EP Review: Love & Sex on Kizz Daniel’s Barnabas
The Nigerian singer does what he does best: dreamy, afrobeats-influenced pop songs.
Since the days of “Woju” and “Laye,” when he went by the stage name Kiss Daniel, Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe’s hit-making abilities have never been in doubt. He grew from strength to strength, churning out hit singles and two albums—2016’s New Era and 2018’s No Bad Songz—all while navigating a messy split from G-Worldwide Entertainment and floating his imprint Flyboy Inc., which saw the prefix “Kiss” change to “Kizz.” Last year, his third studio album King of Love flew under the radar but still produced near-hit singles such as “Jaho,” “Pak ‘n’ Go,” “Ada,” “Boys Are Bad,” and the covers-spawning “Fvck You.”
In May 2021, Kizz Daniel announced that he had become a father to twin boys. Two months later, he revealed that his sons were triplets but he had lost one of them. That the 27-year-old singer has felt both life’s caresses and blows cannot be gainsaid. On his debut seven-track EP Barnabas, which interrupts the an-album-every-two-years flow in his discography, Kizz Daniel (briefly) embraces spirituality while never letting go of the romantic cum sensual themes that underline his percussion-heavy afro-pop tunes.
In the Bible, Barnabas, a member of the Christian community in Jerusalem, sold his land, gave the money to the community and followed Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. It is unclear what Kizz Daniel’s intentions are with the EP’s title but on the up-tempo, Reward Beatz-produced “Eh God (Barnabas),” Kizz Daniel, in addition to protection, prays for more money. He intones, “Ah! Eh God o/No make I fall/This one wey things dey cost/I still want to ball I still want to tanotano.”
On “Pour Me Water,” against BlaiseBeats’ excellent drums-and-percussion production, which incorporates a delightful saxophone note, Kizz Daniel pleads with a woman to reciprocate his affections for her. His relationship with this woman is transactional but he holds on to the belief that he and she can share things deeper than money. Daniel, it seems, soon realizes the futility in his hopes when he sings, “And I promise you/I will find someone/Someone new.”
The sound effects that open “Pour Me Water”—the flickering of a lighter and the drag of what might be a blunt”—also open “Addict.” On “Addict,” Kizz Daniel goes full-on hedonistic. He assumes the personality of a sex-and-drug addict who enjoys smoking igbo (Nigerian slang for marijuana), having unprotected sex and using cocaine.
Released four months ago, “Lie” is one of 2021’s biggest songs. The romantic afro-pop tune finds a home on Barnabas. On “Lie,” Kizz Daniel assumes an apologetic tone as he expresses his affection for a lover. On “Oshe,” Nigerian highlife brothers The Cavemen. infuse the track with enticing playfulness as Kizz Daniel serenades his lover with sweet words. Amidst his promises of luxury getaways, Daniel cleverly references the “tensioning” on social media platforms, mostly provoked by the flashy, larger-than-life uploads that many people dream to possess or become. “But we go trouble their timeline/Give them a reason to love/Chop all their megabyte,” he sings.
“Burn,” which is co-produced by Nigerian music producer Young John and Irish music producer Roc Legion has the potential to become another fan favourite, just like “Lie.” Against lively drumbeats and swirling guitar and piano melodies, Kizz Daniel promises his lover that time and age will not reduce the feelings he has for her.
The last song on Barnabas “Skin,” which features German-Nigerian rapper Kelvyn Colt, pulls the project in a different direction. It incorporates pop with subtle elements of dancehall. Kizz Daniel and Kelvyn Colt press on the importance of the kind of love that cuts across skin colours and nationalities. “They tryna pit you against me/Conquer and divide/Don’t believe everything I read/When I scroll online,” Kelvyn Colt raps.
Released in collaboration with the American distribution company and record label EMPIRE, Barnabas feels like a prep for a longer body of work, which, if Kizz Daniel’s aforementioned flow is something to go by, might arrive next year. For now, the EP serves to remind music lovers of the abilities of Kizz Daniel, in case it escaped their knowledge.
Go HERE to stream Barnabas.
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