“Number 1” is a song that lingers after it ends, crystallising Unleash’s growth as both a producer and artiste. But much more than that, it reveals an act worth keeping an eye on.
By Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro
What really happens after promises are broken and trust grows thin? What happens when phone calls begin to feel like obligations and silence starts to speak louder than words? Something quiet shifts between lovers; a rupture that is not always loud but is always felt.
It’s a difficult place to be in emotionally, especially knowing you are culpable in the hurt. When apologies seem insufficient and love is no longer on the table, every word carries the risk of causing further damage.
“Number 1” finds Unleash in that vulnerable state, reaching out to a lover he had erred in the past in a ballad formed by honesty, remorse, and maybe even the hope that something that was once broken could still be fixed. On closer inspection, the song is less of a performance and feels more like an emotional letter penned from a place where regret and longing now reside.
The song opens with electric guitar plucks, mid-tempo drums, and a laidback bass groove. This is a deliberate choice, as though Unleash is giving himself room to think out loud, as though he is afraid to say the wrong things. His opening lines, “Dreams create inspire/ Na she be the one wey dey make me dey push on eh”, are less of a boast and more of a confession, stating his love interest as the emotional fuel behind his drive.
On the hook, he opts for simplicity, declaring, “You be my number 1/ Dem other ladies dem a love the boy/ You got me drinking, I’m drunk in love/ For you I go je gbese”. This lands as equal parts plea and promise.
The Ogun State-born singer, songwriter, and record producer is no stranger to emotional expression in his music. Gifted a piano by his mom at the age of six, Unleash has long understood the importance of production, later sharpening his technical skills under hitmaker Indomix. It is that foundation that takes centre stage in the self-produced “Number 1”, whose stripped-down and balanced arrangement allows his vocals and emotions to lead rather than the instrumentation.
Lyrically, the song is commendably straightforward. There is no showboating; when he makes bold confessions (“I know I made some mistakes, baby”), or when he strips himself bare (“Cos I fucked up, I messed up, we broke up, and I wanna make up”), one can sense the regret and feel the remorse as lived-in.
For a song of this nature, one might expect Unleash to wax lyrical or over-explain his pain. Instead, he deploys restraint. The songwriting is clipped yet succinct, because sometimes less is more, and sincerity, when delivered without excess, can speak volumes.
Ultimately, “Number 1” is a song that lingers after it ends, affirming Unleash’s growth as both a producer and artiste. More than that, it reveals an artiste worth keeping an eye on.
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