Puppy Pound is back as a duo

The dynamics of a music band is like a marriage of some sort, applying the tenets of friendship and loyalty to advocate a lyrical course. But as time unveils new realities, the story of every band evolves, and this Nigeria-based emerging teen boy band Puppy Pound is no exception.

Made up of an impressive coalition of teenage talents, the duo, Bichon and Shepherd are channelling the energy of modern adolescence to chart a fresh course for the Afro-fusion community.

The energy associated with their sound is a direct reflection of their cross-platform musical influences and their exposure to an eclectic faction of music makers. From the smooth rebel tones of Jon Bellion, to the infectious pop rhythms of Justin Bieber, these teenagers have their personal musical influences cut out for them.

The duo’s collective musical influences on the other hand are more landlocked, taking their pick from the sounds of home-grown artistes such as Ajebutter, BOJ, P-Square, and Style Plus. At the heart of the magnetic sounds of this teenage duo, Puppy Pound is an experiment, a construct of Play Palms Entertainment; the ambitious record company that put them together after a series of auditions proved without a doubt that they had untapped talents.

Originally starting with three members of the band that included firebrands Bichon and Shepherd alongside a now-defunct member called Rott; Play Palms Entertainment merged them as a group, creating some sort of chaperone system that made sure that during school holidays the boys lived together and melded their art.

Re-invention is a hard pill to swallow because it comes with making hard choices. So, when a band needs to re-invent itself as a result of one member charting a different course; there is no easy way to tell the story.

“The plan is to stick together for as long as the passion for creating good music together for as long as we are destined to” they reveal.

There is a calm acceptance of the unexpected outcome of a group member, Rott, making an exit from the band, and the reason lies in the bond the boys have formed over time.

“School opportunities opened up and Rott had to move on. This changes nothing with us, we will always be friends even though we may not get to sing together as a group anymore.”

Puppy Pound’s unique philosophy as a duo is formed around career ambitions that they creatively merge with music-making. 16-year-old Obafemi Oluwatodunni aka Bichon has solar ambitions, making moves to become an astronaut, while 17-year-old, Shepherd aka Ore Jude, has a thing for rocks, a result of his discovery that there are very few Nigerian Geologists in existence.

A combination of the strangely familiar stage name, Puppy Pound, and each group member’s dog breed-based personifications, unveils the strategy behind Puppy Pound’s unique naming scheme. Each group member’s dog breed-inspired stage name comes from the peculiar characteristics the particular dog breed shares with the name bearer.

“The dog breed known as Bichons are cute, smart, mischievous and very calculating; while Shepherds are protective, loyal and orderly,” they clarify.

Puppy Pound is morphing into their own, re-inventing their energetic sound and profile to the power of two. Their music is taking form, maturing into a hybrid of the old and the new but that in no way is stopping them from releasing new music. The duo is also open to the possibility of onboarding more creatives to their pound, as their ambition to continue to grow and evolve increases.

“We are releasing a new single soon, that we hope will redefine our brand. The sound of a new Puppy Pound, and a taste of what to expect from us” they add.

If we have to judge Puppy Pound by their exemplary track record of releasing songs that are known to entertain music listeners, then we are justified to sit on the edge of our seats in anticipation of their next release.