"Woman to Woman'" is more than just a song; it's a heartfelt message of unity and empowerment. It's a call for solidarity, showing how multifaceted women can be and reminding women that they can be whatever they want to be in their lifetime." The track is among many on Simi's fifth album, Lost and Found.
Simi penned 'Woman to Woman' not just for herself, but for every woman who resonates with its message. The song, a blend of her soulful vocals and deeply resonated storytelling, celebrates the strength, struggles, and beauty of womanhood, making it a relatable anthem for many.
The release of its music video brings the song's message to life with vibrant storytelling and powerful visuals. Simi showcases the different facets of women's daily struggles through striking scenes. Every frame is intentional, capturing the essence of sisterhood personally and universally.
As a representation of one of the many themes across the album, Lost and Found embodies love and healing power; the album itself is a new chapter in her career and embodies her femininity and womanhood in a way that audiences haven't seen before. This is something we captured for our cover story, with the display of Simi in a way in which she hasn't been seen. Her softness and ethereal nature were intentionally displayed, allowing her to let us in.
The album and everything it says about her brings us to the classic Afro-pop sound we have known her for. With collaborations from the likes of Tiwa Savage, Ladipoe, and Aṣa, to name a few, she created a well-rounded body of work.
She shares her process, motherhood, cultivating her sound, and so much more.
Deeds: The album's title is Lost and Found. What does this represent to you, and how does it represent the album?
Simi: "Lost And Found" is representative of how I journeyed to the point where this album had to be made. You have to learn how to be different things at different points in your life. As you become these things, you decide what parts you want to keep and what parts you are going to let go of. The album expresses some of the things I intentionally chose not to keep but still needed. When I think about it, though, it had to happen this way. It's easy for people to take things for granted when they have unlimited access to it. This goes for the creator and consumer. I'm just happy I found it again. I wanted people to hear this and remember why they fell in love with my music in the first place; a refresher is nice second because people forget.
D: When did the idea of the album begin for you?
S: The idea for this album began about two years ago. I had made a different album, but months after, I didn't feel any spark. I felt lost because I wasn't even sure what story I was trying to tell anymore. That's a hard thing for someone like me because I usually know. I scrapped the previous album except for three songs and started over. I decided that I would let my heart lead rather than the industry. There was a big boom for Afrobeats and a lot of overthinking. I let all that go and just made music that my heart needed. That's how I ended up here.
D: What was your mindset going into this album and how was the process overall?
S: The switch from trying to do what I felt was needed from me to doing what I needed for me transformed my mindset. My goal was now to pull the people that were for me. Not everything is for everyone. That can be hard to navigate in the Nigerian music industry because the genres and sounds are not separate enough. The lines are so blurred that there's almost no line. For example, we're all Afrobeats artists. If you say otherwise, you're problematic. We're all catering to the same crowd. If you don't fall in line, multiple think-pieces will be written by people who are not naturally inclined to listen to your sound in the first place. We are all trying to beat the same drum. Dance to the same beat. Speak the same language. That's an impossible thing to do successfully all the time as an artist. You try, so you lose the truest parts of yourself. So, I had to switch from thinking I had to follow those rules because I didn't have to. I'm Simi. Nobody else can be me - so that's all I ever want to be.
D: How does this album feel different from your previous work?
S: The best people to answer this will be the listeners. I try to be as true to my feelings when making a project. This project is the same as the others in that way. It does sound like an original Simi, though. It's cohesive. It's the kind of album that holds onto you and doesn't let go, but not too tight, so you don't notice it at first. It doesn't just sit in front of your brain permanently and distract you. It knows how to be in the back, soothe you, and come in the front when needed. This might sound a tad dramatic, but I explain it this way because that's how it makes me feel. It's the kind of album that can make you feel a range of emotions, from calm to energised and everything in between.
D: Speaking on your identity as an artist and your role as a mother, how has motherhood changed your approach to music, if at all?
S: The most significant impact being a mom has had on my music is it has made me a better time manager. Previously, I would stay in the studio for 16 hours a day, only taking breaks to eat, if that. I am a perfectionist, so I can do one thing 500 times, no matter how long it takes. I don't have that luxury anymore. So now, I'm in the studio for five hours, and instead of 500 times, I'll do it 50 times. I'm also more productive on the go because I have to be. Motherhood has sharpened me.
D: There is a lot on the album that speaks to the various parts of yourself regarding everything that encapsulates you as a woman. In getting to this point and reaching this stage of your life, how have your experience and your view of your own femininity changed?
S: This album does have a song called Woman to Woman. I wrote that song for myself and all the women that want and need it. There is pressure as a woman, regardless of the industry you find yourself in or the path you choose. Pressure to be stronger, and if you're "too strong", pressure to be "softer". Pressure to be sexier, and if you're "too sexy ", pressure to be modest. Pressure to marry and have children. If you have children and slow down, pressure to be more ambitious. It goes on and on. I aimed to tell as many women as possible that you're okay where you are. You're enough. If you need more, go for it, but do it for yourself. I make sure to tell myself this as well. Some days, it's harder to remember. Maybe your hormones are working hard on those days, or you just had a bad day. But don't forget to remember you're enough. Occupy space. Be kind, but occupy space and be happy.
D: You've spoken about this album being about reclaiming your chemistry with music melodies and love stories. What would you say have been the shifts in your relationship with music throughout your career?
S: I know that I did it successfully. I know because of how the album made me feel before it was released. I've done some experimenting, and I'm grateful because it was also instrumental in fine-tuning my skills. I've learned how to master a fusion in all the sounds I have explored, making my songs still very authentic. I'm excited about where I am now and look forward to the next thing.
D: You had a hand in producing the title track and mixing the entire album. Can you speak to me about that involvement and why you felt you wanted to do it?
S: I have always mixed my songs, starting with my first mainstream album, Simisola. My voice is very distinct, and I used to believe that most of the mixing engineers who had worked on my voice were not as great with my voice as with other peoples'. I decided to learn how to mix on YouTube. An old friend taught me how to master. My first experiment was my very first EP, "Restless". I was still unsigned at the time. I had no money, so I recorded that project with a USB mic on my refurbished laptop. I downloaded Beats off of YouTube and made the EP myself. It was six covers, but I completely changed the lyrics and stories. It is one of the most important projects I've ever done because it proved I could do so much. Somebody else mixed my first mainstream single, "Tiff", but I just started doing it all myself after that. As for production, I don't have an innate love for it as I do writing or mixing, but I wanted to learn it to say that I could do it. I produced the first song on the album, which was also titled Lost And Found. It is a very emotional song, and I wanted it to be personal down to the production.
D: Speaking of the collaborators you have on the project, you once again worked with Ladipoe on the follow-up to your first collaboration, Know You. What was it like linking it up with him again?
S: Ladipoe is one of my favourite people to work with. He's very particular, just like me - maybe even more so. I suggested something else to him, and he said no, we need to do a sequel. My mind just lit up. I love it when artists apply themselves while doing a feature. It shows they're invested. It excites me. This might not even be the end. He's incredibly talented. He was the only one I got to record in the studio. I finished it independently, but we got the idea and the vibe together.
D: You also worked with the queens Tiwa Savage and Asa. So, tell me about working with both these women and why you wanted them on the project?
S: All the features on this project were very intentional. I just knew each song needed each person. Tiwa is incredible. When I decided I wanted Men Are Crazy to be a feature song, it was a no-brainer that it had to be Tiwa. She was so sweet to work with. She was working in London then, and she found time to go to the studio and record her verses. Aṣa is a legend to me. She was one of the few people I listened to as a teenager, and I used to be so in awe of how ethereal she was. It made me believe that anything was possible. From the very beginning, I always hoped that one day, we would make magic together. I made the song from scratch specifically for her. She was amazing as well. She was also very involved, especially as I mixed our song. I loved that because it pushed me to give it everything.
D: You also worked with LOUDDAA, who produced much of the album. So, can you speak about crafting the sonic sound of the album with him?
S: As great as it was to work creatively with him, my favourite thing about him was his personality. He was easy to do the back-and-forth with. He was very open to my ideas. I'm the type of artist who hears something she likes and locks onto it. This is probably why he ended up producing 10 of the 14 songs. He had the perfect sound for what I was trying to achieve. We made amazing stuff together. There are even some songs we had recorded that didn't make the album. It was a great pleasure working with him.
D: You channelled your classic Afro-pop sound, which you are known for, but on this album, you also brought in some different vibes. So, how do you feel you've been able to elevate your sound while still maintaining your authenticity?
S: I love this question because this is exactly how I see the album: classic but elevated. The more you do something, the more you know how to do it. I've done it long enough to make the fusion happen more effortlessly and instinctually. I've also seen a lot of feedback from people alluding to this. I'm glad that what I aimed to convey came through.
D: Talk to me about the artwork.
S: The team and I worked through a few ideas before we agreed on the final one. The idea of finding treasure was great. There is something childlike about it, which I love. It's also very literal, and I like that because it immediately does the work asked of it.
D: How would you say you have been able to cultivate your sound and reach this point in your career?
S: I went on a search for my sound sometime in 2012. Before that, I had been doing just about anything. Pop. R&B. Folk. Anything. My voice was already distinct, but I knew there was more. So I went to the States, had my little laptop, and was recording on the Adobe audition software, which was certainly not designed for music production - at least not as far as I know, and not at the time. But it served me. I would write and record different sounds and songs. I had been talking to Oscar before that. Oscar was my very first music soulmate and director. He was and still is a mentor to me. He had told me, "You have a great voice, but you need to find something that sets you apart." This was one of the things that set me on my quest. One day, I wrote a song. The verse was still very usual, but the hook sounded special. I don't remember the song, but I knew I had something. Afterwards, I started writing songs like Tiff and Jamb Question, knowing I had hit the jackpot. I returned to Oscar with my new findings, and my life changed.
D: What are you looking forward to as you embark on the next career chapter?
S: I'm a very live-in-the-moment kind of person. I do look forward to doing more exploits. Chasing more of my dreams. There are things I want to try that I've never tried out loud. I plan to continue putting my best foot forward as best as possible.
CREDITS:
Photographer: Isha Shah @ishashahphotography
Creative Director & Producer: Seneo Mwamba @SeneoMwamba
Co-Director: Zekaria Al-Bostani @zek.snaps
Lighting Tech: Alex José @alexjose.photo
Lighting Assistant: Bella Bujosa-Armora @howimwastingtime
Stylist: Dami Oke @dami_oke
Makeup Artist: Hawa Abdallah @facesbyhawa
Hairstylist: Yeama Saphare @theallureparlour
Art Director/Set Designer: Shania-Mae Wright @shaniam00
Creative assistant: Whitney sanni @its.whit_
BTS: Olamide Rufai @lamilogan
Design: @margokatesmith & @ShalemAlone
Writer: Seneo Mwamba @Seneo Mwamba
Studio: Hot Dog Studios @hotdog_studios
Marketing Manager: Ashleigh Simone Brown @ashleighsimoneb
Styling
Look 1: The Venus dress - @houseofalvin
Look 2: Dress - ASOS @asos
Look 3: Custom Look
