“See my life set to chaos/’Cause I’m a young man in Lagos,” declares taves on “Chaos”, the opening salvo of Popstar - Side A. Life has certainly got at least slightly more hectic for the Ibadan-raised singer-songwriter since the release of—and warm reception for—“Uche Jumbo”, a flip of Wizkid’s likewise game-changing “Don’t Dull”. And with the aptly named Popstar - Side A, taves shares part of what life is like as a rising talent, thriving in one of the world’s most musically rich cities. Popstar could just as soon mean “playboy”, the way romance and sexual attraction anchor tracks like “Deliver Me”, where taves’ love interest serves as both stimulant and saviour—able to “ginger” him and revive a depleted spirit. And yet, the woman who might rescue him could also draw him further into excess. “A couple white lies to bring you peace, oh, tell me, is that so bad?” he asks on “Isn’t It Beautiful”. On “Preaching”, taves turns financial precariousness into a secular prayer, asking God not for excess but for “sustenance” and “just a chance”. A domineering bassline chugs beneath the track, its rounded weight quickened by clipped claves. “I no fight my neighbour/I just find my way forward/As I fight my demons,” he sings. The aforementioned “Uche Jumbo” is, of course, also here, its instantly recognisable talking-drum motif and “Awọn eleyi” refrain repurposed from “Don’t Dull” for a celebration of Nigerian ideals of beauty. And just as “Don’t Dull” appeared on Wizkid’s debut album Superstar, “Uche Jumbo”’s moment—and presence on Popstar - Side A—suggests another young Nigerian star ready for the world.
