Kizz Daniel – Barnabas Album Review

Barnabas is the fourth full-length music album by Nigerian singer/songwriter Kizz Daniel. Without gainsaying, Kizz Daniel’s talent is undeniable. His rich singing voice, vocal rendition, and catchy ad-libs are just a few of the many attributes that make his music so popular within and outside the boundaries of Nigeria. Nevertheless, music is more than just a form of appealing sound. It takes great effort and deep thinking on the part of a musician to create a musical concept that will connect and stay in the minds of fans for many years. Barnabas checks every box.

According to biblical accounts, Barnabas had a heated disagreement with his companion, Paul. The contention will eventually lead to their separation and Barnabas taking a different travel path. Barnabas may or may not have later come to regret his decision to split with his friend. However, his doggedness and confidence to choose and stick to his plan are noteworthy. On the title track, Eh God (Barnabas), Kizz Daniel referred to the biblical character when he said: /Aye o le feni to mo way /. This means: Life is easy when you know your path. In recent times, Kizz has become very notorious for being a loner. This attribute is embodied in the theme, Barnabas. He is in effect saying he knows his path, He is Barnabas.

Sonically, the LP is full of gems. From a mix of surreal ambiance and intoxicating horns on songs like Pour me water and Addict to a Caribbean-inspired tune with Kelvyn Colt on Skin, Kizz Daniel made sure to give his fans an enjoyable experience. His artistic storytelling about a drug addict on the song Addict is surreal, to say the least. The 6th song, Lie was released earlier as a single before the album release and has done good numbers on musical charts worldwide. The song’s catchy hook and good instrumentation have made it a club anthem.

The Caribbean-influenced sound production on Skin makes it a fine addition to the body of work. Kizz Daniel’s lines about taking pride in the colour of his skin are also a pleasant inclusion. Although Kelvyn Colt’s verse feels very brash and rushed, it is a solid addition nonetheless. The only downside to the LP is the track, Burn. The song sounds stale, almost like a song from the early 2000s. Kizz Daniel could have also done better with the lyricism and flow of the track.
Overall, Barnabas is a high-quality LP. The effort put by Kizz Daniel and his team to make such an amazing body world should be applauded.

Album Score: 9/10

Clinton Akporherhe

Clinton spends an average of 26 hours on the internet every week. He spends 11 hours out of that time searching and listening intently to both new and old musical albums. If he’s not doing that, then he is probably running a digital marketing campaign at work. If inspired, he writes poetry or plays with his Guitar. He lives in Lagos, Nigeria.

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