Kabusa Oriental Choir has built its identity by doing something deceptively simple yet culturally powerful: translating everyday popular music into communal, choral experiences. With their original song “Detty December,” the Abuja-based choir captures one of the most electric cultural moments in Nigerian life and reframes it through harmony, rhythm, and shared celebration. The result is not just a seasonal song, but a cultural document, one that reflects how joy, faith, community, and indulgence coexist during the most anticipated time of the year.
“Detty December” draws its inspiration from Nigeria’s end-of-year phenomenon, a period where music, nightlife, travel, weddings, and reunions collide in a joyful frenzy. Often described as “Christmas on steroids,” Detty December is less about restraint and more about release. Kabusa Oriental Choir leans fully into this spirit, crafting a song that feels expansive, playful, and unashamedly festive. The track invites listeners to loosen up, laugh loudly, dance freely, and embrace merriment without apology.
What makes this release especially compelling is the choir’s ability to balance exuberance with structure. The layered vocals give the song a ceremonial feel, while the rhythmic energy keeps it grounded in contemporary celebration. Rather than sounding like a novelty, “Detty December” feels intentionally rooted in lived experience and cultural understanding. It is music designed to be sung together, not consumed in isolation.
Kabusa Oriental Choir was founded in 2019 by Austin Chinemezu Nwamara, whose creative spark came from an offhand joke during an Uber ride home from his day job at a law firm. That spontaneous idea, imagining a Catholic choir performing a popular club record, sparked a movement. Their first viral choir mashup quickly captured public imagination, resonating deeply with audiences who recognized both the humor and the cultural truth behind it.
Over time, the choir evolved beyond covers, stepping confidently into original songwriting. That transition marked a turning point, proving Kabusa Oriental Choir was not merely reacting to pop culture but actively shaping it. Songs like “The Corona Song” and the annual Valentine’s anthem demonstrated their ability to respond to real-world moments with relevance, warmth, and unity.
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| Kabusa Oriental Choir Turns Festive Chaos Into Collective Joy With Their Bold Anthem “Detty December” |
“Detty December” continues that tradition. It reflects a choir deeply in tune with its audience, understanding that celebration itself can be meaningful. There is no moralizing here, no distancing from indulgence. Instead, the song acknowledges joy as a shared human need, especially after long, demanding years. More importantly, it works as an enduring piece of Kabusa Oriental Choir’s catalog, one that can resurface every year without losing relevance. In turning a cultural season into song, Kabusa Oriental Choir reminds us that music does not always need to be solemn to be significant. Sometimes, joy itself is the message.