Album Review: Simi Rediscovers Herself on Lost and Found
The singer explores love stories and life lessons.
Simi has had a glowing career. The Nigerian singer-songwriter has engraved her place amongst Nigerian music stars from her breakout with 2017’s Simisola to 2020’s hit single “Duduke” to 2022’s TBH (To Be Honest). Even with the demands of marriage and motherhood, Simi has not slowed down, digging into her bag of magic for singles “Stranger,” “All I Want,” “Men Are Crazy” with Tiwa Savage and “Borrow Me Your Baby” with Falz. “For most of my life, I have enjoyed the privilege of knowing myself deeply, unwaveringly, truly,” Simi wrote in anticipation of her newest album. “In more recent years, I have also endured the discomfort of losing myself. Sometimes, to make room for something else that I needed to be - other times, because I could not, for the life of me, find my way. I felt like a stranger to myself.”
This journey of losing and rediscovering herself is contained in Lost and Found. Simi sets the stage for the album’s theme straightaway with the title track, singing over piano and violin, “Sometimes you surrender so you can live to fight another day/Who knows freedom like somebody who was once a slave/Grateful for wisdom when I remember my foolish ways.” The track obeys the yin and yang of pain and happiness, suffering and victory. “Lost and Found” is the only track on the album that Simi, a producer, handles.
The honour of production credit is shared between LOUDDAA (for the most part), Vtek, BigFish and FUNWON. “Borrow Me Your Baby” with Falz continues the chemistry (pun intended) between the two artists from collaborative features and joint EP Chemistry (2016). Falz and Simi, who’s married to Nigerian artist Adekunle Gold, play into the curiousness of the Nigerian public about their friendship from the comic approach of Falz “borrowing” Simi from Gold. The track returns memories of their delicious banter on Falz’s “Soldier.” On “Know You II” with LADIPOE, both singer and rapper recreate the magic from 2020’s “Know You” as they struggle with expressing love and hold their cards to their chest.
Nigerian singer Lojay delivers a terrific performance on “Miracle Worker,” where Simi taunts a previous lover. Lojay plays the part of the ex-lover who never meant to leave, as he sings, “O girlie girlie/Girl I’m innocent (I know)/I know you saw me with some Lagos girl (I know)/But I don’t wanna be on street no more (Single).” While Simi is cocky on “Miracle Worker,” she lets down her guard on “Gimme Something” as she makes a U-turn, declaring she’s not over her feelings for a past lover. “That thing wey you do to me/That love wey you showed to me/That touch wey dey tickle me/That day you were missing me/That time you were kissing me,” she sings.
This duality of romantic emotions is also one of the bases of Lost and Found. One minute, she craves all the love. The next minute, she is drained, sick, and tired of everything. On the impressive “Messiah” with Aṣa, Simi takes a stand against being a crutch in a romantic situation that only takes and takes from her. “How can I save you when I haven’t save myself/Sometimes I try, but you won't even take my help,” she sings. With her verse, Asa also supports the track’s sentiment, with both acts bonding in their ode to self-perseveration. On “Men Are Crazy” with Tiwa Savage, Simi acknowledges the “men are scum” mantra but still insists she craves male affection, singing, “Men are crazy/But I still want one in my bed o/And I still got one in my head o.” Tiwa Savage adds her sultry vocals in support, singing, “Oh, when the nights get cold and lonely/I miss you and your craziness.” Both tracks represent Simi’s thoughts on life: ups and downs, sweet and sour.
Out of the 14 tracks on Lost and Found, Nigerian music producer LOUDDAA is responsible for nine tracks. LOUDDAA, most of whose works have been for Mavin Records’ artists, is the guiding light for Simi’s sonic reflections. On “All I Want,” whose music video LOUDDAA makes an appearance as Simi’s love interest, LOUDDAA’s production is as fun-sounding as the song itself, using Amapiano log drums as the fulcrum for Simi’s declarations. Glittering guitar strings are the magic givers of “Romance Therapy,” as Simi professes love unabashedly. None of LOUDDAA’s productions on the album come off as monotonous and predictable—credit to the man.
With songs “Ayo,” “Aimasiko,” and “Joromi,” Simi hasn’t hidden for love and gratitude for the sounds from the yesteryears of Nigerian music. She gets her deserved recognition on “Jowo,” featuring Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey. The song interpolates the legendary singer’s “Olomi Gbo Temi,” with the man lending his vocals still to the track. In line with the 2021 anthem “Woman,” Simi champions the cause of women around the world with the empowering “Woman to Woman,” singing, “Woman to woman/You’re one in a billion/She a queen, she a vision.” At its core, Lost and Found is Simi telling listeners to choose themselves and protect their energies because losing and finding yourself can only be your prerogative.
“(This album) is about me reclaiming my chemistry with music, melody and love stories,” Simi wrote. With the album, she accomplishes that. There’s indeed music, melody and love stories in Lost and Found. And life lessons, too, when you dig beneath it all.
Go HERE to stream Lost and Found.
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