Applaudise
| Applaudise | ||||
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 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 19 September 2015 | |||
| Recorded | 2014–2015 | |||
| Genres | ||||
| Length | 72:00 | |||
| Languages | ||||
| Label | Made Men | |||
| Producers |
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| Iyanya chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Applaudise | ||||
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Applaudise is the third studio album by Nigerian singer and songwriter Iyanya. It was released on 19 September 2015 by Made Men Music Group. The album features guest appearances from Olamide, Lil Kesh, Victoria Kimani, Kcee, Sarkodie, Diamond Platnumz, Don Jazzy, Patoranking, Efya, Harrysong, MC Galaxy, Seyi Shay, Mystro, Banky W., Tekno and Selebobo. Production was handled by Mystro, London Boys, Blaq Jerzee, Mr. Chidoo , Dr. Amir, Selebobo, Princeton, Spellz, and DJ Coublon. Applaudise was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2016 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
Singles
The album's lead single "Mr Oreo", formerly titled "Mr Orio", was released commercially on iTunes on 4 June 2014. The song was originally on the Made Men Music Group collaborative album, The Evolution (2014) and was produced, mixed, mastered and engineered by Selebobo. The music video for "Mr Oreo" was released on 23 September 2014 and directed by Mega Boi in Brooklyn, New York City. The album's second single "Gift" features Nigerian singer, producer, songwriter and record executive Don Jazzy and was released unannounced on 24 January 2015. The music video for "Gift" was released on 6 March 2015 and shot in South Africa by an uncredited director.
The third single from Applaudise, "Nakupenda" (which means "I love you" in Swahili), features Diamond Platnumz and was produced by Mr. Chidoo. It was officially released on 19 February 2015, after initially being leaked under the title "Nakupenda (Remember)" on 17 February 2015. The music video was directed by Patrick Elis and released on 1 June 2015. The DJ Coublon-produced title track, "Applaudise", was released as the fourth single off the album on 19 April 2015. The music video for "Applaudise" was released on 13 July 2015 and directed by Aje Filmworks. "Okamfo" featuring Lil Kesh was released as the album's fifth single on 19 September 2015, coinciding with its release. "Yoga" was released on 31 August 2016 as the sixth single off Applaudise; it features Victoria Kimani and was produced by DJ Coublon.
Critical reception
The album received mixed reviews from critics. Joey Akan of Pulse Nigeria called Applaudise an album built on "simplistic African sounds" that "perfectly captures the state of pop music in Nigeria", praising its cultural diversity and celebratory mood, while concluding that it is "made for the moment, for the money, and for the clubs", rating it 3 out of 5. Writing for 360nobs, Wilfred Okiche criticized Applaudise as a "directionless" album that relied too heavily on "danceable beats" and the "hit single formula", concluding that "Mr Mbuk gets no applause. Just knocks."
In a review for Music in Africa, Oris Aigbokhaevbolo described Applaudise as a dance-oriented album that prioritized "stellar dance-beat production" and largely succeeded in its intention to make listeners dance, though he questioned its artistic direction, writing that "Applaudise should be called Dance" and suggesting Iyanya's "talent" had gone "to a dancing waste." Sho and Tunde of Should You Bump This described Applaudise as a "watered down and poor" album, criticizing its production and lyrics, stating that "the good songs have already been put out as singles" and that Iyanya "needs to go and hit that reset button", while rating it 1.5/5.
Accolades
| Organization | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria Entertainment Awards | 2016 | Album of the Year | Nominated |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Wambi" | Iyanya Mbuk | Mystro | 3:24 |
| 2. | "Baby Daddy" (remix; featuring Banky W.) | London Boys | 3:09 | |
| 3. | "Mama" | Mbuk | DJ Coublon | 3:50 |
| 4. | "Macoma" (featuring Efya and Sarkodie) |
| DJ Coublon | 3:36 |
| 5. | "Awade" (featuring Dammy Krane) |
| Princeton | 3:31 |
| 6. | "Again" (featuring Seyi Shay) |
| DJ Coublon | 3:18 |
| 7. | "Egwu" (featuring Mystro) |
| Mystro | 3:07 |
| 8. | "Ocho" (featuring Tekno and Selebobo) | Selebobo | 3:58 | |
| 9. | "Psychology" (featuring Harrysong) |
| Dr. Amir | 3:26 |
| 10. | "Okamfor" (featuring Lil Kesh) |
| Princeton | 3:20 |
| 11. | "Loko" | Mbuk | Blaq Jerzee | 3:45 |
| 12. | "Turn It Up" (featuring Olamide) |
| Spellz | 3:16 |
| 13. | "Ufan" (featuring Kcee and MC Galaxy) | Princeton | 3:50 | |
| 14. | "Mogbe" (featuring Patoranking) |
| DJ Coublon | 3:58 |
| 15. | "Commotion" | Mbuk | Tee-Y Mix | 3:16 |
| 16. | "Applaudise" | Mbuk | DJ Coublon | 3:45 |
| 17. | "Gift" (featuring Don Jazzy) |
| Blaq Jerzee | 4:20 |
| 18. | "Mr. Oreo" | Mbuk | Selebobo | 3:44 |
| 19. | "Yoga" (featuring Victoria Kimani) |
| DJ Coublon | 3:30 |
| 20. | "Nakupenda" (featuring Diamond Platnumz) |
| Mr. Chidoo | 3:52 |
| Total length: | 72:00 | |||
Personnel
- Selebobo – production
- Mystro – production
- DJ Coublon – production
- Tee-Y Mix - production
- Blaq Jerzee – production
- Dr. Amir – production
- Princeton – production
- Spellz – production
- Mr. Chidoo – production
- London Boys – production
- Prince Meyson – photography
- iCrea8Media – album art
- Ubi Franklin – executive production
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 19 September 2015 | Made Men |
References
- ↑ Atisele, Kenneth (15 September 2015). "Applaudise! Iyanya releases album tracklist". The NET. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- 1 2 "Tiwa Savage and Tekno top Nigerian Entertainment Awards nominations". Music in Africa. In-house West Africa. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ↑ "Mr Oreo - Single by Iyanya". iTunes. 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 12 June 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ↑ Okuchukwu, Griffin (23 September 2014). "VIDEO: Iyanya – 'Mr Oreo'". The NET. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ↑ Ozone (6 March 2015). "VIDEO: Iyanya – 'Gift' feat. Don Jazzy". 36NG. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ↑ Jonathan Akan (17 February 2015). "Iyanya – 'Nakupenda (Remember)' ft. Diamond Platnumz". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ↑ Oneill, Danielle (1 June 2015). "Iyanya And Diamond Platnumz Share The Video For 'Nakupenda'". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ↑ Jonathan (20 April 2015). "Iyanya - 'Applaudise'". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ↑ Oneill, Danielle (13 July 2015). "Iyanya Meets The Parents In The Visuals For 'Applaudise'". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ↑ Adesida, Olumide (19 September 2015). "Video: Iyanya feat. Lil Kesh – 'Okamfo'". The NET. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ↑ "New Music: Iyanya feat. Victoria Kimani – Yoga". Bellanaija. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ↑ Akan, Joey (28 September 2015). "Iyanya's "Applaudise" LP is worthy of applause". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 3 December 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ↑ Okiche, Wilfred (16 November 2015). "Album Review: What Applause? Iyanya's Applaudise fails to connect". 360nobs. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ↑ Aigbokhaevbolo, Oris (3 November 2015). "Iyanya – Applaudise". Music in Africa. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ↑ "MUSIC REVIEW: APPLAUDISE BY IYANYA". Should You Bump This. 9 October 2015. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2024.