Exploring Semiotic Representation in Simisola Ogunleye-Kosoko's 'Duduke': A Multimodal Discourse Analysis

International audience This study examines how motherhood and femininity are semiotically constructed in Simisola Ogunleye-Kosoko’s music video ‘Duduke’ through a multimodal discourse analysis (MDA). Treating the music video as a composite meaning-making event, the analysis integrates three interrelated modes: (i) linguistic choices in the lyrics, including metaphor, repetition, and code-switching; (ii) visual design, interpreted through social-semiotic categories of representational, interactive, and compositional meanings; and (iii) auditory resources, with attention to rhythm, vocal delivery, and sound texture as carriers of affect. The findings indicate that ‘Duduke’ foregrounds pregnancy and maternal anticipation through the recurring “heartbeat” motif, intimate framing of the pregnant body, sustained soft gaze and close social distance, and lighting and colour choices that emphasize tenderness and emotional warmth. The auditory layer reinforces these meanings by synchronizing percussive patterns with the heartbeat theme and supporting an intimate, reflective mood. Overall, the video’s modes work in concert to present motherhood as an embodied, celebratory experience while also articulating a contemporary cultural narrative in which maternal identity is framed with dignity, agency, and emotional depth. This study contributes to the understanding of how popular culture reflects and shape societal values, particularly around issues of gender and identity. The study has implications for theoretical and empirical studies and contributes to the growing body of scholarship at the intersection of African pop music, semiotic representation, multimodality, femininity and motherhood in contemporary Nigeria.