A Man Renewed: Adekunle Gold – ‘Tequila Ever After’ Review.

As an artiste, evolving is the biggest turning point in your career. On the one hand, you could be moving into another phase of your career that will propel you to greater things, and on the other hand if not well done, you can find yourself in a position where you stunt your own growth. There are very few artistes who have managed to evolve from one phase to another and stay on top of their game in that time frame. One of such people is AG Baby Adekunle Gold.

Since his debut years ago, Adekunle Gold has refused to remain stagnant as an artiste in sound and imagery. With every album, we see him morph into a new being. After his first album ‘Gold,’ consumers have been in awe of AG’s growth. He continually reinvents his art while leaving the impression that he views himself as a dynamic individual who is not afraid of change and growth. We have seen him assume different personas over the years, with the most recent ones being ‘AG Baby’ when he dropped ‘Afropop Vol. 1’ and ‘Tio Tequila’ with his fifth studio album ‘Tequila Ever After.’ No matter the persona he assumes, one thing is certain: Adekunle Gold will always put out his best version.

Building up to this new album ‘TEA,’ Adekunle put out a series of singles, including the chart-topping ‘Party No Dey Stop’ with Zinoleesky and ‘Ogaranya.’ Unbeknownst to consumers, that was a prelude to what we are now witnessing. This album ushers us into a different phase of Adekunle, where he is perhaps, his happiest yet. We hear him celebrate himself and the journey he has been on as a person and an artiste throughout the album. Just like the drink Tequila; which is taken in moments of celebration, Adekunle is having himself a party and toasting to the amazing life he has been blessed with.

The 18-track album features some of the most talented musicians across the globe, including Simi, Ami Faku, Odumodublvck, Habib Koite, Pharell Williams, Nile Rodgers, Khalid and Coco Jones. The sounds on the album are a compilation of the various sounds we have seen Adekunle thrive on across his previous albums and a first-hand insight into where he hopes to take his sound. Through elements of highlife, pop, r&b, dancehall and house, we see Adekunle showcase his dynamism. Theme-wise, the album mainly focuses on the celebration of self, life and career, while still touching on matters of love and lust.

‘Chasing Peace of Mind,’ as the intro quickly tells listeners what Adekunle is going for in terms of theme. You can never recognize your growth and success when your mind is not in the right place. He talks about himself first and chasing peace of mind, which once achieved, allows you to clearly appreciate what you have done with your life. He instantly zooms into a celebratory mood and positivity with the song ‘Party No Dey Stop.’ The opening lines of the song are self-affirmations about wanting to be in a place where he is his best self so he can enjoy the fruits of his labor over the years. There is a lot of celebration across the album once he finds his peace and confirms himself. On ‘Ogaranya,’ ‘Kere,’ ‘Wrong Person,’ ‘Omo Eko’ and ‘Falling Up,’ there is a sense of Tio Tequila and the embodiment of celebration. He does not just celebrate his success over the years; he also reaffirms his position as one of the very best to ever do this.

We catch glimpses of vintage Adekunle Gold on ‘Soro,’ ‘Tio Baby,’ ‘Look What You Made Me,’ ‘Not My Problem’ etc. as he flexes his vocals while serenading his love interest. While he is evolving, he still holds on to parts of his old self, which is evident in some of the above-mentioned songs where listeners get glimpses of Adekunle from his previous albums like ‘Afropop Vol. 1’ and ‘Catch Me If You Can.’ Growth is important, but one must always remember where they come from. You cannot truly evolve if you let go of your foundation. This is why Tio has been so good at evolving over the years. Through his growth, he has never let go of what made him who he is in the first place.

You listen to a song like ‘Falling Up’ which is being described as “the World Cup song,” and you understand where he wants to go with his music and career. In the midst of all that, you listen to what he did on ‘Soro,’ ‘Do You Mind’ and ‘Make It Easy,’ you can still hear the Adekunle Gold you first heard on ‘Gold,’ the one you fell in love with on ‘Afropop Vol. 1’ and on ‘Catch Me If You Can.’ You get to see ‘Look What You Made Me Do,’ and it takes you back to ‘No Forget’ Adekunle and Simi. This is a man who is intentional about what he does. For anyone who has followed him through it all, you will not feel left out, and for people who are now jumping on the AG train, you are assured of a smooth and enjoyable journey.

In conclusion, Adekunle’s greatest trait is his fearlessness. In a space where people would rather stick to one style than adapt to change and risk losing their spark, he has refused to be stagnant and monotonous. With each album, he excused growth, change, and evolution. This growth is not limited to just one aspect of his art but to his entire artistry. We have witnessed this man defy odds and evolve into the rockstar he is today. We failed to understand the message he sent with his last album, ‘Catch Me If You Can,’ because on the course he is on right now, it will take a lot to catch up to him.

AG’s writing has only gotten better with time; his attention to detail and intentionality are embodied by the overall production of the album. He stayed on theme, displayed great lyricism, and had amazing vocals and sound. Being able to find the right balance between serving commercial music while appeasing critical taste is one of the biggest highlights of this album. Like Pandora’s box, this album has something for everyone. From self-affirmation to celebration of life, jams for parties, and something to serenade your lover with, Tio has it all for you. This writer projects that we will be seeing the best version of Adekunle Gold yet with this album. We expect to see him performing on bigger stages and festivals and securing some amazing sync deals with this project.

‘Tequila Ever After’ is Adekunle embracing his better self and defying the standards of being stagnant. So while you listen to the album, take your glass and give a toast to the celebration of the rockstar he has become.

Written by: Nana Kojo Mula.