Did I Lie is a grounded and solid album from a talented and seasoned veteran. Cina Soul is a recognisable name for a reason and she reminds us of that reason all across the project.
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Christie Quincyna Quarcoopome is one of Ghana’s premier musical exports. Professionally known as Cina Soul, the soulstress was thrust into the limelight when she reached the finals of the 2014 edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Icons competition.
This was followed up by a series of mashups and covers of popular songs, allowing her to propel her profile into the public eye. The second of three girls (all talented singers in their own right), she might have inherited her talent and influences from her father; drawing on the likes of Anita Baker, Sade, Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston to inform her soul-adjacent style.
Her debut project, Metanoia, was released in 2017 and put her Soul, R&B, and Highlife chops on display. By 2019, she had caught the eye of Universal Music Group and was signed to the imprint ahead of her landmark Ga-language single “Adukwei”. Since then, she’s released one EP and a smattering of singles, culminating in a rare full-length project in Did I Lie.
Did I Lie begins with a heartfelt ballad in “Breathe”. Dark emotive pianos lay the foundation for a concise story told with powerful lyrics in English and Pidgin English. Cina Soul paints the picture of a breathtaking love singing “When I see your face/ Someone tell me why I no fi breathe”. Her immense vocal prowess is immediately displayed as she belts each note precisely, sprinkling in rich deep notes and acrobatic runs.
“Big Manye” is next, kicking off Did I Lie in earnest. The song is introduced by a vocal sample in the Ga language backed by the synth chords and bassline of the instrumental. Cina Soul is supported by Ghanaian acts, Sefa, Titi Owusu, and the versatile Mavin rapper, Eleestee (formerly known as Lifesize Teddy).
Together, they deliver an uplifting tune chronicling the overcoming of setbacks and challenges. The bright synths and sparse Afro-influenced drums provide a fittingly positive thrust that keeps the song lively and cheery. The spoken sample bookends the song beautifully as it fades out.
Driving Afrobeats shakers and percussions usher us into “Different Place”. A bubbly synth bassline provides the instrumental with a signature bounce that Cina Soul navigates expertly. “I’m in a different place/ I don’t see things the same/ My mind don really change/ I’m no longer the same”, she sings resolutely, pulling on the upper range of her register with ease. Diverse backing and group vocals broaden the vocal spectrum of the song, resulting in a moving sonic treat with a triumphant spirit.
Somber pads and ululations get “Basintale” going. Strummed guitars, a sub bass, and percussion-heavy drums complete the energetic instrumental. Here, Cina Soul displays an entirely different side of her abilities, opting for a largely Dancehall-adjacent patois-esque delivery with a rapid-fire cadence and boisterous defiant energy. “Things dem a talk dem no fi compare me/ Dem nuh dare me/ See my name pon the tele ? Come rain fire sunshine we’a ready” she exclaims with a confident delivery rife with believability.
“Larger Than Life” is a surprisingly sensual love song that brings back the Afrobeats energy with its straightforward drum arrangements and simple synth chord progression. The song is thoroughly carried by the vocal work of Cina Soul and the featured heavyweight, Stonebwoy. Both artistes inject their verses with a healthy dose of vulnerability and relatability resulting in a concise offering that feels thematically genuine.
“Arizona” gives us clacking percussions and rattling shakers over a lively bassline and smooth chords. “So come over/ High me like Arizona/ Oh my God I’m sober/ This boy take me higher”, Cina Soul admits, with her vocals taking centre stage as usual. Mr. Drew interjects with Zlatan-like ad-libs and a somewhat simplistic verse delivered in a number of local languages. The song is anchored with a bubbly hook built around group vocals. Unfortunately, the song is in the engineering department as it doesn’t sound as refined as the songs around it.
“Good Lies” is a straight-up Reggae song, built around genre staples like electric piano chord stabs, chugging rhythm guitars, and the signature drums. Cina Soul addresses the alleged misdeeds of a lover with melodic simplicities drawing the focus to the well-written lyrics to tell her story. She wisely chooses a handful of moments to throw some compositional spice into the mix and avoid monotony, be it with a few vocal runs or the passages with expertly layered backing vocals.
“Suloli” was previously released as a single and on it, Cina Soul and guest artiste, Olivetheboy, deliver a radio-ready Afrobeats hit. Contagious drums, summery strummed guitars, and an uncomplicated chord progression set the table for Cina Soul’s airy delivery of the chorus. However, Olivetheboy might be the star here as his slight nasal delivery and ear-catching melodies are precisely what the doctor ordered on this type of track.
Sarkodie and O’Kenneth join up for a declaration of toxicity on “Too Bad”. The songwriting is A1 on this song as all three artistes portray their perspectives in a way that feels all too familiar, painting scenarios and portraying emotions that most people can relate to to some degree.
“Sexy Riddim” is not as sexy as the name might imply. The instrumental lets the song down, getting repetitive quite quickly probably because of uninspired sound choices. The core string and flute synths come across flatly, feeling dry and artificial. Cina Soul does her best with what she’s given, utilising the breadth of her vocal range and diverse delivery styles to keep the song somewhat sexy in the end.
“Personal” emerges as my favourite song off Did I Lie. It begins with delicious soulful electric piano chords. Percussion-driven syncopation and a hefty bassline complete the simple but exceptionally effective instrumental. Cina Soul is in flying form as well, settling in with a soft-spoken and understated delivery that embodies the theme of the track. The melodies are buttery and sweet, pulling the listener in and there are moments in the backing vocals and second verse where Cina’s vocals are downright angelic.
After the high of “Personal”, Did I Lie concludes underwhelmingly with “Tuff Times”. Making the same mistakes as “Sexy Riddim”, the instrumental here lets the song down with a relentless bassline, overly artificial strings, and drums that feel repetitive in no time at all. Cina Soul tries her best, with inspiring songwriting about overcoming the titular tough times and vocal deliveries intended to uplift. The song also ends rather abruptly, closing the album out on a rough note that slightly sours the whole listening experience.
Did I Lie is a grounded and solid album from a talented and seasoned veteran. Cina Soul is a recognisable name for a reason and she reminds us of that reason all across the project. It houses a few peaks and valleys, but the quality floor with an artiste like Cina is mostly assured.
First and foremost, Cina Soul is an established vocalist. This is no surprise considering her initial claim to fame was her singing in a televised competition.
This aspect of her artistry has never wavered. Each song presented an opportunity for her to express that talent and she never failed to deliver. From airy high notes to gravely belly tones, belting with power and control to effortlessly gliding runs, Cina’s singing demonstrates experience and expertise. Her deliveries are just as broad as her range as she displayed her ability to inject emotion and inflection into her singing, deepening the emotional impact of her noteworthy voice.
The second champion of Did I Lie is Cina Soul’s calibre as a songwriter. The album is titled Did I Lie, setting up my expectations for a truth-telling session. She and her writers successfully penned thematically congruent songs, each anchored around an honest expression of a particular subject matter or a personal perspective.
The personas embodied felt relatable and understandable, depicting familiar scenarios and universal emotions with straightforward lyrics. Even as Cina Soul flexed her versatility, switching between languages and genres, the melodies used exemplify a keen understanding of musicality and flow.
The weak spots across Did I Lie mostly stemmed from the technical department in the production and engineering. With a singer of Cina Souls ilk, the instrumentals need not do much but provide a platform for the vocalist to shine and many of the instrumentals here did that.
However, there were a few that actively detracted from the whole. Lacklustre drums and flaccid sound selection were the most prominent crimes committed in that regard. Another no-no when dealing with a great singer is muddling their vocals in engineering and that is also present a few times across Did I Lie, where harmonies and backing vocals stand isolated in the mix or some of the frequencies of Cina’s vocals get lost in the instrumental shuffle. None of these missteps tank the album per se but they knock it back on its heels.
It’s safe to say that Cina Soul did no wrong and, indeed, told no lies on this album. While it falls short in a few areas, there is no denying the quality that Cina Soul puts out and, in the end, she reminds us all of how she became who she has become in the industry. Hopefully, she releases more frequently and we get more of the highs that Did I Lie delivered.
Lyricism – 1.5
Tracklisting – 1.3
Sound Engineering – 1.2
Vocalisation – 1.7
Listening Experience – 1.3
Rating – 7.0/10
Yinoluwa “Yinoluu” Olowofoyeku is a multi-disciplinary artist and creative who finds expression in various media. His music can be found across all platforms and he welcomes interaction on his social media @Yinoluu.