‘Are You Listening?’  by Taves declares the evidence of his potential to evolve through all the strata that the biggest Nigerian artists have undergone.

The best of Taves is yet at hand as he releases a well-invested body of work titled ‘Are You Listening?’ It has taken him eight excellent tracks to question if we were listening, to which the world has responded with a resounding YES. Hopefully, this will convince him that we are listening to every nuance of sound that goes into his magnificent music.

In the calmest way he knows how, Taves has held the whole world in a soothing grip of excitement with this timely release. Another thing he’s been doing such great work at is expressing his growth with each new song. What he has done on this EP is foolproof work, stemming from his steadfast dedication to expanding the parameters of his sound. The 20-year-old songster who graced this week’s cover for Apple Music’s Africa Rising is fast becoming the biggest name in the Afro scene.

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In Taves’s words:

“My EP, ‘Are You Listening?’ represents me and my growth as an artist. Working on this EP, I had so much to prove, not just to the people who love me and my music, but to myself. It’s a body of work that me and my team have poured our hearts and souls into, and I hope it resonates with people as much as it does with us. More than anything, I want it to serve as a symbol of hope to anyone who feels like they wanna start on their journey. Don’t ever lose hope or confidence in what you believe in because it’s only you that can turn your dreams into reality.”

Taves on ‘Are You Listening?’ declares the evidence of his potential to evolve through all the strata that the biggest Nigerian artists have undergone. The album is strongly influenced by the traditional sounds of his hometown of Ibadan, Nigeria, which likewise symbolizes never giving up and accomplishing your goals. It’s safe to say now that what is coming after this project will be bigger than we ever envisaged, no matter how big the picture we have is. However, let’s join him on the phone call he initiated with the EP’s first track.

How fascinating is it to piece together that all eight tracks on this body of work were a conversation that Taves had with each of us over the phone? This young man is not only serenading us with his music but also having a genuine heart-to-heart conversation with everyone listening. (Hence, the “Are You Listening?” tag.) He’s worthy of the attention he demands, and it’s such a thing of joy that he’s receiving it.

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Taves opens the phone line with a hopelessly romantic track titled ‘Bad Romance,’ with which one would be quick to assume that he established the mood for the EP. His beckoning vocals on this track boast of an astounding listening experience through the rich compilation and track listing of the EP. This effortlessly rendered song leads us to the second track, ‘Folake,’ which still has him not shying away from his romantic yearnings.

On the third track, ‘Enchanté,’ just when one might be settling into the previous mood, Taves delivers an entirely different style and tempo and prepares his listeners for how daring he’s about to be in the subsequent tracks.

‘A Million Things’ on the fourth track was the initial product of this EP, which enjoyed the first ever listening and suggestion to be released by Burna Boy. The track still has him insistent on his love interest, Sade.

As expected along the line, Taves is joined by Bnxn to explore the funky side of his Afro depths on the fifth track, titled ‘CWT.’ He exudes a happy-go-lucky spirit on some vibrant beats and religiously aligned bass strings. This created a path to a more dance-oriented sixth track, ‘Economy,’ which features lyrics about money, materialism, hustle, and a different disposition towards female attention. A spontaneous Taves was born, speaking in typical Nigerian ghetto slang, ‘Aje,’ and asking to whine Ikebe (waist).

He transitions into a full-blown Yoruba boy flavour on the seventh track, ‘In the City.’ Known as the “Yoruba Demon” or perhaps the “Yoruba Angel,” he balanced between being a hopeless romantic, an unapologetic flirt, and a party crooner, and now he’s falling in love.

In the final track, Apology’, Taves, who had previously dabbled in a variety of musical styles and personas through engrossing storytelling, reverts to a tender, subdued, remorseful lover boy, then leaves us with an ending call tone.

Production Contributions: TSB [Stormzy, Dave, J. Hus], P. Priime [WizKid, Fireboy, DML], Tempo [BNXN], and Semzi [Olamide, Victony Reekado Banks].

‘Are You Listening?’ is indeed a magical experience. You’ve just got to be listening…

LISTEN HERE