Nigerian music sensation Yemi Alade has released the video for her Home track and the 13-minute clip shows her acting abilities as she takes on the role of a peasant determined to follow her heart.
Following the footsteps of rapper Falz in his Soldier video, Yemi Alade chose to go beyond the genre of music to incorporate elements of a feature film in order to better pass across a simple message; Home is where the heart is.
The songstress stars as a poor soul whose life is constantly in torment, no thanks to her evil foster mother. She eventually decides to defy her parent to follow her true love. It’s a story that has been told countless times but here, it doesn’t lose its appeal.
To help her tell the tale is notable music video director and cinematographer, Clarence Peters.
The choice is a good one as Yemi Alade’s earnest performance is matched by Clarence Peter’s unmistakably evident professionalism. Throw in Clarion Chukwura’s acting talents and Frankincense Eche-Ben’s undeniable huskiness and what you get is a musical short that thrills visually while giving us a musical melody that is sure to make us dance to the beat.
The setting is another proof of the director’s artistry as the beach surroundings and the riverine background give authenticity to a peasant maiden’s tale.
The cinematography doesn’t disappoint and it reflects the tranquil life of those living in rural communities.
Clarion Chukwura (who is the director’s mother) is at home here, lending credence to her status as a Nollywood veteran.
Frankincense Eche-Ben is almost too distracting as his good looks and magnetic persona make you wish the camera could just linger on him a little while longer.
In all, Home is both entertaining and instructive. With Yemi Alade in front of the camera and Clarence Peters behind it, the short ‘movie-musical’ is a definite crowd-pleaser.