Nigerian singer/songwriter Marenikae has been leaving audiences awestruck by her captivating and powerfully raw live show performances, and now as she prepares to release her debut album “Ajebutter” this Nubian pop star is ready for the world to get a new perspective on everything they thought they knew about Millennial Nigerian women.
Marenikae will be releasing her premiere studio album, “Ajebutter” on March 11, 2018, via her self-created distribution and record label The Zuchia Nexus.
An eclectic mix of rich African culture meshed with Western European subtexts and overtones, the project is a refreshing journey into the mind of a Nigerian millennial with womanist roots. The album has been described as bold, cocky and a little arrogant, laden with the familiar pace of African drumbeats and patterns, complemented by Marenikae’s signature sound.
Rooted in a blend of neo-soul and Afropop, the electronic and AC nuances throughout blend to create what she describes as her style of Afro merge music. Her vocals range from sultry, to passionate to flirtatious to bold; transitioning between tracks and sometimes verses. Besides its cultural influence, it’s evident “Ajebutter” is the product of the millennial mindset challenging age-old beliefs and cultural norms.
The term Ajebutter is an American derivative of the slur Ajebota which seeks to devalue affluent Nigerians, pitting their privilege against their authenticity. Marenikae recalls being taunted with the term throughout childhood.
After growing into her independence as an artist she jumped at the opportunity to reclaim the cultural label that creates a socioeconomic division that prohibits inclusion.
