I have learned to take a “best of both worlds” approach to my music being that I’m both a Nigerian & an American. The traditional African rhythms are present with the modern afro-pop sounds, mixed with soul & other contemporary genres.
Interviews
Fear is not very me. I’m like a positive tornado wrecking all the negative shit that’s out there. You could put me in front of an active nuclear bomb & I would dance & sing to it. Fuck that bomb, this is my moment.
The inspiration is different for every song. Most times it’s to cope or get closure on a traumatic event or season in my life. Other times, I write to capture a moment in time or describe a feeling.
Being able to walk down the street & see live music everywhere has taught me a lot about performance. I pick up on things that I’d like to incorporate into my shows, and I’ve really just learned to be conversational on stage as that’s what I enjoy watching most.
It can be heartbreaking when an audience doesn’t get what you’re trying to do. Most professionals have to learn to become uncaring to a point to continue performing live as almost all live performances are ‘without a net’, so to speak.
I like to blur the lines between fiction & reality. While I write about personal experiences in some songs, I also draw inspiration from video games, anime, movies, comics, etc. Taking fictional characters, settings & scenarios and mixing them with real life experiences.
Jagged Weather is a journal or sonic synopsis of my first 11 months transitioning from male to female. It deals with the stress of acknowledging the rift that exists between your internal sense of being & how the outside world perceives you.
I love the feeling music can bring to an audience no matter who you are or where you’re from. It’s a universal language where you can share emotions, feelings & passions & hopefully affect who is listening.
Current music doesn’t feel or sound like it’s coming from the soul or a good place.That’s probably because the world is in a shitty state. We’re all going through it whether we admit it or not. You can hear it in the music.
I’m a firm believer that an album should be a complete thought, from the continuity of the sound through to the order of the songs. A lot of times people will record over a long period of time, which often leads to something that seems disjointed.
A quick plea to music lovers: The future of independent music is dependent on you. You are the reason that an artist will become “the next big thing”, so don’t be shy. If you like an artist’s music – tell people, share it.
It’s infectious to hear two guitars & bass playing the same thing that a drummer in a dance band would normally play. It’s also really exciting to be playing jazz & have folks dance to it.