Creativity, confidence, composition. The three C’s that stand out for any musician. One that we’re taking a deep dive into is one of South London’s very own in Ife Ogunjobi.
He’s been around the world, shared successes with band Ezra Collective, and currently embarks on a solo run where a highly anticipated E.P awaits at the end of the tunnel.
Tell Them I’m Here is the project title. It’s now the time to showcase Ife’s world, combining his art of producing, composing and playing instruments to gift us a body of work which is set to leave a legacy on the musical world.
Ahead of the drop, we spoke to Ife about the upcoming project, being inspired to learn instruments, full-circle moments and much more.
Let’s begin with the news of your second E.P Tell Them I’m Here which will be released in November. What can fans expect from your upcoming project?
“I feel like with this new project, I’ve definitely matured and delved into new sounds. It’s a continuation of the first E.P, in terms of being myself. In doing that, I’ve found new ways of portraying myself in a way that I didn’t previously. It’s me digging deeper into who I truly am and presenting that to the world.”
Touching on the title of the project, does this E.P stand to show that you can make music not just as a collective but as a solo artist?
“You know what, no! I have this belief in my head where if you truly feel strongly convicted to do something and you really believe in a project you’re working on, you have to talk about it to a point where people think you’re borderline delusional! You have to have that much confidence in yourself for people to really tap in and lock into what you’re doing. That’s what it embodies. It’s about shouting from the rooftops and not being apologetic about it. It’s about having self-belief and self-confidence.”
It’s been two years since your previous release Stay True. How have you evolved as an artist in this time?
“Two years of growth! I think just new experiences. I’ve been to different places, toured different places, worked with different people. I’ve listened to older music which I haven’t listened to in a long time and have just grown as an artist and a musician. You’ll hear on the new project a slightly more matured sound, and some new sounds that represent me, the music I like and the character I am. These two years, the difference you’ll hear is me really finding my feet. I feel like music is representative of the time. Two years ago, my music was a canvas of where I was at the time. This next one is a representation of where I am now.”
In terms of your musical process with the E.P, how did you put your songs together? Did you go to the studio with a topic in mind or do you work better by merging sounds and seeing where it takes you?
“This project specifically has been very interesting and very different from my previous ones. I worked on a lot of it with my good friend Gaetan Judd. Some of the songs happened organically. The creative process varies from song to song. Another way I make music is that I’ll be in some really random places like a train or a plane, and I’ll have a melody in my head. I’ll have to record it on the voice memo app, so I don’t forget it! When I do that, I then go on my laptop, produce it and make it a proper idea. Sometimes inspiration strikes at random times, usually before I go to bed!”
Let’s touch on the visuals for leading single “Zimbabwe”. There’s an essence of summer and just a feel-good vibe overall. What message did you want to showcase with this song?
“With Zimbabwe, the vibe and the energy of the song is infectious. When I listen to it, I just want to have a good time. I wanted that to be replicated in the video, so I got a bunch of my friends, and the set was representative of the music. The video is a very simple concept, but it’s true to what the song makes you feel.”
In terms of performing music live, what’s been your most iconic moment?
“There’s been multiple! Playing at Maddison Square Garden with Wiz Kid was insane. Being from London and performing at one of the biggest venues in the world and then doing it with Wiz Kid who was someone I grew up listening to was special. I remember being young, going to the barbershop and listening to Don’t Dull and asking my dad ‘What song is this?’. Having that full-circle moment was crazy. Another real special show for me was playing at Prism in Kingston with Burna Boy. I feel like that was my favourite ever Burna show that I’ve done. Sometimes in the big stadiums, the energy gets lost, and you lose that intimacy. When we did that show in Prism and because it was so intimate, the energy was insane. Everyone was sweating, it was mad! Definitely the best performance I’ve did with Burna throughout my time playing with him.”
Having those full-circle moments, how did you prepare knowing you was going to be working with Wiz Kid?
“It’s funny because I had the best introduction to that experience. The best introduction was to have no preparation! It was around two years ago, and I got a shout from P2J, who is a producer that works heavily with Wiz Kid. He needed a trumpet player for a session. He told me to come to the studio but didn’t tell me who he was with. When I got to the studio, the room had the lights low and I was going around the room to say hello, then I sat down and saw a flash. It was a chain, and it belonged to Wiz Kid! It’s nice to just go there and make music and not focus on who is there.”
You play trumpet, compose, produce and DJ! Which of these talents did you learn first and what inspired you to continue to build your musical background?
“I’ve been doing music my whole life. Trumpet was definitely first. I started playing trumpet when I was like 10 years old. I saw a South African trumpet player who sadly passed away called Hugh Masekela perform live. When I saw that performance, the energy and sound of the instrument was so unique to me. After that I asked my mum to play trumpet and ever since, I’ve been disturbing the neighbours! Composing was next and that came naturally to me. When you’re playing a lot of shows and doing music generally as a whole, you start to formulate your own ideas about what you would like to write. I’m somebody that likes Afrobeats, Highlife, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Grime, Drill! I thought what if I take this Highlife melody, put it with these Afrobeats chords, then put a Burna Boy type beat underneath with some Drill hi-hats. That’s how I approach composition. I put all these elements together which sound like me but make sense for whatever track I’m trying to write. With producing, I’ve always knew how to, to some extent as we used Logic in secondary school. Me learning to produce in my own right, working with Gaeten and exploring different sounds is a big element on this project. DJ’ing came last! I learned in lockdown where you had to pick up a hobby! You go to parties, and you hear DJ’s spin, and I thought I have a good music ear, I know what songs would sound cool together, let’s do it. I DJ a lot in Peckham now. Being able to read the room, select songs that make people lose their mind is fun.”
What’s the next skill to pick up?
“Take this with a pinch of salt, but I’m really getting into music videos. Zimbabwe was my first music video, and then Cali was my second video. I enjoy the process of thinking of a concept, the best way to shoot, getting those elements together, then seeing the outcome. It’s part of an artist’s brand. It’s a beautiful way of bringing different art together. I love videos, music, fashion and art. Bringing them together is interesting. It’s something I’m really enjoying at the moment.”
What are three goals you still haven’t reached but want to achieve?
“Definitely taking this E.P far and touring it around the U.K and Europe. I want to collaborate with some sick artists like Knucks, Bashy, Kano, Odeal, Venna! I’m inspired by these people. What’s the third goal? I’m not too much of a goals person but just trying to live everyday of my life as I want to.”
Finally, for the musicians trying to perfect their craft, what advice can you give them?
“Try to be unique and try to be yourself. When you play an instrument, you have your own voice on that instrument. Don’t try and copy someone else. Believe in your own sauce! When I make music, I’m making music that makes sense to me and the influences I grew up on. It’s not going to be the same to the next person, so it should sound different to theirs. That’s what makes life and music unique. Everyone has a story to tell so just show that through your instrument. That’s my advice!”
Ife Ogunjobi’s Tell Them I’m Here will be released November 14th and is available to pre-order here.