Water & Garri serves as a blend of musical genres and storytelling, intertwining the film’s narrative with the album’s diverse tracks in more ways than the feature film could capture.
By Hope Ibiale
Three years after the release of her EP, Water & Garri, Nigerian artiste Tiwa Savage, ventures into filmmaking debut in a production of the same title. While the feature received wide criticism from viewers and film journalists alike, the film’s stunning cinematography and soundtrack are a commendable supplementation.
With the Meji Alabi-directed film comes a ten-track soundtrack album, Water & Garri. On the album, Tiwa collaborates with Nigerian artists Reekado Banks, Mystro, the Cavemen, Ayra Starr, and Young Jonn, as well as Ghanaian rapper Black Sherif, American artist Zardine Cortez, and Cameroonian bassist and singer Richard Bona.
On the album’s cover art, Aisha, the lead character played by Tiwa, has her arms wrapped around her on-screen love interest, Kay (Andrew Bunting). For a moment, one might think the picture was clipped from a scene in the movie, but when some of the first words sung on the LP are, “I can’t get you off my mind, don’t wanna try”, any thought that this is a random picture is forgotten as it depicts Aisha’s and Kay’s love affair — which is one of the central parts of the film.
From the soundtrack album’s cover art, one can already deduce that this project was created to further strengthen the emotional impact of the film, and to help viewers understand its s themes: love and pain. For instance, in the scene when Aisha goes to the graveyard to pay respect to Grandma Kemi and her brother, Mide, the record, “Emotions” starts playing. This song elevates that scene’s emotional depth. And just like in the film, the soundtrack captures Aisha’s different emotional stages in the film.
When “Eastside Intro”, the first track on the album comes on, listeners are transported to a beautiful seaside view of Cape Coast, where the movie was shot. Much like how the opening scene in the film gets viewers prepared for a cinematic experience, “Eastside Intro” beautifully sets the tone, immersing listeners in the location’s serene atmosphere. I’d imagine listeners putting on their headphones and soaking into the cool aura the album starts with. From Aisha reminiscing on her love life to her younger version designing at the beach, “Eastside Intro” echoes multiple times in the film serving as a backdrop for most of the scenes in the film.
The album intro bleeds into “Lost Time”, the soundtrack featured in the film’s trailer. Acoustic guitar strings and Tiwa’s passionate delivery make this Afro-RnB record a perfect follow-up to “Eastside Intro”, as a sublime atmosphere has been built from the previous track, which helps this record find its footing. Here, we meet Aisha as she tries to reconnect with her ex-lover and make up for the moments lost after she relocated abroad. With “Lost Times”, Tiwa freely expresses her emotions without inhibitions as she speaks from her heart. She sings, “Baby I’m just thinking of the lost times, when I didn’t know you, lost times”. After listening to “Lost Times” a dozen times, it is obvious that this is Aisha’s love letter to Kay.
The progression into “Commona” showcases Tiwa’s versatility, merging her RnB roots with vibrant Afrobeats percussion, reflecting Aisha’s rediscovery of her African identity when she returns to Eastside. At the beginning of the record, listeners might expect to hear classical music or another RnB song because of the orchestra, but immediately the percussion comes on, it registers an Afrobeats record. Tiwa recruits Olamide and Mystro here. While Tiwa and Mystro give impressive deliveries, it is Olamide who shines brightly with the way he switches between singing and rapping over the well-laid drums. With the artistes’ joint effort over the Blaisebeatz-produced track, “Commona” is an enjoyable track that stands out because of the synergy between the musicians and their distinctive delivery. The production chops are a sonic cherry on the cake and seamlessly carry each one’s artistry.
In the next record, “Reason”, Tiwa and Reekado Banks glide over prominent log drums to deliver a song that is perfectly tethered to the gangsta lifestyle in Water & Garri. Unlike the film where gangs clash over power, Tiwa and Reekado engage in a lovers’ fight. There is little to no extremism in the gang violence in the film, and “Reason” matches the subtle gangsterism.
“Love O” is an Afropop record that sees Tiwa confessing her feelings once again. With “Lost Times”, the artiste tries to reconcile with emotions she thought were dead, now those emotions have been reawakened, and she is ready to fully commit to her former lover. Tiwa’s somewhat breathy vocals carry her newly-found emotions. The song’s production suits her vocals as it doesn’t require much for her to vocally exert herself, but she still elevates whatever she renders. “Love O” is one love record that can fit into a club’s playlist because of its groovy Afropop bounce. As Water & Garri unfolds, tracks like “Reason” and “Love O” continue to explore themes of love and reconciliation, with Tiwa’s evocative vocals capturing Aisha’s emotional journey.
On “Emotions” two of Nigeria’s best female artistes collaborate to create one of the most cinematic records on Water & Garri. From the smooth production to the vocals and the emotional depth in the song, “Emotions” is a grand depiction of what happens when two maestros tap into their rawest feelings. Tiwa and Asa complement each other vocally. “Emotions” stands out as a cinematic masterpiece, with both songstresses delivering a powerful duet that resonates deeply with listeners. Through their voices, listeners can hear the deep longing for love.
This is one record whose title rightfully fits the narrative of the song. “Emotions” is a profound song that brings both artistes together to make heartfelt promises to their lovers, and in this case, it is a promise made to Kay. At the same time, “Emotions” is also dedicated to Aisha’s dead relatives. After their death, there is an empty hole in Aisha’s heart, but she uses the memory of their love to push through the pain.
For “I Need You”, Tiwa recruits Zacardi Cortez for another heartfelt confession. Unlike “Emotions” where Asa and Tiwa are unassisted by back-up vocalists, “I Need You” is charged with energetic backup vocals. The combination of the backup vocalists, riffs, and electronic guitar makes the record sound like an inspirational gospel song. After letting her emotions soar on “Emotions”, Savage calls on her lover to stand by her forever despite life’s hardship.
Tiwa recruits Ayra Starr, for a chest-thumping delivery on “Gara”. Here, the singers don’t deviate from the theme of love evident in the previous records, but things take a new turn. Aside from the upbeat tempo, Ayra and Tiwa make promises to love their partners, but they also choose to have enough affluence to cater to their lovers. “Gara” is an anthem for hustlers who also desire love. One commendable feature of Water & Garri is the synergy between Tiwa and the featured artistes. No one tries to outshine the other, their unique artistry shines brightly on each record, and “Gara” is no different. The song’s tempo aligns with their energy, making it an ideal club jam that fits seamlessly as a club track in the film.
The Amapiano record “Kilimanjaro” comes up next. Here, Black Sherif and Young Jonn deliver memorable performances. This record further brings to light the deliberateness employed when creating this album because of the profound synergy between the artistes. Also, the cohesiveness between “Gara” and “Kilimanjaro” is unmissable because of the similar production choices like the log drums and uptempo beat.
Water & Garri closes the curtain with the titular “Water & Garri”. The record is an intersection between Highlife and Hip-Hop. It fits perfectly as the last record in the film, as one made for when the film credits roll. However, the amalgamation of different sounds makes the record overwhelming. The infusion of different sounds wasn’t perfectly executed. The vocal performances from Richard Bona, The Cavemen, and Tiwa are a good output, but the song tries to become multiple things at once.
Water & Garri exudes a clear cohesiveness that resonates throughout each track. From the stellar production and collaborations to the intricate instrumentation and song arrangement, Tiwa Savage and her producers have masterfully integrated the artistes diverse sound influences. This seamless blend not only showcases her versatility but also perfectly complements the film, creating a soundtrack that enhances the cinematic experience. Across the album, there is a smooth transition that enhances the listening experience. The central theme explored in each song also helps with this transition, making the album a wholesome experience. At these moments, Tiwa and other guest artistes give memorable deliveries that may remain in the minds of the listeners because of the ways each glides over the diverse music production.
When it comes to the project’s songwriting, Tiwa drew inspiration from the film’s opening note “Water is to garri as love is to pain”. The verses carry the pain Aisha feels and how she uses love to live with the pain. This is evident in records like “Emotions”, “I Need You”, and “Love O”. Impressively, Tiwa doesn’t stick to RnB songs to explore her emotions as the infusion of Highlife, Amapiano, Afrobeats, and Hip-Hop also perfectly express her emotions. This means an artiste’s emotions are not restricted to be expressed only by a particular genre of music.
The album serves as a blend of musical genres and storytelling, intertwining the film’s narrative with the album’s diverse tracks in more ways than the feature film could capture. Despite some challenges in executing the fusion of different sounds in the final track, the album closes on a good note, leaving listeners with a sense of fulfilment and a lasting impression of Tiwa’s artistic prowess. Water & Garri is not just an album; it’s a holistic sonic journey that complements and enhances the film it accompanies.
Lyricism – 1.3
Tracklisting – 1.4
Sound Engineering – 1.5
Vocalisation – 1.5
Listening Experience – 1.5
Rating – 7.2/10
Hope Ibiale is a writer and journalist. She has a keen interest in music, film, and literature. You can connect with Hope on X @hopeibiale and via email: hopeibiale@afrocritik.com.