VICTONY: “It’s just about being yourself and do whatever what you want to do – this isn’t the norm and you’d be considered an outlaw.”

Fast rising Nigerian afro-pop star VICTONY has completely broken down the
confines of genre in his pursuit of catchy soundscapes that connect with people
across generations. From making an impressive dent in the afrobeat scene with highly streamed, to his highly-loved release “Holy Father”, the genre-defying talent continues his climb upwards with latest EP “Outlaw”. Rooted in his captivating vocals and seamless transitions from one genre to the next, VICTONY has found ways to express himself through his expansive palette.

By crafting a sonic signature that has anyone identifying him within a beat, and honing his love for songwriting, VICTONY is an emerging talent taking the global scene by storm. In an exclusive interview with Gen B, VICTONY talks to us about the recording process of “Outlaw”, his musical bucket list and his fanbase.

Gen B: What is the message/inspiration behind your latest EP Outlaw? What was the creative process behind it?

VICTONY: The EP was inspired by the drive to show people how unique my sound and identity is. I started off rapping and made a transition to afrobeat, I wanted to show people how there is no rule to music. It’s just about being yourself and do whatever what you want to do – this isn’t the norm and you’d be considered an outlaw, which is where the EP came from.

How would you say your sound has evolved over time? 

I’ve dived into different genres of music, which has brought about quite a
drastic evolution. From rap and emo rap to R&B and afrobeats, I’m at a point where I’ve crafted my art where anyone can identify “This is VICTONY.”

You mention not wanting to be kept in a box sound-wise, so what kind of sounds are you most keen to experiment with going forward?

I’ve pretty much done almost all genres of music I’ve wanted to, but anything
exciting and versatile, I’d be keen to dive into. I’m interested in anything that challenges me.

In terms of lyrical inspiration, do you usually draw from external stories/experiences around you or from your personal experiences?

When I’m putting a song together sometimes it’s imaginative and other times
it’s based on real life. It usually depends on how I’m feeling during the
moment I’m in – the beat tells me what to do with it. If I’m listening to a beat
and it reminds me of a moment I’ve had, then that becomes my inspiration.

Out of the seven tracks, if you had to pick a personal favourite from “Outlaw”, what would it be and why? 

Honestly, I can’t pick. When I worked on each song on this EP, I felt
something special on each one. Making every song meant a lot to me and
every song was my favourite at one point or another.

For you, what’s the best part of the music making process?

The best part of music making is the song writing, it’s fun and fascinating to
come up with crafty lines or metaphors. It makes you excited to think “oh, I
came up with this!” It’s the thrill in every session.

In contrast, what’s the most challenging part of it?

It’s really challenging when you have melodies ready to go but you can’t come
up with anything to fill it up. Production is also quite challenging, to make
sounds match up to each other properly.

You’ve spoken about how you want to connect with different types of people through your music, what moments come to mind when you felt that connection from people you may not have expected it from?

The “Holy Father” release connecting to the older generation wasn’t
something I expected. Sometimes I’d be at an airport, and people would come
up to me say they love the song – it was amazing for me to connect with that
sort of crowd.

Along the same lines, what’s the most memorable fan interaction you’ve had?

It would be seeing a fan cry as I was performing. I don’t think I’d ever forget
that day and I can’t imagine how deeply she may have connected to the
music or how she felt at that time.

What’s on your musical bucket list for the future? 

I want to do more collaborations outside Africa, perform on world stages and
just expand my base outside Africa.

Words by Malvika Padin.