# Stubborn (album)

Stubborn is the debut studio album by Nigerian singer Victony. It was released on 21 June 2024 through Encore Recordings, and features guest appearances from artists Asake, Saint Jhn, Teezo Touchdown, Shallipopi, Ktizo and Shorae Moore. Production was handled by Louis Bell, Blaisebeatz, Harrison Song, Westen Weiss, P.Priime, 255, 1Mind, Tommy Parker, Cole Misola, Ktizo, Sarz, Brendan Grieve, Nineteen85, P2J and Fritz. The album serves as a follow-up to Outlaw (2022).

## Background

Stubborn emerged from a collection of songs recorded across different locations, including Los Angeles, reflecting the artist’s varied experiences and influences. In an interview with OkayAfrica, Victony described his focus on melody, stating, “Melody is a global language,” emphasizing its power to connect listeners beyond language barriers. Originally intended as an EP, the project grew into a full album due to the volume of material he had produced. Victony noted that Stubborn serves as a way to properly introduce himself to his audience, showcasing his range and personal stories.

## Singles

The album's lead single "Everything" was released on 9 February 2024. The song featured production from Ktizo and Blaisebeatz, and samples Post Malone and Swae Lee's 2018 single "Sunflower". The second single and title track "Stubborn" features Asake and was produced by Westen Weiss, 1Mind, and KTIZO. The song was released on 10 May 2024.

## Composition and lyrics

Stubborn blends personal themes with a variety of musical influences, reflecting his experiences growing up in Lagos. The album opens with "Oshaprapra," where Victony narrates his path to success, navigating societal pressures. "Tiny Apartment," featuring Saint Jhn, depicts the loneliness of heartbreak, set against the backdrop of Lagos' face-me-I-face-you apartments. Love is a recurring theme throughout the album, with songs like "History" and "Anita" exploring relationships from different angles. In "Risk," Victony experiments with blending Fuji and Blues, while "Kolo (Kolomental II)" revisits a previous release with a swaggering update. The album closes with "Street Affair," a reflective track about betrayal and resilience, underscored by somber guitar and piano.

## Critical reception

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| Afrocritik | 7.6/10 |
| Pulse Nigeria | 8.1/10 |
| The Native | 8.5/10 |
| Premium Times | 7/10 |
Wale Oloworekende of The Native praised Stubborn as Victony's bold and reflective debut album, blending personal stories with diverse sounds and themes of love, ambition, and resilience. He highlighted how Victony’s journey from his Lagos roots informs the music, describing tracks like “Tiny Apartment” as elevating Lagos-specific narratives to a global scale. Oloworekende rated the album 8.5/10, noting that it showcases Victony's "sonic malleability, imagery, and creative vision."
Nosakhale Akhimien of Premium Times described Victony’s Stubborn as a solid debut album that reflects resilience and overcoming adversity, rooted in personal experiences like his near-fatal accident. The album blends Afropop, Amapiano, and disco-influenced sounds, with standout collaborations like “Tiny Apartment” featuring SAINt JHN and “Stubborn” with Asake. Akhimien rated the album 7/10, praising its emotional depth while noting some pacing inconsistencies.
Emmanuel Okoro of Afrocritik described Stubborn as a "breath of fresh air" in a year filled with subpar releases, highlighting its thematic exploration of life’s highs and lows. Okoro commended the album’s production and featured artists, noting it showcased Victony's journey to stardom and his resilience. The review rated the album 7.6/10.
Adeayo Adebiyi of Pulse Nigeria praised Victony's Stubborn for its daring creativity and bold fusion of genres, reflecting his resilience and defiance in both life and music. The album showcases his artistic range, from party hits like "Stubborn" to emotionally deep tracks like "Street Affair." Adebiyi noted Victony's success in blending Afrobeats with international sounds, calling the album a "bold and creative interpretation of Afrobeats" and rating it 8.1/10.

### Accolades

The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2024 edition of the African Entertainment Awards USA.