Pheelz is hot off the press right now, with his infamous single “Finesse” featuring BNXN taking over the airwaves both locally and internationally. He has charted on Billboard 200, reached number 1 on the official UK Afrobeats singles chart, and reached number 1 in Nigeria also. This has led to his signing with Warner Records.
Pheelz has solidified his status within the Nigerian music industry, producing for the likes of Olamide, Tiwa Savage and Davido. By 2014 his status was set in stone as one of the ‘top 10 hottest producers in Nigeria”.
“I don’t see myself as an artist or producer. I see myself as a musician. As long as I get to make music, that’s how I see myself.”
A true Naija boy at heart, picking between Egusi and Efo Riro as a final meal was a hard decision. True to his free-flowing spirit; he decided to choose both! “It depends on how you make it. You really can’t pick. It has to be the mix. Maybe with Eba or Pounded Yam. Around that family.”
As we delve deeper into the mind of Pheelz, I asked him what it is that keeps him so grounded and what his everyday morning routine is like.
“It varies from time to time, but most of the time I wake up, brush my teeth, go to the gym, shower, and meditate. I picked up meditating about two years ago. I’m very big on knowing myself, and that’s something I didn’t know early on in this industry. It made me know myself better and it became a habit.”
Seeing the creative process of an artist making music is of great interest to me. Knowing that Finesse came about very organically goes to show that when the music is good, the rest will follow. I wanted to know how Pheelz gets his creative juices flowing when he knows he has a session coming up.
“I just vibe. Just let the energy flow and just go where the energy is. If you’re not feeling it, start over and let the energy lead you.”
The cover art for Finesse really stands out to me. It’s very futuristic and I wanted to know more about why he chose to go for something quite different to what he’s done before.
“I’m also a visual artist, for those that don’t know. I’ve created WeAvatars, and the cover art was just my guys having a party, with the pictures of me and BNXN hosting the ‘Finesse’ party.”
The biggest comeuppance from Finesse has been Pheelz’ signing to Warner Records – I wanted to know if there were any other differences he’s noticed since releasing the single.
“It took me a while to adjust to what happened. Even when Finesse blew, I was in my house for the first week. I didn’t know it was that big. The first time I performed it at W bar, that’s when I knew. And the next day I performed it at the O2 – I was like ‘Goddamit!’. After that, I fully understood the grace and the blessings that have landed on my lap at this point in my life. I’m here for the ride.”
The snowballing success of the single Finesse was worth exploring. It’s an artist’s dream to have that one song that is on everyone’s radar. So, I asked him if this was an expected moment for him.
“No. [Laughs.] I knew Finesse was a jam. As a producer and artist, you know when you’ve made something amazing. But I had no idea it would be like this. I just posted a video on Instagram and tiktok.”
There’s a lot of anticipation surrounding Pheelz now and all eyes are on him. He tells me what we can expect next from him.
“It’s a lot, actually. A lot of songs. The songs I recorded before Finesse are dumb. The songs I’ve recorded after Finesse are just disgusting! There’s a Davido album coming too. A lot more productions and visual art. I’m going to be fearlessly creating. Getting into tech, fashion, Metaverse, Web3s.”
Sitting down with Pheelz gave me a great insight into him, his art and his personality. He is definitely one to watch this year. I truly look forward to what he has coming next!
Interview by Funlola Adebayo Edited by Toyosi Danmole Photography by Lore Abidemi Stylist by 4bolarin Creative Director - Tolu Danmole Creative Assistant - Erica Mwiza Shoot Coordinator - Daisy Mae Assistant Coordinator - Anabelle Morel