Authors: Clenedy Mutoza, Dr Sumathi .K. Sripati
Abstract: Economic disparities lead to an increasing monetization of young people’s relationships, driving them either into a fragile flux of multiple partners or out of intimate engagements altogether. Taking this ‘dissonance’ between sonic representations and social relations as a point of departure, in this work I explored the ways in which young Freetonians position themselves at the junction of desire and reality. I juxtaposed various life and love stories of youths with the fantasies they invest in love music. In so doing, I discussed the complex relationships between affect, exchange, deprivation and the strictures involved in attaining social adulthood. The proliferation of music in Sierra Leone is confined in youth’s involvement in it. I argued that it is within the experiential gap between the consumption of a representation and the desire to live (up to) that representation that Freetown’s youth rework their horizons of possibilities. A qualitative research tool was used to collect data, precisely an unstructured interview method, since the questions call for answers that the respondents must express their opinions. The research further highlighted the types of lyrics composed by these youth, types of listeners, educational status of artists and listeners, the challenges faced in the music industry, the transformation felt within the industry, contributions and perceptions on the new phenomenon. The general populace greatly benefits from industry. Youths use music to relieve tension and boredom, provide a creative outlet, help take control of their emotions or mood, form identity and as entertainment or distraction.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19364920
