Released: 2024
Features: Asake
“Stubborn” by Victony, featuring Asake, is a resonating anthem of defiance, resilience, and individuality. The song beautifully captures the struggle, hustle, and determination of being true to oneself while navigating the pressures of society.
The song starts with the chorus, “Solo, solo, solo, solo”, which means being alone or independent. The emphasis on solo indicates Victony’s journey of grinding independently before his story got promoted. When he says, “Now dem dey call me idolo”, he’s referencing people now seeing him as a hero or idol, after his success.
“No idolo wey fit perfect/When I dey wear my Dunlop/When I dey wear my Dunlop/When I no geti kọbọ”, Victony reflects on his humble beginnings, wearing cheap Dunlop slippers and having no money (kọbọ). The line “Aboniki full my cupboard”, talks about him having tons of Aboniki balm, a popular Nigerian balm used to soothe body pains, symbolising the physical struggles he’s endured.
The core statement in the refrain, “Stubborn/Me, I no dey hear word o”, portrays Victony’s indomitable spirit. His stubbornness is his resilience and determination to push through regardless of obstacles and societal demands.
The lyric “Make I give dem the steps like Poco” refers to Poco Lee, a popular Nigerian dancer, indicating Victony’s desire to guide his followers in this journey. His assertion: “Originality, no be bobo”, underscores that his music and his journey are grounded in authenticity, not fake or pretentious.
Lastly, “For my family, I be stubborn / I be stubborn, Ọmọ ọgbọn” potrays his families influence in shaping his stubborn persistence. In the end, the song “Stubborn” serves as an anthem for all those determined to live their truth, aligning success on their own terms, and refusing to fit into societal molds.
