and he named it as "more personal and a tad bit deeper" compared to his previous album. The interlude in particular was difficult to write, as it was a personal story. Regarding the collaborators on the LP, he explained to HYPEBEAST, "Wande Coal is my idol. My debut project was never gonna have any features but I just had to get him on this one. He's so special to me and we had a special moment creating "Spell". I watched him do the things I'd been listening to my whole life and that moment was surreal. I work with Pheelz mostly, because we have that synergy plus he's part of the YBNL family so the connection is seamless. P Priime is a young prodigy, and also has an amazing personality so it's easy working with him. For Type A and me, it's always been the sonic part of our friendship that matters most. Iambeatz created a smash hit, "Vibration", in a dingy hotel room in Lekki, Lagos and since then, it's been pure magic. These producers worked with me on this project so they mean a lot to me. I appreciate them".[2]
He revealed to OkayAfrica the process, "Basically, it was like a collected chain of events. I got a deal off the joint venture between Empire and YBNL, making a project inevitable. I had thought about it hence my hiatus after LTG, so it just all blended. Unlike LTG, this took about two weeks because I'm in an entirely different mindspace. I knew that if I put out a LTG 2.0, it might be widely acclaimed and die off after a few months. I was in a god-mode mindspace which explains the title of the album. Apollo is a Greek god of music and poetry which summarizes my persona and how I perceive myself. Ironically, it's named after a god but most of the songs talk about humanity and flaws. "Airplane Mode" for instance talks about the price of fame, no matter how strong-willed you might be. For someone like myself who's a loner, locks everyone out, and just puts my phone on Airplane mode—hence the title."[1]
Track listing[]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Champion" (with D Smoke) | Pheelz | 2:59 | |
| 2. | "Spell" (with Wande Coal) | Pheelz | 2:53 | |
| 3. | "Eli" | Pheelz | 2:52 | |
| 4. | "Tattoo" | Type A | Type A | 2:56 |
| 5. | "Favourite Song" | Pheelz | 2:33 | |
| 6. | "New York City Girl" | Type A | Type A | 2:20 |
| 7. | "Lifestyle" | Iambeatz | 2:32 | |
| 8. | "Airplane Mode" | Type A | Type A | 2:57 |
| 9. | "24 (Interlude)" | Pheelz | 1:21 | |
| 10. | "Dreamer" | Pheelz | 3:00 | |
| 11. | "Afar" (with Olamide) | Iambeatz | 2:51 | |
| 12. | "Go Away" | Type A | Type A | 3:29 |
| 13. | "Shadé" | Type A | Type A | 3:29 |
| 14. | "Friday Feeling" | Pheelz | 3:36 | |
| 15. | "God Only Knows" |
| 3:11 | |
| 16. | "Sound" | 3:27 | ||
| 17. | "Remember Me" | Pheelz | 2:51 | |
| Total length: | 48:27 | |||
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Louis, Tochi Praise (14 September 2020). "Interview: Fireboy DML Gets Deep & Personal with 'Apollo'". OkayAfrica.
- ↑ Johnson, Patrick (7 September 2020). "Fireboy DML Is Afro-Life's God of Light". HYPEBEAST.
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