#KIMONO 2014

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

THE ART OF RED LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY -- ICELANDIC MUSIC MEETS AN EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC LEGEND.

PIC INFO: Spotlight on the late, great Damo Suzuki, formerly of experimental rock band CAN, performing live with the Icelandic rock trio KIMONO, at Faktorÿ in Reykjavík, Iceland, c. 2014. 📸: @benedikt_reynisson of @skatar_official.

Source: www.picuki.com/media/3432391996789053771.

[dailyfigures]

everyone reblog/reply with your favourite figure you got in 2023! <3

[pineapplefulfillseveryneed]

Sparks & The Heritage Orchestra - Amateur Hour (december 19 2014)

10 years ago today! To celebrate I have finally uploaded my recordings on YouTube, you can find them all here.

Kimono My House Overture

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us

Amateur Hour

Falling In Love With Myself Again

Here In Heaven

Thank God It's Not Christmas

Hasta Mañana, Monsieur

Talent Is An Asset

Complaints

In My Family

Equator & applause

Part 2:

The Rhythm Thief

Get In The Swing

Let The Monkey Drive

Looks, Looks, Looks

Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat

Excerpts from The Seduction Of Ingmar Bergman

Dick Around

When Do I Get To Sing "My Way"

The Number One Song In Heaven

Encore:

Change

[dia-oro]

There this fic that is very old and a classic in the sesskag fandom, I didn’t even remember I downloaded it by a page that is already dead so I give it a cover that was well deserve, maybe at vacaction in the university I reread it.

[ellas-journey]

From a thing to wear to an icon of culture 👘

There is this hidden detail in Muzan that when I noticed I could not help but smile. Remember how he said that the thing he hated the most was change? Well coming from someone that had to live in 5 different eras is kinda funny, and it's even funny when you realize that he ended up adopting the Western fashion pretty fast. But that's the twist, if you look at Muzan's vest you come to realize that it's the exact same pattern as the kimono he used to wear. The best part? That was a thing that actually happened in history.

Wanting or not, the clothing that the people used to wear represents the history they lived through. "To look seriously at art objects of the everyday, such as clothes - their discourse and practices, their meaning-bearing forms and their codes of internal and external interpretations - in an essential, and often neglected, component of any study of modern aesthetics." - Slade, 2009 Yofuku [Western Clothing] is a type of clothing that is now common all over Japan, but during a lot of time, it was a type of clothes that only selected few grew up with. The 1st contacts with these types of clothing [even if extremely different from what we now call western clothing] was in the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived in Tanegashima. With them came not only different shapes but also different fabrics. But the “true” introduction to western fashion would only happen with Commodore Matthew Perry, catharsis to the Meiji restoration, where Emperor Meiji would start to dress in a typical western military outfit, and soon after the empress would start to aper in the typical victorian dresses. In the Edo period clothing visually distinguished the social classes. "Certain articles of clothing visibly differentiated people of diverse social classes, and simultaneously distinguished an individual within a specific group. The materials, motifs and construction of military campaign coats, for example, marked their wearers as men belonging to the military class." - Milhaupt, 2014; Samurai ranked on the top, followed by farmers, artisans, and merchants on the bottom. What happen was that most of the times the samurai where poor while the merchants lived in economic success. But samurai had the privilege of using certain types of fabrics and patters, even tho most of the times they could not afford them, and so, the merchants would start to adapt the fabrics and patters they were allowed to were and would end up becoming the patrons of arts and fashion. The trends of fashion would later be documented in ukiyo-e, and not only in the work of art sense, but also in pattern books were people could browse the prevailing styles. After the 1st contacts with the westerners, what would start to happen is that slowly but surely the Japanese would start to integrate the western ways of dressing into their lives. The Japanese started to introduce some of its elements with the kimono, shoes, hats, gloves, glasses, umbrellas, etc. Then in the 19th century a full change would happen starting from the man in the highest classes to the man in the lowest classes. The emperor decided to cut his topknot in 1872 and started to dress in western clothing in official appearances, also changing some of the more cultural habits like eating meat and more wester kind of meals. In the official portraits he appears adorned with a French-style military uniform with ornaments in gold and ostrich feathers. Before this, the emperor was never a public figure, so when pictures of the Meiji Emperor became available, and he started to appear more publicly the nation would have their eyes on him and start to imitate him. Women would, for the longest time still dress in the now classic kimono, that would develop as a symbol of the old and traditional Japan. The idea of the western clothing being associated with a modernized Japan and the Kimono [that literally means “thing to wear”] to a traditional country came from the fact that the emperor would choose to wear western clothes in more formal, international events, and for religious national events would choose the traditional Japanese court dress. The western clothes will end up being a symbol of the modernization of Japan, and the Meiji government would use it as yet another tool of national control. For all the Japanese born after 1945 the western clothes became the norm. Most families would end up transforming their kimonos into western clothing pieces, and the patterns sold for kimonos would double for kimonos and western clothing.

But it is funny to notice how despite it all Muzan is the one being presented in western clothing and Ubuyashiki is the one in traditional clothes, always being the contradiction of the other, but also it can also be interpretated as the Ubuyashibi family being "trapped" in the past since in hundred years the corps never killed an upper moon, the history never changed. And Muzan in his ever-changing cycle of his life, in the changing of eras and changing of personas he decided to reuse the only thing he could: his clothes. And just like him, they would adapt through the times.

MILHAUPT, Terry Satsuki. 2014 - Kimono: A Modern History. London: Reaktion Books [Ebook]; SLADE, Toby. 2009 - Japanese Fashion: A cultural History. Oxford, Berg. [Ebook];

[iamjapanese]

Nora Akino（Japanese/American）

Kimono Moon 2014 monotype 15″x21″ via

[mrmousetolliver]

Tou Katsu in an editorial for Kapuki denim kimonos. (2014)

[2010s-nostalgia]

Does anyone know what's up with the "2014 aesthetic" thing? I keep seeing these moodboards that are, apparently, meant to be pictures that look like 2014, but they're like images of eos eggs, TOMS, kimonos, and hoards of victoria secret body spray. In case yall did not know, eos eggs were not cool anymore in 2014

[maigeiko]

Hello ! I really admire your blog and knowledge , I want to start by saying thank you for your hard work and dedication ! I would like to ask , what’s the difference between saying 〜をどり and 〜おどり ? I assume they must be read the same , but is it a difference of dialects , type of event , etc. ? If you don’t mind me putting another question there and if it isn’t too personal , what made you create this blog and start diving into this world ?

Hello! I'm glad if you can learn something new with this blog :) As far as I know, yes - をどり and おどり are read the same, but the spelling with "を" is older and likely used to make the "odori" look more traditional. Don't think it is related to dialects or different events. What made me create this blog and start diving into this world? Some time in 2010, I was hanging around on tumblr, followed some Japan-related blogs and came across this picture:

Although I knew about the existance of Geisha in general before (misconceptions mostly), this specific picture was the start of a deeper interest. It was all super fascinating. The colours, the kimono, the seasonal changes... so, a Maiko from Kyoto was the gateway drug for me, as for many other people too :D In December 2012, I was still very confused about everything and joined Tsurukomaiko forums (back then, they were partially open to public). There, I came across the fact that there's Geisha outside of Kyoto too and found it even more confusing. But tbh, there were still a lot of misconceptions like "she wears a wig? Can't be a real Maiko. She wears Furisode, not Hikizuri? Can't be a real Maiko. And what's this weird Obi knot?" (a more advanced challenge was "is she a Furisode-san or an Asakusa Hangyoku?"). The topic of "Geisha outside of Kyoto" didn't let me go, and I learned more and more (over the years, there was more info available on the internet, compared to 2008, when Tsurukomaiko forums started, and 2014, when I actively started collecting pictures and searching for infos. This blog was started in 2016 to share my growing hobby of "Geisha outside of Kyoto" with other people who might be interested in it, and there's still so much to discover! That's it :)

[kkatastrophic]

heyy^^ sorry to bother I just wanted to ask is your pfp official art?? if so where did you find it?

not a bother at all!!! My pfp is official art from the anime in 2014, some rare posters. It comes in a box set with the popular image of kiyotaka, mondo, and yasuhiro in Kimonos. The image of my pfp is of Leon in a byakuya outfit, he's with Makoto and Byakuya. The original image has a big sample text over the top. I'll try and find the original image and reblog it later (I have the image on laptop rn but I'm on phone). Search up "#Leon Kuwata" on my tags if you want to find it quickly!! <3<3<3

[omegaremix]

Omega Radio for February 24, 2014; #47.

Laura Nyro “Buy And Sell”

Tim Weisberg “Killing Me Softly With His Song”

Smoke “Shelda”

Gianni Oddi “Kimono Pop”

William B. Tanner “The Cat”

Jacky Giordano “Train”

Puccio Roelens “Northern Lights”

Blue Mitchell “Delilah”

Phil Upchurch & Tennyson Stephens “South Side Morning”

Eddie Harris & Les McCann “Set Us Free”

Joe Simon “It Be’s That Way Sometimes”

Rance Allen Group “Give My All To You”

Exuma “Silver City”

Orchestra Julian “Do It With Class”

Modern Soul Band “5 Hach Nalb 7”

Eddie Bo & Inez Cheatham “Lover And A Friend”

Black Sugar “Kathy”

Lalo Schiffrin & The Mike Curb Congregation “Burning Bridges”

Blackrock “Yeah Yeah”

Bayete “Free Angela (Thoughts…And All I Got To Say)”

Michael De Albuquerque “Sweet Mirth”

Gladys McFadden & The Loving Sisters “Never Gonna Turn Around”

Jeannie Reynolds “I’m Hooked On You”

Riff Raff “Original Man”

General Lee & The Space Army Band “We Did It Baby” part 1 & 2

John Tropea “Can’t Hide Love”

Teddy Lasry “Los Angeles”

Gil Flat “End Of A Story” part 2

Leroy Vinnegar “Doing That Thing"

Modern Sound Quartet “Eerie Night”

Pierre Arvay “Sky Way”

Rubba “Way Star”

Guru Guru “Taoma”

Bill Summers “Brazilian Skies”

George Duke “Feel”

Herbie Hancock “Spiraling Prism”

Tony Hymas “Final Inspection”

Azymuth “Fly Over The Horizon (Vôo Sobre O Horizonte)”

Bonus broadcast of vinyl treasures, sampling, crate-digging, soul, funk, groove, R&B, jazz, and fusion.

[tanuki-kimono]

Helllooo I would love it if you could find some lovely green kimonos to post ❤️❤️ I feel like green is an underappreciated color on kimonos!

Green is actually quite present in Japanese traditional color palette! Kimono fashion uses many green hues from deep jewel ones (mostly for winter), to light and soft ones (reminding people of young spring sprouts).

I rarely tag colors, but you can check the blog archives page which will let you see all past notes since blog creation in January 2014 ;)

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"IS THERE A GEISHA IN THE HOUSE?" -- IN MICHI HIROTA'S OWN WORDS.

NOTE: I cropped the hell out of this "Kimono My House" outtake and am currently using it as my cellphone wallpaper. Michi is such fun to look at!

MADELINE BOCARO: "What led you to become a model on the cover of "Kimono My House"?"  

MICHI: "We were both actresses touring with a Japanese theatre company in Europe and the USA. My husband Joji Hirota was musical director. A record company (Island records) approached our director looking for Japanese women, and we were asked to do the modeling. I am the woman on the right (with a fan)."

MADELINE: "Do you know the whereabouts of the geisha on the left?"

MICHI: "I have no news about the other lady since I left the Japanese theatre company at that time, however her maiden name was Kuniko Okamura. She married a Frenchman soon after finishing our tour and bore 4 children."

MB: "What kind of instructions did Ron Mael, or the photographer give you?"

MH: "We were not told much, they just let us move freely. We didn’t know how to arrange our hair properly or how to fix our kimono. There was nobody to dress us. The session took 4 or 5 hours."

MB: "Karl Stoecker also photographed models for the ROXY MUSIC album covers. Did you ever work with him again?"  

MH: "I’ve heard that he is the one of the foremost photographers in the world, but unfortunately I never had a chance to work with him. (I would like to, if he is looking for an old Japanese lady!)"

Source: https://madelinex.com/2014/12/25/sparks-iconic-album-cover-kimono-my-house.

[itsmarjudgelove]

Age, physical appearance, and abilities are the key distinctions between geisha (geiko) and maiko.

Maiko typically looks younger than 20 and has poor conversational abilities. She also wears a more vibrant kimono with a red collar. Maiko, which is Japanese for "dancing child," refers to aspiring geisha. For a period of five years, Maiko must reside with their mother (okami-san) in the geisha lodging house (okiya). Maiko is not permitted to possess a cell phone, carry cash, or date.

What is a Maiko?

Maiko are the trainee geisha who are still honing their cultural and performance abilities. Maiko's attire draws extra attention in order to hide her inexperience and lack of understanding. Geisha attire is typically more sophisticated and understated. Maiko is forced to live with her "mother" and is solely dependent on the meager stipend she is given by the geisha house. In contrast, geisha are more self-sufficient and have their own home in the geisha communities. The pictures below show how you can tell a geisha from a maiko without any effort.

What does a geiko (geisha) do?

Professional performers of ancient Japanese arts and crafts such shamisen playing, dancing, and tea ceremony, geisha are members of recognized geisha groups. In the Kyoto dialect, geisha are referred to as geiko. "Geisha (geigi or geiko) is a traditional Japanese female entertainer, whose skills encompass many arts like dancing, singing, and playing music," according to Broma-Smenda (2014). In contrast to courtesans (yujô), geishas were exclusively trained in traditional Japanese arts and served as men's dinner companions.

The definitions of Maiko and Geisha

Gei-sha is a term for an artist, and mai-ko is a term for a dancer. Performing arts are what the word gei in gei-sha and gei-ko refers to. In this context, sha and ko essentially imply the same thing: a person. Japanese for "dancing" is mai, and -ko here denotes a young person.

Communication abilities

Maiko would generally say less and nod or smile more during a conversation because she is still in training. Geiko, on the other hand, is a master at starting and keeping up a conversation in any setting. Geisha would be aware of the kinds of talks that help their clients feel peaceful, at ease, or joyful.

cultural knowledge

Maiko would often go to the dance school and perfect her shamisen playing while there. Geiko is a skilled dancer, shamisen player, and tea ceremony expert. Geisha dance to various themes and music practically every month as the seasons and festivals change, which is why the training takes so long. Each geisha neighborhood in Kyoto has its own unique musical instrument and tea ceremonial traditions. Therefore, it is untrue that all geisha were proficient musicians.

Age

The geiko is over the age of 20, whereas Maiko is between the ages of 15 and 20. In the past, young girls were sold to okiya at the age of 7, but because this is now prohibited in Japan, many girls join the okiya after completing junior high school, which is the minimum level of education required by law. Despite the fact that the maiko stage might occasionally span 7-8 years, the usual maiko training lasts 3 to 5 years. Therefore, maiko who are older than 20 years old do exist in Kyoto. Readers should be aware that maiko are unique to Kyoto; the maiko-stage does not exist in the other geisha districts.

The attire worn by maiko today still shows signs of the young females who formerly were. For instance, maiko typically wear a sash with a large depiction of the okiya's emblem. Due to the fact that these young girls used to become lost and that people could identify the crest to return them to their homes, the mark is very large.

Appearance

Geiko typically have mature, refined appearances that are straightforward, attractive, and polished. Maiko expresses her youth and innocence in her vivid, vibrant clothing.

Face covered in white powder

Contrary to popular opinion, neither geiko nor maiko always wear white makeup, but when they do, there are variations. Maiko has a small gap between her hairline and her white-powdered skin, whereas Geiko would have a fully white face. Geiko and Maiko wore white makeup so that they could be seen clearly in the dark as there was no electricity in the past.

Lips

While Maiko, particularly Junior Maiko, only tints the lower lip crimson, Geiko colors both of her lips red. Maiko's lip makeup varies between the senior and junior versions.

eyelids that are flaming

Maiko have a recognizable red eye makeup, however geiko's redness is less prominent. The red eye makeup is frequently associated with the kabuki tradition, which frequently uses white, crimson, and black colors to stand out to viewers who may be seated far away.

rosy blush

Unlike the geiko, the maiko have pink blush on their cheeks. Maiko is supposed to always appear innocent and childlike.

Wig

Maiko has no wig on. They are need to style their own hair, which takes time and money. Maiko frequently spend the night sleeping on a piece of wood (takamakura) to preserve their hairdo. Geiko wears wigs because aging makes hair a little oily, which is hard to maintain, and style typically causes damage to hair over time.

Hair styles

The hairdo is one of the greatest distinctions between a maiko and geiko. Maiko have the wareshinobu hairdo, which is shown in the drawings, while the geiko have the shimada haircut. The hairdos of senior and junior Maiko differ. Maiko wear monthly-changing, brightly colored hair accessories with floral themes. The only hair accessory Geiko wears is a straightforward comb.

Hairpins

Maiko sports bira, which are silver, dangling metal hairpins. Geiko typically wears no hairpins or just uses very basic ones.

Kimono

Maiko dress in a vibrant, typically flower-decorated kimono with long sleeves, as seen in the pictures, while geiko dress in a straightforward kimono with short sleeves. Maiko and geiko wear separate inner garments, as was already mentioned. Typically, the chest of the maiko is suppressed to highlight her youth and purity. Maiko and Geiko both dress in pricey, custom-made silk kimonos, which are never found in shops.

The color of the collars worn by maiko and geiko is one of their primary distinctions. Geiko wears a white collar, while Maiko wears a red collar. Because of this, when a maiko transitions to a career as a geiko, they refer to it as "turning the collar."

Sash (Obi)

A 5–7 meter long silk sash is worn by Maiko. Geiko dons a straightforward, short sash. In the winter, Maiko's outfit—with the long sash, the intricate undergarments, and the jacket—can weigh up to 15 kilograms.

Sandals

Maiko wears okobo, which are tall sandals, while geiko wears zori, which are little sandals. Maiko typically wears sandals with a bell that jingles while she walks. Despite the fact that the sounds of these tiny bells may make them appear infantile, the locals refer to this sound as the sound of Kyoto streets.

How can you turn into a geisha?

The first stage in becoming a geisha is to apply to and be accepted into an okiya, where one can receive maiko training before becoming a geisha. However, it is still possible, just not typical, for foreigners to be accepted for training. Geisha are traditionally women of Japanese descent.

How do Geishas sleep?

To keep their haircut, Maiko was frequently taught to use a takamura as a pillow when they slept. Despite the fact that geiko or geisha would occasionally do the same, some choose to wear wigs because the haircut frequently wears down natural hair over time.

How can a Geisha be hired?

There are numerous opportunities to interact with geishas in Kyoto, particularly at the Kyoto Maikoya Tea Ceremony, where guests can watch geikos or maikos perform. Other opportunities include online meetings and in-person private sessions.

Why do geisha wear white makeup and have black teeth?

Geiko and Maiko wore white makeup so that they could be seen clearly in the dark as there was no electricity in the past. The black teeth, or "Ohaguro," are a custom used to indicate that a person has reached adulthood and provide a beautiful contrast to the white cosmetics. Although it is no longer done, certain geishas in Kyoto used to color their teeth.

In Japan, are geishas revered?

Geishas are highly regarded as entertainers and artists in Japan; becoming one is a lengthy and challenging process, particularly in Kyoto where the traditions are rigidly upheld

[chloewatcheswrestling]

Wrestling Love Letters

Intrigue and Mastery: A Traditional Japanese Villain Emerges

Shinsuke Nakamura, the former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, a man who's won the prestigious 2011 G1 Climax and the 2014 New Japan Cup, was also the founding member of the stable 'Chaos' (currently led by Kazuchika Okada), cemented his status as a true wrestling icon long ago. The King of Strong Style's journey through the world of professional wrestling has been nothing short of remarkable but, up until recently, he's been cruising along living the 'future hall of famer' life.

Shinsuke has always been able to capture the hearts of fans with his charismatic presence. Whether it's his infectious smile, his captivating entrance music that gets the crowd singing, or his unique in-ring style, Nakamura has always been a fan favourite. However, in recent times, it felt like something was missing. It seemed as though we hadn't seen a certain side of Shinsuke, and he was merely showing up to give us his best professional babyface performance without being a viable contender for a title or someone we eagerly anticipated seeing at the top of the card.

A contributing factor to this feeling was WWE's insistence on having Nakamura communicate primarily in English, limiting his ability to cut compelling promos. Despite this, he compensated adeptly with his eccentric and exaggerated facial expressions, which effectively conveyed his emotions when the scripts fell short. This issue isn't unique to Nakamura; it extends to other Japanese wrestlers, including Asuka and Iyo Sky, who also both occupy prominent positions on the roster and the women's title scene.

Then came the game-changing moment - Nakamura's heel turn on Monday Night Raw (August 7th, 2023) and subsequent promo the following week. The promo involved a clever twist: Nakamura initially speaking in English, pausing to contemplate his next words, only to dismiss the need for understanding from the crowd or his opponent and seamlessly transitioning to Japanese. It was as if the man brimming with charm had unearthed an entirely new reservoir of charisma.

For someone who has tried and failed to learn Japanese, witnessing Nakamura speak his native language with such animation was truly enchanting. It was as if he'd finally been allowed to show his true self and was running with that opportunity. His animated facial expressions, body language and impassioned delivery made it almost feel as though you comprehended his words, even if you couldn't speak a word of Japanese. This change demonstrated that the WWE audience don't always require spoon-fed storylines to grasp a narrative.

Shinsuke complimented his change in character with a slight tweak in his appearance, now wearing dark kimono-inspired outfits, evoking the classic Japanese villain archetype. This archetype typically pits the villain against a heroic protagonist, in this case, the baby face Seth Rollins. The hero-villain dynamic, central to many Japanese narratives like samurai epics and martial arts tales, usually unfolds with the villain displaying a complex relationship with the concept of honour and quite often they themselves were once a beloved hero. I initially questioned why it had taken so long for WWE to pull the trigger on this heel turn but soon realised that it may not have been as effective if acted on sooner.

Nakamura's decision to whisper a cryptic threat to Seth Rollins was a genius move to get the audience speculating what could have possibly been said (a wrestling storytelling technique reminiscent of Undertaker whispering to Bray Wyatt). And later revealing his knowledge of Seth's persistent back issues, ignited their feud brilliantly and played into the traditional Japanese villain traits of intelligence, cunning and manipulation. Following Payback 2023, the challenge was maintaining the momentum of this rivalry. Nakamura, adopting the quintessential villain role, goaded Seth to the point of Seth demanding a rematch, only for Nakamura to deny his request until he deemed the time is right. The calculated manipulation, marked by meticulous planning and tactics, exemplifies Nakamura's mastery of this character.

I'm confident I'm not alone in backing Shinsuke in this ongoing feud with Seth Rollins, I would love to see him have a heel run with the title, orchestrating the fate of the baby faces on the roster like a master puppeteer. While Rollins is a safe pair of hands, I'd like to see him drop down the card and confront the challenge of having to claw his way back up. This journey could infuse his character with a newfound intensity, potentially sowing the seed for a compelling character transformation. Nakamura has undoubtedly regained his cool factor, and it's high time for WWE to capitalise on this resurgence and explore fresh storytelling avenues.

With pins, submissions, and a whole lot of heart, Chloe xoxo

13.09.2023

[afrobeatsindacity]

ADEKUNLE GOLD IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING

Adekunle Gold, the Lagos-born prolific singer, is one of the handful of Nigerian artists who can boast of a lasting presence in the highly competitive space that is the country's music industry. His was a journey of talent, consistency, invention and reinvention.

He was born Adekunle Kosoko, a member of the royal Kosoko family of Lagos Island, so when he chose to follow his passion in music, the name Gold readily appealed to him. Days spent riding to school with his father while they played Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade, as well as lullabies sung by his aunt at bedtime, planted a love for music in the young Adekunle. With time, his love for listening to music spurred him to create his own. Like many other budding artists, he cultivated his talents first by joining the junior choir in his church and later, by forming a band with a close friend, Michael Bakare, before deciding to pursue a career as a solo artist. Michael remains a major musical pillar of Adekunle Gold’s career, his songwriting and production credits can be found as recently as Adekunle's latest album.

Nigeria's first introduction to the artist, however, was through his creative work as a photo editor. Prior to the release of “Sade” in December 2015, Gold had been given the title of 'King of Photoshop' for his creative editing of his images on pictures of actress Tonto Dike, OAP, Toolz and especially afrobeats queen, Tiwa Savage. A young Adekunle Gold had finished school with a diploma in Arts and Industrial Design and was putting his degree to good use, doing graphic design work for a number of YBNL artists, including Viktoh, Lil Kesh and even street-pop legend Olamide.

In 2014, Adekunle Gold released “Sade”, a cover of One direction's “Story of my Life”, and based upon a real life Sade who had turned his affections down. As the song gained ground, Pheelz, YBNL's in-house producer, saw there was more To Adekunle Gold's creativity than visual arts, and after conversations with label huncho, Olamide, Adekunle Gold was unveiled as a YBNL artist in March 2015. Then, he got a chance at a proper debut single, and "Orente" was born; a folksy Yoruba-supported love ballad, featuring distinct Yoruba instrumentation, which would grow to become his signature style. He followed this up with “Pick up”, which amped up production for a Juju-influenced song that would be an excellent fit for a live band.

All these built up to the release of his first studio album in July 2016, Gold that featured successes such as "Work", "Ariwo Ko", and another all time classic, "No forget", a duet with Simi, a friend and fellow artist who had previously mixed and mastered songs for him. His debut album was a critically acclaimed success, peaking at no. 7 on the Billboard World Album Chart.

His next studio album, About 30, was released in 2018 after exchanging amicable farewells with YBNL. He assembled a team of instrumentalists into a live band, named the 79th Element (Gold), and headed by Michael Bakare. As a result the album drew chiefly from his unique upbeat trad-style music which he christened Urban Highlife, and it housed a number of memorable songs like the energetic "Money", the evocative "Ire" and the sombre "Fame".

Until 2019 Adekunle Gold had operated firmly within the boundaries of his self-styled Afro Urban genre, where live instruments could meet with intoned delivery to channel some of the essence of Yoruba Juju music in a more modern setting. For the next step, though, it was time for an artistic refresh, and to achieve it, he will have to sacrifice some of his folksy essence for better mainstream appeal. And so he braided his boyish afro into a macho cornrow, while he discarded the Adire shirts for brightly coloured jackets and flowing kimonos, left unbuttoned to show his new buff physique, completing his look with tinted glasses and loose fitting pants. His switch in music was a lot less acute. For "Before You Wake Up", his first solo single of 2019, he maintained a similar delivery but production was different, employing more studio-made Afrobeats rather than the live drums and keys he was more popular with. Also subtle was his use of English and Pidgin for the entirety of the single, in the past Adekunle Gold had relied chiefly on Yoruba.

It was in 2020 that he properly donned the artistic personality he would take for his next era. First came "Jore", a duet with Kizz Daniel that leaned into Kizz's brand of casual afropop that was backed by catchy lyrics and a flowing beat. Then he released "Something Different", which was as it was named, a continual of the sonic detour he was making towards the mainstream. In mid 2020, “AG Baby" was released, the manifesto for his artistic vision; on the track he alludes to being the "street boy popping on the mainstream shit". “AG Baby’ was homonymous with his new persona, and on his next album, “Afro-Pop Vol. 1”, he delved properly into who he was now and what to expect of him. A song like “Okay” handled this orientation nicely, as he spun the mid-tempo pop groove into a song deriding his haters.

While AG Baby was morphing into the popstar, Adekunle Gold was settling into family life. His marriage to Simi was for many a bolt from the blue, but insiders into the couple’s lives knew they had been an item even before either of them made their debuts in the industry. Simi had produced, as well as mixed and mastered a chunk of Adekunle Gold’s Gold album, and Adekunle has gone on record to credit her with helping him find his music style. The pair had collaborated across a number of tracks over the years, each time bringing amazing chemistry that most fans did not know was the product of real life love they shared. On January 17th they released “Promise”, a tribute to their new union and the first official announcement of it. A little over a year later, in May 2021, “Happy Birthday”was released; a love letter to their daughter, Adejare on her first birthday.

2021 also saw him release three successful singles that would appear on his next album, “Catch me if You Can”, “Sinner” and “It Is What It Is” followed the laid back, less-is-more delivery of his newly perfected style. But “High”, featuring industry heavyweight Davido, was a different dish altogether; an Amapiano heavy hit, foreshadowing another shedding, or perhaps more accurately, an extra layering of personality that would lead AG Baby to give way to Tio Tequila. The lover boy Adekunle who had withstood the transition from Adekunle Gold to AG Baby evolved to another man for whom “Love is not enough”.

His latest project, Tequila Ever After, is named after this new persona, and here he slows down his Afropop cadences to take in parts of Dancehall and RnB. By far his biggest project, Adekunle Gold assembled RnB megastars like Pharrell Williams and Khalid as well as budding Nigerian street stars like Zinoleesky and Odumodublvck. He has already hit the charts with two singles, “Ogaranya” and “Party No Dey Stop”, so he will be hopeful others can quickly follow suit. More importantly, though, he will hope his new project, and the persona he introduces with it, can significantly advance his global intentions. Adekunle Gold has described his latest project as a celebration of his wins so far.

With a solid discography encompassing five successful projects, a recently bagged contract with an international label in Def Jam Records and a career about to reach the 10 year mark, a celebration is much needed and well deserved. As the artist readies himself to consolidate his position in the Nigerian market and expand his wings even further beyond the shores of the country, he can take a shot of Tequila and toast to his wins so far, because it only gets better from here.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)

Afrobeats City doesn’t own the right to the images - image source: Instagram - @Adekunlegold