Artist: Bemyoda
Introducing rising Nigerian Soul singer and songwriter Bemyoda with his sublime debut single titled “Shima Yam”. The Soulful opus - whose title means “My Heart” or “My Love” in the native language of TIV - is backed by lush acoustic guitars, deft bongo drum patterns, minimalist violin arrangements, soft backing harmonies and complementing hand claps which all make for a very memorable and enjoyable 4-minute listening experience.
Written over a year ago during a jam session with producer Sleekamo and R&B Singer/Guitarist Sammy and later reproduced by Laitan Dada, “Shima Yam” is a beautiful love song about taking a relationship slowly and being with that special someone for the long haul... Built around clever lyricism and warm and alluring vocals, “Shima Yam” is a perfectly crafted piece of music from Soul newcomer Bemyoda as he shows off an excellent blend of Soul, Blues and Folk music elements that is well beyond his years to create something really special with “Shima Yam”.
ABOUT BEMYODA
For as much as emerging Nigerian Soul artist BEMYODA - real name Bem Iordaah - is a brilliantly creative songwriter, he is an equally amazingly beautiful singer. He does not present you with music that is the norm because for Bemyoda, every line of a song is the summary of a deeper meaning and every phrase explains a concept larger than that phrase. According to Bemyoda, music is first an expression of its creator and who they are, it has to be...
Born in Benue state to musically inclined parents (his father was a member of the Church choir), Bemyoda’s musical influences range from the likes of India Arie to Tracy Chapman to Jill Scott to Dwele amongst others while he professes a great and profound respect and appreciation for Nigerian artists such as Asa and Nneka - two artists who defy the usual to do what their hearts say.
Honing his singing talents from as early as 5 years of age, Bemyoda picked up writing a few years later at just 14, first in the form of articles that won essay competitions for his secondary school and then by way of songs that were only sung in quiet places and for his ears only. As he grew older, some of his inhibitions were stripped away and he would later go on to pen songs that would become signature staples for his university choir (Federal University of Technology Minna) and easy favourites in concerts and among listeners.
Fast forward to 2012 and after an excellent but bit-part feature on Phishaman’s “God Is on Her Remix” from last year as well as a finalist position at Chimamanda’s Creative Writing workshop in Lagos a year before, Bemyoda is finally ready to come of age as one of Africa’s foremost new Soul artists - the first taste of which is the sublime sounding Soulful opus “Shima Yam”
“When you listen to my music, do this one thing - listen. My words will paint you pictures - visualiaze.” - Bemyoda
