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9 months before releasing the eponymously named lead single 'Stubborn' featuring Asake, Victony appeared on Patoranking's 'Babylon' where he delivered the lyrics "I stubborn like government wey no gree end Sars".
He partnered with AV to share the difficulties that preceded his success on 'Jaga Jaga' before assembling over 10 Nigerian stars on the historic collaboration 'Ohema'.
It's this sheer will to keep forging ahead in the face of life's curveballs and constantly pushing the boundaries of his creativity that shapes his debut album 'Stubborn'.
Victony's state of mind is captured by the album's promotional images that have him adorned in a medieval European war helmet. An image that screams war.
The way this writer sees it,Victony had to fight many battles to get to is current position. He had to battle for a chance to live after a near fatal accident. He had to snatch mainstream success by defiantly creating music that captures his artistry. Victony found success doing what he loves, how he wants to, and he flaunts this in an album that offers quintessential versions of his daring creativity.
All through the 14 tracks, Victony is himself. Listeners find large pieces of his artistry in every track whether through his fanciful use of English, pidgin, deploying lamba (Nigerian style of talking used for bragging, flattering, and painting an exaggerated narrative) for Afrobeats relatability, his lush mid-tempo melodies, and his genre-fusing experimentations.
Victony assembled a host of producers for this album, but this multiple creative input doesn't rob the project of its sonic and thematic coherence. Victony gave his album identity through a deep exploration of pain, love, life, and success to deliver a bold and creative interpretation of Afrobeats that relies more on his vocals and lyrical prowess than on flambouyant production.
In the album opener, he reminisces on the challenges of the journey through his quintessential mid-tempo flows complimented by Shorae Moore whose soulful melodies before paying hom
The mid-tempo melodies that will shape the album took shape early on with his smooth rhymes and heavy lamba infusion on 'Anita,' sweet talking on 'Everything' where he samples Post Malone & Swae Lee's 'Sunflower,' and his sensual flows punctuated by log drums on 'Risky' where he rolls out the superlative for his woman.
Victony is one of the stars at the forefront of promoting Afrobeats to a global audience. His hit single 'Soweto' with Tempoe brought him international success marked by a mouth-watering publishing deal with a major company and the opportunity to make music with some of the stars he grew up admiring. On 'Everything,' he samples the RIAA 2X diamond record 'Sunflower' He featured one of his heroes Saint Jhn on the heartfelt single 'Tiny Apartment' where he brilliantly shapeshifts to accommodate the Rock, Soul, and Pop hybrid style of the Dominican-American. On 'Slow Down,' he delivered American-influenced pop melodies that effectively accommodated Teezo Touchdown's verse.
When Victony chooses to make party-starting cuts on 'Ludo' and 'Stubborn' next to the high-profile figures of Shallipopi and Asake, he fits them into his style where the vocals and melodies take center stage. These songs capture his status as a hitmaker and one of the stars of the new generation, especially on 'Stubborn' where he makes it clear that he won't trade his defiance and "stubbornness" for the calm and agreeable persona of a role model.
What sets Victony apart is his desire to experiment both with music and his imagery where he likes to infuse different alter egos. He showcases this creativity on the album in songs like the tough-talking 'Kolo' where he delivers quintessential Afrobeats writing and Rema-like flows over dance production.
He delivers hips-swirling tropical melodies on 'Ba$tard, Don't Be Silly' as he tells off his detractors while flaunting his success over production that mirrors what Tempoe created on 'Soweto'.
Victony is a man who feels things deeply whether it be heartbreak, love, or gratitude. When he promises a love that comes with a good time on 'Pier 46' with Kzito with a passion that's complimented by soothing percussions and strings. The melodies and lyrics convey the depth of his pain on the Highlife strings off 'Sunday School' where he pours out his heart to a scorned lover.
It's with this sobriety that feeling things deeply offers that Victony rounds off the album with 'Street Affair' where he restates his spirituality by calling on his God to ease his affairs and guide his steps as he continues to live with stubbornness.
0-1.9: Flop
• 2.0-3.9: Near fail
• 4.0-5.9: Average
• 6.0-7.9: Victory
• 8.0-10: Champion
Pulse Rating: /10
Album Sequencing: 1.6/2
Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.6/2
Production: 1.7/2
Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.6/2
Execution: 1.6/2
TOTAL - 8.1