Veteran Nigerian highlife musician, Bright Chimezie, has voiced his worries about the declining lyrical quality in contemporary music.
Speaking on a recent episode of the CreativTea podcast, posted on Instagram the legendary singer acknowledged that today’s artists are excelling musically but stressed that their songs often lack meaningful lyrical depth.
“Music is more profitable now than my time. The only problem I have with the present crops of artists, is their lyrical content. In terms of rhythms and every other thing, they are doing quite okay,” Chimezie said.
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He questioned the lasting impact of many of today’s songs, comparing them to works from his own era. “But, what message are they passing to the society? Some of the things we [me and my contemporaries] sing stick. I remember I did ‘Respect Africa’ in 1984, that’s about 40 years ago. But I can still watch what I did 40 years ago and be proud of my lyrics.”
Chimezie further challenged younger musicians to reflect on their legacies: “These days, I ask these boys, ‘The things that are coming out from your mouth, by the time your music stays up to 40 years, can you sit back with your children, see yourself and be proud of yourself?’”
While commending their talent, he urged them to raise the standard of their songwriting. “So, those are the things. They are doing very well. But I think it is very important for them to add good lyrics to their music,” he concluded.
