Is Simi’s Duduke an Eponym?
It’s 2020. Simi and her music need no introduction. The Afropop singer is, arguably, the poster girl of the Nigeria Afro-soul space; this with a trademark voice, and poetical finesse in songwriting. Highly influenced by high life, soul, and RnB- her songs tilt towards ecstatic and melancholic sound, what she refers to as 'chic and sexy' music. For an artist whose discography thematizes heterosexual love affairs, Duduke is a deviant, an intermittent style akin to her posthumous song Charlie.
The onomatopoeic sound reminisces Jodie’s Kuchi Kuchi love; gives earworm feeling to high life sounds, not necessarily a copy, and reflects a narration reversal of Onyenka Nnwenu’s Sweet Mother. With Duduke, Simi isn’t just making art for art sake, but she’s revealing a personal truth, probably her best moment; which cuts across the initial phase of parenthood and a mother’s intimate conversation- a promise of bliss with an unborn child
If her voice on Poe’s 'Know You’ was unraveling a love puzzle; in Duduke, she finds answers in the stouthearted affection of a child, as what seems like a neo-Sarahic moment erupts. In a world starved of good news, Duduke is a go-to song for sanity and what happiness feels like. Within this euphoria, Simi ticks the box of the newshound and the good news.
In what has also become a social media etiquette, and a Simi-like internet mannerism of engaging with her fans; Duduke makes for a public announcement- with a baby bump, heavy legs, and hands dawdling moves- a new prenatal exercise is invented. As she racks up retweets and likes, she invites her fans to join in the euphoria. With an increasing trend around Duduke, Simi followed up with an official video, a masterclass.
The virtual is a testament to a deliberate literary inking of symbolism and allusions. The yellow gown, ocean waves, white tops have their meaning in the silences. It is also within context to unmask it around a pregnant Beyonce in ‘Yellow’ or Katy Perry rejoinder of ‘Never worn white’.
As Duduke hits the top spot on online platforms and airwaves, arguably the biggest song in the industry right now; time will only tell if Duduke will sit on Simi’s discography as an eponym, or yet another love song placed among Simi’s specials
