A Pulse review of 'Cheers To Life' EP by Nigerian singer Majeeed
On 'Cheers To Life', Majeeed incorporates notable Afrobeats influences to craft feel-good music that showcases his artistic depth and commercial appeal.
Since making his debut in 2022, Majeeed has enjoyed mainstream success. He has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers on social media and his Spotify monthly listeners have exceeded over half a million.
ADVERTISEMENT
With his stocks rising and his talent shining, Majeed basks at the moment in a celebration of life through impressive Pop music that incorporates different elements to uplift its musicality.
Majeeed reflects on the price of fame in the opening record and concludes on leading an easy life on a calm record that allows his vocals, melodies, and writing to shine. This reflection also extends to the BNXN-assisted 'Waka Jeje' where he again echoes his desires to lead a quiet life over Log drums.
For Popstars, there's a good time without the company of beautiful women and Majeeed crafts a mesmeric Dancehall tune that packs the making of a hit record. His arresting melodies, the scintillating bounce, and his swaggering flow that packs catchy lyrics through which he echoes how women love to be pampered make 'Girls Deserve More Money' a record that would largely appeal to female listeners. There's also the infusion of electronic elements that makes it digitally appealing to Western listeners.
Women feature prominently in Majeed's celebration of life and to them, he offers his money, love, and body. He taps Nigerian American singer Rotimi for the R&B and Garage blend 'Slip & Slide' where he paints sensual pictures driven by stimulating melodies.
He combines with Nigerian superstar Tiwa Savage for 'Gbese' where he employs the hyperboles and undertakes to go into depth for his lover on an Amapiano cut whose success preceded the EP.
ADVERTISEMENT
Amidst his celebration of life, Majeeed also shares the pain that comes with being a hopeless romantic and how he turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism. For this record on which he deploys Highlife chords, he taps the brilliantly talented Lojay who has been on a smoking collaborative run in 2023 and who knows a thing or two about being a gangstar romantic.
A fast-, Majeeed understands the value of money as a primary driver of commercial success and its importance in a society heavily driven by materialism. On the Masterkraft-produced hybrid of Afrobeat and Log drums, Majeeed mirrors Fela Kuti's lyricism and flows for a record that heavily captures his sonic similarities to Kizz Daniel.
The addition of the EDM version of 'Gbese' goes to show that Afrobeats acts can make Electronic Dance Music should they want to. When the primary drivers of the music are EDM elements then the fact that the song is delivered in Pidgin, Yoruba, or any Language doesn't preclude it from being EDM. But when the Nigerian elements in terms of the (drum pattern and arrangements) overshadow the EDM elements then it's simply Afrobeats (A fusion of Nigerian elements and EDM) as opposed to Afro-EDM or any other ridiculous tags they might be tempted to come up with.
For Majeeed, 'Cheers To Life' shows not only his talent but also his understanding of music and the listeners for whom he makes them.
A song like 'Girls Deserve More Money' is a potential chart-topper that sonically and contextually fits into all platforms needed to make it into a hit.
ADVERTISEMENT
From the compositions, collaborations, and mindset, Majeeed has his eyes at the top and this writer believes he has what it takes to play in the big leagues.
Ratings: /10
• 0-1.9: Flop
• 2.0-3.9: Near fall
• 4.0-5.9: Average
ADVERTISEMENT
• 6.0-7.9: Victory
• 8.0-10: Champion
Pulse Rating: /10
Album Sequencing: 1.7/2
Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.6/2
ADVERTISEMENT
Production: 1.6/2
Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.5/2
Execution: 1.5/2
Total: 7.9 - Victory
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7scHLrJxnppdksq%2FAxKurmqGeorKvwI6mrKyhk2SubrzUpaqeZaKaw6qx1mamn2WTnbKmvtJmq6hlnJ6zpnnEqWSbsV2jtqix0aKYp2WjnruosdFmpJqilZqypXvRcbCnn2GZ