Woman of Steel (album)

Woman of Steel is the fourth studio album by Nigerian singer Yemi Alade. It was released on August 30, 2019, through Effyzzie Music Group and Universal Music Africa.[1][2] Described by Alade as a "buffet with different kinds of meals and drinks", the album represents a thematic and personal shift in her sound.[3][4] Musically, it is an Afrobeats record that incorporates elements of R&B and highlife. Woman of Steel features collaborations with Rick Ross, Duncan Mighty, Angélique Kidjo and Funke Akindele. It was supported by the previously released singles "Home" and "Give Dem".[5] Although critical reception to Woman of Steel was mixed, the album was considered to be Alade's best album yet.

Woman of Steel
Studio album by Yemi Alade
Released	August 30, 2019 (2019-08-30)
Recorded	2018-2019
Genre	Afrobeats R&B highlife
Length	52:00
Label	Effyzzie Universal
Producer	Taiye Aliyu (exec.) Yemi Alade (exec.) Koribo Harrison (exec.) Krizbeatz DJ Coublon Rotimi Keys Vtek Yung Willis Egar Boi
Yemi Alade chronology
Black Magic (2017) Woman of Steel (2019)
Singles from Woman of Steel
"Home" Released: August 21, 2019 "Give Dem" Released: August 21, 2019 "Vibe" Released: October 28, 2019 "Shake" Released: November 20, 2019 "Remind You" Released: January 22, 2020 "Shekere" Released: February 5, 2020

Background and promotion

Woman of Steel primarily explores topics such as love, socio-politics and poverty.[6] Yemi Alade spent three years recording the album and said it would be released on August 30, 2019.[7] Musically, Woman of Steel is an Afrobeats record that incorporates elements of R&B and highlife.[6][8] Alade describes the album as a "buffet with different kinds of meals and drinks".[7] She named the album Woman of Steel to reflect her tough veneer to command the same degree of respect as her male counterparts.[3] Moreover, she derived the title after coming to the realization that she is her own superhero.[4] The album's cover art features Alade wearing a headcap inspired by the Nefertiti Bust artwork.[9] Artists featured on Woman of Steel include Rick Ross, Duncan Mighty, Angélique Kidjo and Funke Akindele. In an interview with The Star newspaper, Alade said some of the songs that made the album were recorded the previous year while others were recorded in August.[7]

Yemi Alade teamed up with Belaire Rosé to launch and promote the album in Lagos, Paris, London, New York and Nairobi.[10] The Lagos edition of the launch party was held at the IMAX Theatre in Lagos; celebrities such as Denrele Edun, Dat Warri Girl, Illbliss and DJ Sose were all present at the event.[11] The launch party in Kenya was held at the Blue Door Restaurant and Lounge in Westlands, Nairobi.[12] Celebrities who attended the event include Chimano, Musyoka, Nadia Mukami, Naiboi, Patricia Kihoro and Victoria Kimani.[13][12] Alade launched the album in Kenya because she considers Nairobi to be her second home.[12] In October 2019, Alade submitted the album to The Recording Academy for consideration in the Best World Music Album category at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.[14]

Composition

The album's opening track "Home" is reminiscent of church music; in it, Alade sings about her appreciation for her love interest.[5] The mid-tempo track "Give Dem" contains Latin strings and an Afrobeats-infused percussion; the song takes a showy route.[6][5] In "Vibe", Alade portrays herself as a sexually liberated woman; this is exemplified by lyrics like "I want a boy wey go love me scatter, wey nor go knock before e enter, wey go love me pass him sister, give me brain make I mental".[6] In "Night and Day", Alade incorporates guitar melodies found in Soukous music.[6]

The nostalgic track "Shekere" is a remake of Angélique Kidjo's "Wombo Lombo".[12] The reggae track "CIA (Criminal in Agbada)" tackles political corruption.[3] The romantic ballad "Remind You" contains lyrics recorded entirely in conventional English.[4] In the Igbo highlife track "Yeba", Alade speaks about rejecting marriage proposals from two broke men.[6] The Duncan Mighty-assisted track "Shake" has a dancehall feel and is reminiscent of Tekno's "Pana".[4][6] In the R&B and Afrobeats-infused track "Lai Lai", Alade is acceptant of her love interest despite his humble account balance.[6] In the pro-wealth track "Poverty", Alade denounces poverty and endorses wealth.[6] She enlisted Kenyan singer Ivlyn Mutua to translate the song into Swahili.[12] "Nobody" draws comparisons to Wizkid's "Sweet Love".[6]

Singles

The album's lead single "Home" was released on August 21, 2019. Its production incorporates elements of fuji music and live instrumentation.[15] Alade released a music video and a short film to support the song's release.[16] The music video for "Home" was shot and directed by Alade's frequent collaborator Clarence Peters; in it, Alade is seen dancing and wearing flashy African attires.[15] The video features a folky narrative and follows Alade and her love interest's romantic relationship at the beach.[15] The short film that accompanied the song's release was written and directed by Clarence Peters.[16] The film depicts an emotional love story between Nneka (Alade) and Austine (Frankincense Eche-Ben). In it, Nneka escapes an abusive grandmother and a mundane life in rural Nigeria in order to reunite with Austine.[16]

The Krizbeatz-produced track "Give Dem" was also released on August 21, 2019, as the album's second single.[17] The accompanying visuals for "Give Dem" was shot and directed by Clarence Peters; it contains energetic dance moves.[18] The album's third single "Vibe" was released on October 28, 2019.[19] In "Vibe", Alade demands affection from her love interest and alludes to her lust-driven desires.[19] Dennis Peter of Native magazine described the video for "Vibe" as a "collage of bright, sun-soaked shots that capture the singer at her usual, exuberant best".[19]

The Duncan Mighty-assisted track "Shake" was released on November 20, 2019, as the album's fourth single.[20] The visuals for the song was shot and directed by Paul Gambit. In the video, Alade evokes her sensual side, posing on a bed in a powder blue mesh gown and performing several dance sequences.[21] The album's fifth single "Remind You" was released on January 22, 2020.[22] The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Ovie Etseyatse; in it, Alade fantasizes about getting dressed in sensual clothes for her love interest Djimon Hounsou.[22]

The album's sixth single "Shekere" was released on February 5, 2020.[23] The song features vocals by Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo and interpolates her 1996 classic "Wombo Lombo".[23] Alade spent three years working on the song and was in contact with Kidjo's brother prior to meeting her.[12] The visuals for "Shekere" was directed by Ovie Etseyatse and highlights various African cultural dances, including the Maasai jumping dance.[24] In the video, Alade is seen in various beaded looks and ankara prints while Kidjo wears a Zulu headdress.[23]

Other releases

The remix of "Oh My Gosh" was released on April 30, 2019.[25][26] The song features American rapper Rick Ross and is a slight departure from Alade's dance-inducing Afrobeats sound.[26] The accompanying music video for "Oh My Gosh" (Remix) was directed by Ryan Snyder; in it, Alade and Rick Ross are surrounded by colorfully-clad dancers headed by Izzy Odigie.[27][28]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
TooXclusive	8/10[6]
Pulse Nigeria	6.9/10[29]

Woman of Steel received mixed reviews from music critics. Pulse Nigeria's Motolani Alake awarded the album 6.9 stars out of 10, praising Alade's songwriting skills and commending her for "addressing a myriad of topics" on the project.[6] Alake also opined that the album is Alade's best album yet.[6] A writer for Filter Free Nigeria, who goes by the moniker The Waistbead Whisperer, praised Alade for sticking to her musical formula but ended up criticizing the album's depth, content and lyrics.[30] Mide Michael of TooXclusive did a track-by-track review of the album and granted it 8 stars out of 10; Michael also considers the album to be Alade's best album yet.[29] In a less enthusiastic review, music critic Michael Kolawole said the album is underwhelming despite "offering an abundance of upbeat songs".[31]

Track listing

Credits adapted from AllMusic and other publications.[32][33][34]

Woman of Steel – Standard edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Night and Day"	Yemi Eberechi Alade Segun Ajayi		3:21
2.	"Home"	Alade Victor Kpoudosu	Vtek	3:44
3.	"Shake" (featuring Duncan Mighty)	Alade Duncan Okechukwu Ernest Itiveh	Egar Boi	3:14
4.	"Give Dem"	Alade Chris Sunday	Krizbeatz	3:32
5.	"Vibe"	Alade Itiveh	Egar Boi	3:11
6.	"Yeba"	Alade Daniel Shekwoyemi	Yung Willis	3:24
7.	"Remind You"	Alade Kpoudosu	Vtek	3:00
8.	"Nobody"	Alade Sunday	Krizbeatz	3:26
9.	"Shekere" (featuring Angélique Kidjo)	Alade Angélique Kidjo Charles Ugo	DJ Coublon	3:06
10.	"Poverty" (featuring Funke Akindele)	Alade Funke Akindele Kpoudosu	Vtek	4:03
11.	"Lai Lai"	Alade Rotimi Akinfenwa	Rotimi Keys	3:30
12.	"Somto"	Alade Shekwoyemi	Yung Willis	3:32
13.	"CIA (Criminal in Agbada)"	Alade Kpoudosu	Vtek	4:04

Woman of Steel – Bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Poverty (Swahili Version)" (featuring Funke Akindele)	Alade Akindele Kpoudosu	Vtek	4:03
15.	"Oh My Gosh (Remix)" (featuring Rick Ross)	Alade William Roberts II	DJ Coublon	3:18
Total length:				52:00

Notes

• "Shekere" interpolates Angélique Kidjo's "Wombo Lombo".[23]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's back cover and AllMusic.[35][36]

• Yemi Alade – primary artist, composer, executive producer
• Koribo Harrison – executive producer
• Taiye Aliyu – executive producer
• Segun Ajayi – composer
• Rotimi Akinfenwa – composer, production (track 11)
• Ernest Itiveh – composer, production (tracks 3, 5)
• Victor Kpoudosu – composer, production (tracks 2, 7, 10, 13, 14)
• Daniel Shekwoyemi – composer, production (tracks 6, 12)
• Chris Sunday – composer, production (tracks 4, 8)
• Charles Ugo – composer, production (tracks 9, 15)
• Funke Akindele – featured artist
• Angélique Kidjo – featured artist
• Duncan Mighty – featured artist
• Rick Ross – featured artist
• Adesope Olajide – A&R

Release history

Region	Date	Version	Format	Label
Various	August 30, 2019	Standard	CD digital download	Effyzzie Music Group UMG Africa

References

1. "Woman of Steel by Yemi Alade". Apple Music. August 30, 2019. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
2. "Woman of Steel, Yemi Alade goes Universal". The Lagos Review. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
3. Damola Durosomo (August 30, 2019). "Yemi Alade's Journey to Becoming a 'Woman of Steel'". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
4. "Yemi Alade Releases New 'Woman of Steel' Album". Business Daily. October 25, 2019. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
5. Debola Abimbolu (August 22, 2019). "Yemi Alade Premiers two new singles, "Home" and "Give Dem" off her coming 'Woman of Steel' album". Native. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
6. Motolani Alake (September 3, 2019). "Yemi Alade: 'Woman of Steel' is best album yet [Album Review]". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
7. Elizabeth Musyimi (18 October 2019). "'Woman of Steel' up for Grammy's — Yemi Alade". The Star. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
8. Motolani Alake (30 August 2019). "Yemi Alade releases 15-track new album, 'Woman of Steel'". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
9. Damola Durosomo (August 21, 2019). "Watch Yemi Alade's New Music Video for 'Give Dem'". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
10. Josephine Amoako (September 9, 2019). "Yemi Alade and friends spotted toasting "Woman Of Steel" album release with Belaire bottles that feature her portrait!". Glitz Africa. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
11. Bolaji Alonge (6 September 2019). "Yemi Alade appears on wine label at Lagos album launch". Music in Africa. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
12. Thomas Rajula (16 October 2019). "Yemi Alade gives a taste of 'Woman of Steel'". Daily Nation. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
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14. Ferdinand Ekechukwu (October 12, 2019). "Yemi Alade Up for Grammy Awards' Consideration". This Day. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
15. Debola Abimbolu (September 2, 2019). "Yemi Alade shares 'Woman of Steel' album with African romanticizing music video for "Home"". Native. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
16. Damola Durosomo (September 10, 2019). "Watch Yemi Alade's New Short Film for Her Latest Single 'Home'". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
17. Damola Durosomo (August 21, 2019). "Watch Yemi Alade's New Music Video for 'Give Dem'". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
18. Dennis Ade Peter (September 25, 2019). "Yemi Alade's video for "Give Dem" colourfully amps up her diva persona". Native. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
19. Dennis Ade Peter (October 29, 2019). "WATCH YEMI ALADE IN THE CHEERY VIDEO FOR LATEST SINGLE, "VIBE"". Native. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
20. Dennis Ade Peter (November 21, 2019). "Yemi Alade reaches for new levels of sexy in New Video for "Shake" featuring Duncan Mighty". Native. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
21. Damola Durosomo (November 21, 2019). "Watch Yemi Alade's New Music Video for 'Shake' Featuring Duncan Mighty". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
22. Tami Makinde (January 23, 2020). "Yemi Alade is not afraid to get sexy in the New Video for "Remind You"". Native. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
23. Damola Durosomo (February 5, 2020). "Angelique Kidjo Joins Yemi Alade In the Vibrant Music Video for 'Shekere'". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
24. Debola Abimbolu (February 5, 2020). "Watch Yemi Alade & Angelique Kidjo celebrate in New Video, "Shekere"". Native. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
25. "Oh My Gosh (Remix) - Single by Yemi Alade". Apple Music. April 30, 2019. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
26. "Yemi Alade Connects With Rick Ross For 'Oh My Gosh' (Remix)". OkayAfrica. August 29, 2019. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
27. Damilola Animashaun (30 April 2019). "Watch Yemi Alade & Rick Ross In The Video For Their 'Oh My Gosh' Remix". Konbini. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
28. "Yemi Alade Connects With Rick Ross For 'Oh My Gosh' (Remix)". OkayAfrica. 2019-04-29. Archived from the original on 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2020-03-21.
29. Mide Michael (September 11, 2019). "[Album Review] Yemi Alade – Woman of Steel". TooXclusive. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
30. "Yemi Alade: "Woman of Steel" is the Singer's Best Album Yet". Filter Free Nigeria. September 9, 2019. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
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34. Damola Durosomo (August 8, 2019). "Listen to Yemi Alade's Infectious New Ballad 'Oh My Gosh'". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
35. Violet Johnson (21 August 2019). "Yemi Alade Unveils Official Artwork And Tracklist For "Woman Of Steel"". Guardian Life. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
36. "Woman of Steel by Yemi Alade - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 March 2020.