After jet-setting around the world with his signature Afropop sound, all whilst working through COVID-19 restrictions and delays, Nigeria’s Adekunle Gold is back with a story to tell. ’Being on the road was fun,’ he tells me with excitement in his voice during on our call. ‘I’m comfortable now, and I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be.’
It’s clear even from the onset of our conversation that this two-year journey since his Afro Pop Vol. 1 album dropped has been one of self-discovery, experimentation, building confidence and trusting his musical instinct. AG has this palpable sense of relief as he talks through what it took to get his new music ready to release. It’s safe to say his new album, Catch Me If You Can, is an accumulation of the sonic flight mileage points he’s earned touring cities and states across Africa, the US and the UK. ‘The valuable things that I learned while I was on the road, I put it all into this album,’ he says. The singer-songwriter also managed to connect and work with some of the world’s biggest artists for the project, with everyone from Davido and Ty Dolla $ign to Stefflon Don and Lucky Daye featuring on the 14-track set.
Since the mid-2010s, Adekunle Gold—with his otherworldly vocal tone—has been known for his distinct, mellow vibe and hard-to-miss ‘AG baby’ tagline that christens every tune. His sound is soulful Africa: melodies with a heavy reliance on traditional percussion, alongside a penchant for the bass guitar, sax, and untainted storytelling, which can be heard as far back as on 2016’s Gold album. His latest offering, however, is leaps and bounds ahead of what you might expect from Adekunle and what he does so well.
Upon listening to the album and hearing AG speak about the creative process behind it, it’s clear that he’s unlocked a new level to his artistry. We caught up with the main man for a chat about his musical progression, and the importance of listening to your own voice.
Adekunle Gold: With Afro Pop Vol. 1, I was trying something new. It was very experimental. I was trying to prove a point with that album, like: ’You know what? I’m a songwriter and I can make pop records as well.’ Coming from making a Highlife album twice in Gold and About 30, with Afro Pop Vol. 1, I wanted to do something entirely different and prove a point, but I won’t say Catch Me If You Can is a continuation of that. Catch Me If You Can is my current vibe; it’s how I’m feeling right now. It’s pop, with a bit of soul, and a little Highlife in there. It’s an entirely different album on its own.
What changes in your personal life would you say have influenced this new creative approach to making music?
I started prioritising my peace, and made it a point to listen to myself more and whatever comes naturally. Like, I don’t have the energy to act for anybody anymore. I talk less now, for some reason, and I just put all of my energy into my work and my family. Anything that isn’t serving me can take a backseat. I’ve become a lot more daring with my sound. Whatever I’m feeling, I just say it. I’m finally free to say whatever I want to say, without fear of being criticised or wondering if people will like it. I live an exemplary life—to the best of my ability—but I also don’t want to be pressured to live a certain life, so I’m just doing me.
But I’ll be very honest with you: for the most part, when I first started making music, I didn’t even have the balls to say a lot of things that I wanted to say in my head, but I’m growing now and I no longer have a filter. Sorry to disappoint anybody [laughs]. For example, with a song like ‘Fye’, that’s my nastiest song ever. Before now, I would’ve been afraid to put a song like that out, but now, it’s liberating. I don’t want to hold back on anything. If I feel it, I’ll say. Like I said before: no filter.
