An Appraisal of Clueless: Oxlade Ventures to Haiti with Michael Brun

Oxlade‘s quest to promote his 2021 record, More, had been met with several ambitious attempts, but when he organized some live sessions in 2023, he found success with his latest single, Clueless. Over the past year, we’ve witnessed a wave of Nigerian singers delving into the Latin world, with Fiokee tapping into the talents of Puerto Rican duo Jean & Alex on his Man album’s hit single, Good Time. Oxlade soon followed suit with a collaboration with the Cuban singer Camila Cabello. CKay‘s Love Nwantiti and Rema‘s Calm Down, with Selena Gomez have also gained significant acceptance in this region of the world.

The collaboration between Haitian DJ Michael Brun and Oxlade on Clueless is an enticing mix of Caribbean Dancehall and the Nigerian globalized Afrobeats. Michael Brun‘s guitar beeps heavily influenced the record’s sound, which lends a Latin flavor perfect for foreign clubs and DJs. Meanwhile, Oxlade‘s vocals perfectly match the Dancehall drumbeats, which create an atmosphere of hospitality and warmth.

Clueless describes the feeling of being in love, which is often inexplicable and leaves one feeling clueless. Oxlade‘s pre-chorus admits this fact, and the chorus/title is broken down into more syllables than it naturally bears, just as we heard in Ku Lo Sa. However, this technique adds a touch of rhythm and firmness to the song.

Clueless is an excellent song that blends different musical styles and cultures to create a unique and captivating sound. After much listening and review, we rate it 7.5 out of 10.