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At just 16, she wowed listeners with her debut single 'See Finish' which showcased vocal range and writing ability beyond her age.
'Ole' her collaboration with Nigeria's chorus master BNXN offered satisfying proof of her capacity to fit into the mainstream through her R&B leaning sound domesticated through admirable Afrobeats sonics.
Her debut EP 'Qing Madi' is a bold announcement of her desire to carve a niche for herself. While her most striking feature is her vocals which she effortlessly deploys to mold R&B melodies, it wouldn't take long for listeners to be drawn to her ability to express herself in the chic and vibrant manner expected of a Gen. Z R&B act.
Like a teenage music star, she explores the familiar subject of ambitions and desires from a teenage perspective that creates originality and relatability amongst the young audience who will form her consumer base.
When she talks about her ambitions in 'Madi's Medley' it's with the exciting dreams of a youngster. She shows teenage glee in 'Ole' where she confesses to covetting another person's partner and in 'See Finish', her writing and cadences of a juvenile music star It's these visibly young approach and age-relatable qualities that give her music an admirable identity.
Her vocals and melody-molding ability drive the EP while she shows the multiplicity of her influences. Her style is quintessentially R&B with her vocals comfortable on the beat and the music filled with lyrics as opposed to the scanty wordings of Pop music.
Even when she sings on Afrobeats arrangements in 'Vision' and 'American Love' she molds R&B melody while infusing very little if not negligible pidgin English and Yoruba.
While she finds herself operating in a Nigerian mainstream where significant domestication in the form of language and production is needed, Qing Madi's music is significantly Westernized. On the rare occasion that she speaks Pidgin or Yoruba, she does it in a Westernized way that makes it unnoticeable.
The very nature of her music takes it away from the mass market and places it among niche consumers, especially those in her age grade who are conversant with the Western variant of the teenage R&B and Pop music she makes.
Even the average Nigerian whose daily music consumption mainly comprises lamba (Nigerian street slang) driven Afropop cuts and Street Hop party starters will struggle to hear some of her lyrics.
Some listeners will find the highly Westernized style of music reminiscent of Nigerian international superstar Tems whom she strikingly sounds like in 'Chargie'.
Qing Madi packs impressive talent for a teenager and this is on full display on her EP. With vocal ability and penmanship in place, it's time for her to learn domestication if she desires to service beyond a niche teenage audience. There's no doubt she has what it takes to achieve this.
Ratings: /10
• 0-1.9: Flop
• 2.0-3.9: Near fall
• 4.0-5.9: Average
• 6.0-7.9: Victory
• 8.0-10: Champion
Pulse Rating: /10
Album Sequencing: 1.5/2
Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.5/2
Production: 1.5/2
Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.5/2
Execution: 1.5/2
TOTAL - 7.5 - Victory