NIYI talks music, culture & life PHOTO BY JAMES PEARSON-HOWES
What drew you to music?
BEFORE WE WERE TWENTEEN, WE WERE IN AFRICA, WORKING AT CLOUDS MEDIA HOUSE. THE FOLLOWING IS AN INTERVIEW FOR AN AFRICAN PUBLICATION THAT NEVER GOT USED, RECENTLY DUG UP FROM THE DEPTHS OF A WELL TRAVELLED MAC BOOK PRO....
the two definitely don't have to go hand in hand.
Who did you look up to/ aspire to be as you were growing up (musician or otherwise)?
Growing up in Essex, what was your relationship like with your African identity?
How important do you think music is as a form of expression?
Really uncool people like Craig David I suppose. But then when I realised I as kinda weird and more rebellious it was definitely Skunk Anansie. I went to my exams wearing ripped black jeans. it as a really big deal at the time.
I suppose it is easier to express yourself in how you look, but I think music is more important. It takes more thought
Where do you fit in (in the music industry, in society, however you choose to interpret the question) ?
Does commercialisation or the mainstream equate a lack in quality?
Erm I think somewhere on the edge. On the edge of the edge. I LIKE TO LIVE ON THE EDGE MOFO!!!!
It was a weird one. When you are a teenager all you want to do is fit in.. and i did to a certain extent because I was born in the UK. But I was pretty Nigerian I think in my thinking, and even though I am quite avant garde I am also very traditional too. I do remember my mum every Sunday when we went to church always going to the petrol station on the way to London, and catwalking out wearing her full native wear with her headress and everything. Looking back i was always very proud
Music is universal. Like no matter what crew you are part of, or what kind of music you like, even no matter what decade you are born....... the right melody or chord progression can transcend all of these.
Yes and no. That is partly the case at the moment, but