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By Any Minz Necessary

Interview with Minz

In conversation with Afrofusion artist to discover the release of his highly anticipated debut album ‘By Any Minz’, his creative process, the inspiration behind, and how his Nigerian heritage plays a pivotal role in shaping his sound. A rising star in the Nigerian music scene, he has established himself as a visionary, seamlessly blending genres like afrobeats, R&B, alté, and pop. This genre-bending approach is clearly reflected in ‘By Any Minz’, a project that showcases not only his versatility but also his deeply personal journey from an underground sensation to a mainstream leader in afrofusion. The album’s title symbolises Minz’s determination to make a mark in the global music landscape by any means necessary, and the 15-track masterpiece is already gaining attention for its thoughtful songwriting, rich production, and diverse influences. Collaborating with heavyweight artists like Davido, Tekno, and Blaqbonez, Minz has crafted an album that reflects his Pan-African roots. From the introspective track “Wo Wo” to the high-energy anthem “Do,” each song on ‘By Any Minz’ delivers a unique story, blending personal experiences with themes of love, heartbreak, and resilience.

‘By Any Minz’ introduces a unique blend of afrobeats, alté, R&B and pop music. What inspired you to merge these genres, and how do you think this fusion sets your sound apart in the current music landscape?

The album is a reflection of my experiences and influences as an artist — I typically indulge myself with a range of music and genres across different locations and cultures. It’s a reflection of how my mind has been configured toward my style and music. I enjoyed every process and every tiny bit of sound that went into every nook and cranny of every song.

Working with artists like Davido and Tekno brings different vibes to a project. Can you describe the creative chemistry during these collaborations and how these artists influenced the tracks they featured on?

Certainly, getting to work with legends like Davido and Tekno is such a blessing, because never did I think I was going to have these two legends on my debut album and the crazy part of it is that they’re both music geniuses. They both delivered, especially not having Davido on an Afrobeats or Amapiano record and he influenced a lot of direction during the production.
The fact that Tekno hopped on Diallo is such a blessing because it was a full circle moment for me. I looked up to him as a child that even my friends called me his brother — and the moment we met and talked, exchanged music ideas and opinions, I knew exactly why I looked up to him.

You mentioned that ‘By Any Minz’ is a deeply personal project. Could you share more about the overarching narrative of the album and how your personal experiences shaped its songs?

The album is personal on so many levels, because it’s a common saying — even Malcom X said ‘Freedom must be gotten by any means’. It’s also a play on my name that was hidden in plain sight, and it’s a reflection of my journey in this music industry. It’s always a long and narrow path to success, and it is different for me. Resilience in the face of adversity and uncertainty, because success must be attained by any Minz. Wowo is a manifestation of the vision I had always wanted — when people would sing my song back to me while I mounted the stage to perform — it’s a dream come true, against all odds. It’s a testament and personal conviction that dreams are valid and they become realities.

“The album is a reflection of my experiences and influences”

What were some of the most challenging aspects of creating your debut album, and which achievements during this process are you most proud of?

One of the most challenging aspects was having to manage people and having to work through their busy work schedules and having to navigate through many time zones. Another challenging thing was the final stage of the creation — mixing and mastering the entire album. That took a community, honestly — and I’m blessed to have the most amazing team on this planet. The biggest achievement for me was having the unique synergy with every single person that featured on the album — the producers, the artists and even the writers. It’s a blessing that they all wanted to be on the album and that’s top for me.

You’ve cited legends like Fela Kuti and contemporary artists like Travis Scott as influences. How do these artists inspire your music, and can you trace elements of their styles in your album?

There’s a lot of inspiration to draw from Travis and Fela. Travis Scott for example inspires my art direction and the sonic soundscape of Minz you hear today. Fela on the other hand is the genesis of this sound and message that I am passing through my music. The precisions, the confidence and the ability to make music enjoyable for his listeners.

Is there a track on ‘By Any Minz’ that stands out to you as the most meaningful, and can you share the story behind its creation?

I know you were expecting me to say all the songs are deep and mean something, I’m not disappointing you (laughs), because every single song tells a story, gives the exact vibe I want it to give. But if I have to mention one, it has to be Revelations, the intro. It’s one of the best intros I have heard from any recent album. The creation process was very dynamic and the way we eased into it has to be studied in Cambridge (laughs). BGRZ was in Lagos and he started playing some unfinished beats, and there was this one that caught the musical genius in me and I asked him to pause — we then tried to bring in a Sunday School kind of vibe into it. Anybody who knows me should be aware that my slogan is ‘Never Stop Elevating’ which is why the first words to introduce my debut album to the world are ‘elevation mode’. We knew we had created something and it’s the perfect intro to ease you into the album.

“it is important to hold on to your roots”

How important is it for you to represent your Nigerian heritage in your music, and in what ways does ‘By Any Minz’ reflect your cultural background?

No matter where I find myself, I always remember I’m Nigerian first and it’s an opportunity to have a platform to express myself to the world, and when I can, my heritage has to be represented in these songs. I am an Ibadan boy, and I can’t but represent my source. I’m only a beneficiary of a long line of great legends who have opened numerous doors and shattered countless boundaries to get us through the tough times when our songs weren’t heard. And many of my lyrics are from my native language, Yoruba — because it is important to hold on to your roots.

As a creative, what was your approach to the sound design and production on this album? Was there anything new that you experimented with?

I always look out for constant elevation of quality with each new song I work on, and with each one being a full experience with the messages they pass. Some songs started with voice notes and gradually developed into going out to studios with high quality equipment. The arrangement of this album is very intentional to ease the listeners into a seamless experience of enjoying the album, hence the impeccable and smooth transitions between songs.

How do you see your role in the evolution of afrofusion music, and what direction do you hope to steer this genre in the future?

For me, there’s this subconscious way I have constantly stood out and my fans and other music listeners alike have identified that Minz is a standout artist — my role would be encouraging artists that we don’t have to conform to the normal way of doing things, and this was heavily reflected in the album. Just like how Burna boy wasn’t very well rated before he started dominating world stages and how he stuck to the gospel of his sound and how it’s paying off for him now.

Now that your debut album is out, what are your next goals? Are there any new sounds, collaborations, or projects that you are particularly excited about pursuing next?

Most definitely! I can’t properly express the excitement about releasing this project that I’ve been working on for years, so I’ll give time for people to soak it in. It’s the brainchild of many creatives — the producers, the featured artists including legends and those ones that people can discover and share with others their friends. The aftermath of this album is greatness, more of Minz, more exploitation of the sound and so much more music. But first, you must soak this album in, BY ANY MINZ (laughs).

By Any Minz Necessary

Credits:

Artist: Minz / @minznse
Interview: We Plug Good Music / @wepluggoodmusic
Album streaming : https://empawaafrica.lnk.to/ByAnyMinz

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