Ojomusic’s Touch on Fola’s “Bella” Brings Tender Emotion

By Odion E. Okonofua

Fola is back with another love-inspired single, Bella, this time teaming up again with producer and songwriter Ojomusic. Known for his signature intro hooks, Ojomusic sets the tone from the first few seconds with a playful line “baby baby, me I want you na na”, this is a line that has quietly become part of his sonic identity. The delivery here immediately hints at a romantic storyline, and it flows naturally into Fola’s gentle opening: “Fola pon this… Fola on this one oh.”

While this kind of intro is not unusual in Afrobeats, the arrangement and production behind it show Ojomusic’s deliberate effort to ease the listener into the mood, using mellow piano chords and soft melodic textures to support the vocals.

Unlike many mainstream Afrobeats love songs that lean heavily into sensual themes and bold descriptions, Bella feels more subtle. The lyrics lean towards imagery and parables, focusing on admiration and emotional desire rather than lust. This reflects an intentional direction, possibly led by Ojomusic to keep the song accessible and appropriate for a wide audience.

The song’s structure also leans on a conversational style. When Fola sings “Hey you, girl I thought you’re cute,” it feels personal and direct, almost like dialogue. It paints a clear picture, making “Bella” feel like a real character, and helps the listener imagine the story as if watching a scene unfold. Fola’s smooth vocal tone delivers this well, riding the beat with warmth and clarity.

Behind the scenes, Ojomusic carries much of the weight of the production. He created the beat, managed the recording process, mixed and mastered the track, and even contributed background vocals, all of which come together neatly, especially during the chorus where his voice complements Fola’s lead.

One standout part of the song is the call-and-response section in the hook:
Fola sings, “What kind of beautiful lady is Bella oh?”
Ojomusic answers in the background: “Don’t stop, don’t stop oh baby.”
It’s catchy, playful, and gives the chorus an anthem-like quality, easy for audiences to remember and repeat.

The tempo throughout the song is steady, not too fast, not too slow, keeping the listener in a comfortable groove. The transition into the second verse is also worth noting, where the beat softens slightly to allow the vocals to breathe. It’s a smart choice and shows that Ojomusic understands how to let the story guide the production.

While the song is emotionally appealing, it does have its limitations. One area that could be improved is the over-repetition of the chorus. It plays at least five times across the track, with only three very short verses in between. This imbalance may make the song feel too repetitive, especially for listeners who value lyrical depth.

Also, while Ojomusic’s all-in-one approach to production is impressive, it might have benefited from collaboration with other producers or engineers. Modern music often thrives on a division of labour like, separate roles for beat making, mixing, and mastering, which allows for broader creative input. Having additional perspectives might have added more richness to the arrangement or tightened the overall sound.

Bella is not a bad effort. It’s a soft, romantic track with good intentions and a clean, melodic production. The chemistry between Fola and Ojomusic is clearly there, and their shared vision for the song shows. Still, the song doesn’t push many boundaries, and with more hands on deck, it could have evolved into something more dynamic.

As it stands, Bella is a sweet, mid-tempo Afro-fusion love song that gets its message across but leaves room for development, both lyrically and sonically.