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Album:For Broken Ears Artist:Tems Genre: #RnB, #AfroPOP Sub-Genres:#ContemporaryAfroBeats Label:Leading Vibe Ltd Non-Airable Tracks:N/A When Tems was asked what the album meant for her and what's its purpose she recalled
"Broken ears means hard hearts that are about to turn into stone — people that almost forget they’re human — that’s what broken ears means to me. For me, this EP is meant to bring some kind of healing. It is to be a reminder that we’re human and that we are all going through things."
The first time I listened to this album, I was overwhelmed by this feeling of sadness, but also felt overpowered by confidence. I fell in love with it, head over heels, coming back and forth from my house the album was on repeat. I recall I was listening to the album while walking on campus and someone stopped me and asked me what song was I blasting through my headphones. When people hear about contemporary Afro Beats, they have this ideology that the song/songs are very "hyped", like you just want to dance to the songs. However, Tems decided to do something different, she involved Afro-beats by not making it energetic and fast-paced, she added soul to it. When you search where was contemporary afro-beats originated from it? It was originated in Nigeria. Where is Tems from? She's from Nigeria, she very beautifully represented her country not through the lyrics"it talks about her life " but through acing the genre of the album. The album talks about peace, heartbreak, and love.
The album starts with the song interference, "You can put the hurt inside on top my head
As I sing the love inside from out my mouth" she talks about the hardship of love, the song sounds peaceful and soothing, something you would listen through while midnight driving. It was a captivating strong intro to the album. The second song,Ice T however, is more upbeat, more like rap, it's positive you feel the positivity reap through her voice and the background music ."I'm turning up, turning up and on
And I'm coming now"...."I will be coming for your mind
Running in, I will be fighting for your time" You can sense confidence in her words and that she doesn't want to give up. However, it feels dragged on at the end of the song because she starts listing flavors of lemons honey raspberries, which could distract you from the main idea of the song. She follows up with the song Free Mind where she also talks about, how she's getting out of this negative bubble she's in. How it feels to be on the better side "This is the peace that you cannot buy
Send me a love that you cannot mix
One is the joy that you cannot waste".The background noise of her voice is what makes the song, its the first thing I remember when I hear the name of the song . Moving on to the next song she adds an interlude"Temilade Interlude" named after her, it's a conversation where her parents tell her how they knew she was going to be a girl and how they chose her name. It adds depth to the album, Tems put it there to show that the album is about her life and she added her parents to it to make it more authentic.
Higher is the 4th song in the album it resembles the song interference, however, Higher, Tems talk about how she finally fled, from all the misery, she will no longer take anything from anyone that will cause hardships in her life. It is my favorite song in the album, it's heartbreaking, gut-wrenching but in a good way where it makes you want to get up this instance and make a change in your life. It's one of the most relatable songs in the album, a lot of people can interpret the song the way they like and how it might fit their struggles.
Damages would be the fifth song it's also upbeat "No more damages now
Said tell me what you need from me now" she talks about how enough is enough and talks about her childhood love, it makes you want to bop your head and laugh and drive around the beach. Last but not least, the final song of the album Is called The keys which is also my second favorite, she finally won the battle of her struggles "Listen when they call, they call my name
I found the voice within me" she found herself and she won't let anyone deceive her or take advantage of her "When they tried to take me down".
She ends the album with a strong song.Tems didn't drift off the main idea, she focused on what she wanted people to hear which is her journey of battling through depression, sadness, and losing herself, to end the album with finding herself and being finally free.
She found the "the key" to happiness and being free
Tems is finally getting the recognition she deserves, I have a feeling she's going to be the new upcoming artist.
Sounds Like:
on it by Jazmine Sullivan
Blessed Juls
What You did Mahalia
Recommended Tracks:
Higher
The Key
Free Mind
Reviewer’s Name: Alyah Meqwar Date of Review: 09/15/2021
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