Lojay Reflects On New Music & His Colourful Artistic Roots 

Lekan Osefiso Junior – or as the world now knows him, Lojay – knocked on the door of the music industry in 2016, and has gone from strength to strength ever since. The hitmaker has expanded far beyond the realms of his birth genre and blossomed from a Nigerian icon into a worldwide star. It’s his 2021 sophomore EP, LV ‘N’ ATTN that truly changed the game – this project, made in collaboration with producer, Sarz, holds one of Lojay’s greatest gifts to the industry: the groundbreaking hit, “Monalisa”. To this day, the song remains an anthem, achieving huge commercial success and riding soundwaves across the globe. If it wasn’t clear before then, it certainly is now: Lojay is a force to be reckoned with. 

He’s a master collaborator, having worked with the likes of Chris Brown, Davido, Wizkid, French Montana and our very own JAE5, and when it comes to genres, Lojay can’t be boxed in. His two new singles are a stunning representation of his versatility: the infectiously warm, “Falling”, is full of spirit and love, contrasting with “Unleash”, a darker and more introspective track. 

GRM had the opportunity to sit down with Lojay to explore the new music, soak in his success story, and delve into his artistic inspirations.

So Lojay, it’s coming up to the final months of the year –  what has 2024 meant to you?

“I spent the entire year working on my upcoming album, putting together the music, the creative direction and the stories I want to tell…. All in all, it just ended up bringing me back to my true self as an artist. I’ve grown a lot and the album is like a combination of everything. That’s what I want to share with my fans, in its purest form.”

Reflecting on your past music, “Monalisa“ is still an anthem and will probably stay that way forever. What do you think it takes to turn a song into a classic?

“I don’t know if there’s one key ingredient – if there is, then someone should tell me! But I do know that all the classics I’ve ever heard just sound so honest. That’s something I always strive for whenever I’m making music. It’s like, if I haven’t lived it, I can’t talk about it. And even if I’m talking about someone else’s story, I’ll tell it in second or third-person to explain that it’s not my own. I’m very keen on being honest.”

So storytelling sounds like a key aspect of your art. 

“For me, yes, it is. I like music that feels timeless, and for something to last forever, I feel like the story has to be strong and it has to resonate. People have to hear it and be like, “okay, yeah, I get that”, or “I want to live that.”“

And in terms of your story, how do you think you’ve changed as your music has evolved? 

“In some ways, I’m the same person I was before. But then, once you tour a few continents and make a few songs that blow up, you’re bound to change. I think I’ve evolved in a lot of ways sonically, and even down to my visual aesthetics, my team, everything. A lot of things have changed around me but the one thing that has remained the same is that I’ve managed to stay independent, which is a big deal for me.”

And let’s talk about the new songs. “Falling” is an uplifting celebration of love. What was the inspiration behind the track?

“It was a fun session. Once I heard the beat and I heard how sweet it was… it sounded like something that would sound good if I was just whispering in someone’s ear while this was playing… the lyrics just kept falling out. I think everything just naturally just culminated into, “I’m falling for you”. It was a very natural song, a very easy flow.”

It sounds so different to its partner track, “Unleash”, which has a darker tone and more serious lyrics. Talk us through the story behind this one.

“This was during a period where I was more introspective and focused on myself. I had a studio session in Ghana and I started creating the sounds in my head, from the intro, to the beats and everything. I just started speaking about where I was in my life at that moment. I’m from Lagos, Nigeria and life is lifing right now. It’s been like this for the past like two years. Everybody is dealing with stuff and making sure that they can survive the day and their life. From the moment I recorded [this song], it just felt like, okay, I need to put this out ASAP.”

When it comes to your Nigerian roots, how important is it to you to represent where you’re from?

“It’s more than important. It’s my home. I have to represent, I have to. I don’t have any other stories to tell other than the ones from Lagos. It’s always going to be a part of me. I had a very interesting upbringing… I saw different parts of Lagos and I feel like that seeps into my music. I’m always going to represent my city, always.”

And when it comes to music, what was your first introduction to that world?

“I didn’t really get into Afrobeats until later, to be honest… The first artist that I can ever remember paying attention to was Michael Jackson – he was probably my introduction to music. As a kid, I wasn’t listening to Nigerian music until 2Face came out with “African Queen” and that entire album, and then I started paying attention. And then Wiz came out and Davido and Burna and they were doing their thing. I saw so many artists from the African space blow up, and then I wasn’t listening to anything except Afrobeats.”

So you enjoyed other genres first before you found your way to Afrobeats?

“Yeah, before Afrobeats became my thing, I had spent a lot of time listening to Dubstep, techno music, pop music, artists like Swedish House Mafia and Skrillex all the way to Frank Sinatra… And at first, when I was making music, I used to make hip hop music and I used to rap, but I quickly dropped all of that and started trying to make Afrobeats. I had a big mixture of different types of music to pull from and that helps me fuse sounds together. Once I got into the Afrobeat space, it was like, “How do I change this?” That’s a big part of the new album as well, it’s like, “What can I add to this space?” I don’t want it to sound like anything I’ve heard before.”

How do you feel about the current state of Afrobeats and Afro-fusion in general?

“I feel like Afrobeats has gotten to a point where what we say and do really matters. A lot of people are paying attention. And when you hear or see something good, you try to imitate, that’s how life is. What’s most important is that we’re able to take control of the narrative and take ownership of our own stuff. But there’s a long way to go. I feel like I’m starting to become a lot more sensitive to the industry as a whole… We need a structure that allows for the entire Afrobeats industry to be self-sufficient. Like, you don’t want a situation where the only way an artist can reach their peak is if the Western labels are involved, or the only way an artist can do a proper arena tour is if they do it in America or the UK. Where are our own arenas? Where are our own structured labels that can carry artists on their shoulders? Yes we’re working, but we need more, we need control. Who’s really in control of all of this? That’s a good question.”

It’s a really important discussion. And talking about Afrobeats travelling across the world, Afroswing has been a huge part of popular UK music. We know you worked with JAE5 recently for the Loveless EP – how do you feel about the UK scene?

“The UK has always been a hub for talented artists. Especially in London because there’s a big mixture of people and cultures and sounds. So it’s inevitable for a place like this to always produce amazing talents. It’s a very interesting space because you have the Dave’s and then the Sam Smith’s and Ed Sheeran’s and then Steel Banglez… it’s just an amazing mix of different artists. Recently, I linked up with Mabel and she’s an amazing spirit and a great artist. Every time I’m in the UK, I meet so many different types of artists and mix with so many cultures. It’s great and it’s constantly growing.”

It is! And now, finally, back to you – if you could rewind 10 years, what would you tell yourself?

“I think I’d tell myself to be patient, take your time and savour every moment. But I’m still on my journey, so that’s something I’d tell my future self too.”

And if you could fast forward 10 years, what do you hope to have achieved?

“A lot. I don’t want to share it all – I can be very superstitious! But I hope people will be able to look at me with respect and with good grace and honour. And I hope I will have earned the right to be etched into history as one of the greatest Afrobeat artists ever.”

Amen!

Lojay’s new singles, “Falling” and “Unleash” are available on streaming platforms now.