Simisola (album)

Simisola is the eponymous second studio album by Nigerian singer Simi. It was released on September 8, 2017, by X3M Music. The album is the follow-up to her debut album, Ogaju (2008).^[2] Simisola received positive reviews from music critics, who praised the creativity and versatility of Simi's exploration of different sounds.^[3][4] The album was supported by five singles: "Tiff", "Jamb Question", "Love Don't Care", "Smile for Me" and "Joromi". Its production was handled by Sess, Seyi Keyz, Oscar and Vtek.^[5] Upon its release, the album debuted at number five on the Billboard World Albums chart for the week of September 30, 2017.^[6][7] Simisola won Album of the Year and was nominated for Best R&B/Pop Album at The Headies 2018. Moreover, it was nominated for Album of the Year the 2018 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.^[8]

Simisola
Studio album by Simi
Released	September 8, 2017 (2017-09-08)
Recorded	2014–17
Genre	Contemporary R&B world alt-rock pop Jùjú[1]
Length	53:00
Label	X3M
Producer	Steve Babaeko (exec.) Simisola Ogunleye (also exec.) Sess Oscar Vtek SeyiKeyz
Simi chronology
Chemistry (2016) Simisola (2017) Omo Charlie Champagne, Vol. 1 (2019)
Singles from Simisola
"Tiff" Released: June 9, 2014 "Jamb Question" Released: February 15, 2015 "Love Don't Care" Released: February 14, 2016 "Smile for Me" Released: January 27, 2017 "Joromi" Released: August 11, 2017

Promotion

Simi released the Oscar-produced love song "Smile for Me" on January 27, 2017.^[9] Its music video was directed by Clarence Peters.^[10] In anticipation of the album, she released another Oscar-produced love song called "Joromi". Its music video was directed by Aje Films.^[11] On September 1, she took to Instagram to unveil the album's cover art and track listing.^[12]

Composition

Known for composing love ballads, the album sees Simi combining contemporary R&B with highlife and juju music. "Joromi" is inspired by Victor Uwaifo, while "Aimasiko" is a remake of Ebenezer Obey's "Aimasiko". Elements of Afrobeats, dancehall and techno can be found in "Original Baby", "Hip Hop Hurray" and "One Kain", respectively.^[1]

Singles

"Tiff", "Jamb Question" and "Love Don't Care" all appeared as bonus tracks on the album. "Tiff" was nominated for Best RnB Video and Music Video of the Year at the 2015 Nigerian Music Video Awards.^[13] "Jamb Question" was also nominated for Best Soft Rock/Alternative Video at the aforementioned awards ceremony.^[14] "Love Don't Care" was released on February 14, 2016, in celebration of Valentine's Day; it was nominated in three categories at The Headies 2016, winning one.^[15]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
The Star	[16]
Pulse Nigeria	[17]
TooXclusive	[18]

Simisola received positive reviews from music critics, who were pleased with Simi's progress and versatility in exploring several music genres. Ifeoluwa Nihinlola of Music in Africa opined that Simi has progressed since her last album and thinks "she has found a way to retain the lightness of her voice and persona, while being earnest, all without turning bathetic".^[1] Filter Free's Chiagoziem Onyekwena stated: "On Simisola, Simi defines her own sense of everything."^[19] An editor for YNaija was full of praise for Simi's dynamism in fusing two Nigerian classics with contemporary R&B, and further added that the album is "a project that could go on to start a new Nigerian sound".^[20]

Vibe's Cyclone Artemis, who wrote a song by song review, pointed out that the "deep chemistry" between Oscar and Simi makes the album "in a class of its own by quite a number of standards".^[3] Reviewing for Pulse Nigeria, Joey Akan observed that Simi "delivered on her promise of good music" and went on to argue that "in many ways, it is the best that Nigeria has seen in 2017".^[17] Adeyemi Gbolahan of TalkGlitz Media added, "the album didn’t contain sounds like most Nigerian body of works that boasts of the ‘pon pon’ sounds." Describing the album as "quite predictable", Adeoluwa Atayero of Nigerian Entertainment Today wrote a mixed review. However, he remarked that Simisola is "one of the strongest musical pieces of 2017 and without a doubt a step in the right direction".^[21]

Accolades

Year	Awards ceremony	Award description(s)	Results
2018	Nigeria Entertainment Awards	Album of the Year	Nominated
	The Headies	Best R&B/Pop Album	Nominated
		Album of the Year	Won

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's official liner notes.

Simisola – Standard edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Remind Me"	Simisola Ogunleye	Oscar	3:04
2.	"Joromi"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:55
3.	"Aimasiko"	Ogunleye	SeyiKeyz	3:56
4.	"Complete Me"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:18
5.	"Gone for Good"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:59
6.	"Original Baby"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:45
7.	"One Kain"	Ogunleye	Sess	3:07
8.	"Take Me Back" (featuring Adekunle Gold)	Ogunleye Adekunle Kosoko	Oscar	4:08
9.	"O Wa N'bę"	Ogunleye	Vtek	3:30
10.	"Smile for Me"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:33
11.	"Angelina"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:26
12.	"HipHop Hurray"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:34

Simisola – Bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
13.	"Love Don't Care"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:25
14.	"Jamb Question"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:24
15.	"Tiff"	Ogunleye	Oscar	3:32
Total length:				53:00

Simisola – Deluxe edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
16.	"Original Baby (Remix)" (featuring 2Baba)	Ogunleye Innocent Idibia	Oscar	3:46
17.	"Smile for Me (Sigag Lauren Remix)"	Ogunleye	Sigag Lauren	3:37

Personnel

• Simi – primary artist
• Adekunle Gold – featured artist (track 8)
• Fiokee – live guitars
• Alaba – live percussion
• Dami – live sax
• Ayo – live bass
• Obi Somto
• Simi - mixing
• Vtek – mastering
• Oscar – production (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
• SeyiKeyz - production (track 3)
• Sess - production (track 7)
• Vtek - production (track 9)

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Version	Label
Various	September 8, 2017	CD, Digital download	Standard	X3M Music

References

1. IfeOluwa Nihinlola (12 September 2017). "Simi bets and wins on Simisola". Music in Africa. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
2. "Simi releases second studio album " – TVC News Nigeria". tvcnews.tv. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
3. Artemis, Cyclone (11 September 2017). "Album Review: Simi is an unapologetic lover girl in spanking new project, Simisola". vibe.ng. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
4. "Opinion: Simi's 'Simisola' is originality at its peak » YNaija". YNaija. 9 September 2017. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
5. Chidirim Ndeche (8 September 2017). "Simi Releases New Album "Simisola"". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
6. "World Music: Top World Albums Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
7. "Simi's debut album makes No.5 on Billboard's World Albums Chart - Vanguard Allure". Vanguard. 20 September 2017. Archived from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
8. "Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2018: Complete list of nominees". Music in Africa. 12 September 2018. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
9. Akan, Joey (31 January 2017). "Simi: Singer"s new single "Smile for me" is her most important move in 2017". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
10. Jasper Efe (13 March 2017). "Simi - Smile For Me (Dir. by Clarence Peters)". Daily Post. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
11. Adeoluwa Atayero (16 August 2017). "Here is what we think about Simi's latest single, 'Joromi'". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
12. Akan, Joey (1 September 2017). "Simi: Singer releases "Simisola" album cover, tracklist". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
13. "Nigerian Music Video Awards (NMVA) 2015 Nominees List". tooxclusive.com. 17 November 2015. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
14. "Who will win NMVA Best Soft Rock/Alternative Video? - Sounds.ng - Nigerian Music". sounds.ng. 27 November 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
15. Daniel Anazia (31 December 2016). "The rise of X3M Queen… Simi". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
16. Davies Ndolo (16 September 2017). "Album Review: Simi's "Simisola"". The Star. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
17. Akan, Joey (8 September 2017). "Album Review: Simi replicates her hot romantic form on "Simisola"". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
18. Oluwatobi, Ibironke (1 October 2017). "ALBUM REVIEW: Simi – "Simisola"". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
19. "On "Simisola", Simi Defines Her Own Sense of Everything". 18 September 2017.
20. "Album review: Simisola could start a fresh Nigerian sound » YNaija". YNaija. 12 September 2017. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
21. Atayero, Adeoluwa (9 September 2017). "Some tracks are forgettable but 'Simisola' did not disappoint". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.