by Yemi Olowu

A few years ago – four, to be precise – TY Bello wowed us with her song of hope, Greenland, and the eponymous debut solo album. She recently returned to the music scene with an even more inspiring new single, titled The Future. This single and its message come just in time, it seems, as Nigeria prepares for the 2011 general elections. YNaija caught up with TY and a few of her friends at the shoot of the video for The Future.

Soundbites from The Future

“By some sort of coincidence, every election I’ve ended up releasing  a song. I didn’t plan to do that this particular year, but when a bomb went off on the 31st of December, 2010, I felt like it was necessary for me to take action. I didn’t write the song alone – I wrote it by talking to Fela Durotoye, Uche Majekodunmi and Lanre Olushola. I would call them every morning and have them speak about the situation of our nation, and I put all they were saying together and made it into a song.” – TY Bello

“Like every TY Bello song, there is a lot of inspiration in this one. The message is clear and it’s about yesterday, today and tomorrow. It’s about making us the best that we can and should be. It’s about not accepting defeat or limitations. If the system is not working, the country is in trouble. We need artistes to continue to hammer it, to make us understand that if we do put our best foot forward we can be the best that we want to be.” – Ayeni Adekunle (CEO BlackHouse Media Limited)

“I think the song has come out right on time, with regards to what’s going on with the elections, registering to vote, and all the youths coming together. It’s an empowering song and the more you listen to it the more you’ll know you’re the future. Take charge to be where you want to be, because we have the power to take the nation where it ought to be.” – Damilola Amolegbe (Editor, Hi Magazine)

“I don’t think it’s a song, I think it’s a message. And for every message there is a time and a season, and the season and time for this message is now. Nigeria is 50, and this symbolizes jubilee, it symbolizes a new beginning, it symbolizes liberty and this message gives us the call to a new beginning. It is a call to responsibility and a call to action for everybody. We should all heed to the call and do that which we need to do, to create this new Nigeria.” – Lanre Olushola, Peak Performance Coach, IMC Consulting

“The song is amazing. It gives me hope as a Nigerian youth. I believe so much in it and it’s made me have very very high hopes for the country.” – Make up artist, Ewar Makeovers

Photos from The Future