TENIOLA’S BILLIONAIRE VIDEO: A SO-CALLED STORY OF HOPE AND RELIEF.

Teniola’s “Billionaire” video is out, and as usual trails the grace to grass trajectory that is a familiar taste in the mouth of every Nigerian. It is dubbed a story of hope, telling you not to give up on winning that ‘tarty’ million freebie on an ‘easy does it’ outlet like Naira Bet, and a story of relief, that truthfully you would be relieved of the ruffles of poverty for a while as you spend the money to the last note (after you must have settled your friends and well-wishers, family members, and the ever-prestigious Nigerian Police).

It is not only sad that this talented Nigerian sweetheart has a bad habit of calling Dangote and Otedola in her songs, but also that no one has ever paused to ask her if these men made their fortunes from a try-your-luck scheme like “Who wants to be a Millionaire” or a one-chance venture like Naira bet. True, there are things like “hitting it big” and waking up in a lambo, but there are also complementary additives like “hustling legit”, “investing”, actually working and capitalism. 

I was mentally prepped, hoping that Teni wouldn’t disappoint this time around as she did the last time in the “Power Rangers” video, but my heart was smashed and I don’t think it would live to tell the story! These musicians need to know that music videos matter too, especially those who think the starter pack for making music videos is booty, quality visuals, and more booty. We will stare at the booty, but it would not cover the multitude of your sins. Mediocrity was there when you started but we still chose you, now you are literally hollering and dinning with mediocrity like that’s what’s up.

Musicians should really understand that there is a certain level of superlative creativity expected to be expressed from either the song’s lyrics or out of sheer genius in the music video, a slight correlation at least. Take for instance, the music video for “Lily” by Alan Walker, K-391, and Emelie Hollow, I was really expecting a post-modernist re-enactment of Red riding hood, since Lily was “a little girl afraid of the big wide world”, and something something somewhere in the song was begging to be allowed access in. To say I was disappointed would be going too far. i was ded!Story for another day.

Dear Teni, you need to do better, good vocals will never be the whole package. If we demand so much from a millennial blessing like Sia, who are you to fall short? Surround yourself with brilliant creatives and friends that would not leave out a single syllable in telling you how fucked-up this particular music video is.

You have our attention now, do something with it.  Ejo o.