You have a very interesting name, Kólá The Ryder, where did that come from?
Kola: I call myself Ryder because I embody that.
Being a rider symbolizes everything I am. I’m always on the road. I’m someone who would ride out at any time for the people I love. I’m also someone who’s been around the world a bit and lived in so many different countries growing up. My life and career has taken me to these different places and kept me moving. I love cars, bikes, ATVs, any form of automobile, really.
Who are your musical influences?
Kola: Lorde, her album was the only music I could listen to on a particular family vacation, and it just became a part of me. Burna Boy: I discovered him in secondary school and never stopped listening because his music is what music should be like. What he says in his songs hit differently and are meaningful. Damian Marley; he’s just raw, he says what’s going on in the world. He speaks about the simplest and most important things with the same raw passion. This is what I’m aspiring to do.
These are the artists I listened to growing up.
You’ve seemed to migrate all across the globe, how does where you stay affect your sound?
Kola: I feel like where you stay definitely affects the kind of sound you get immersed due to the culture. When you go to the clubs, listen to the radio etc, whatever comes in is what goes out at the end of the day. But what makes my sound beautiful is the foundation. My base is Afro as i was born in Nigeria so the other sounds are just toppings on that.
You call yourself a rockstar, could you say you’re doing Afro-rock or some fusion of African sound and rock influences?
Kola: The music isn’t Afro-rock; the rock influences are in my lifestyle, my artist persona, my performances, and my grunge-influenced videos. . I’m redefining being a rockstar in my own African way; I call it ‘Rokstar’. There’s no C in the Yoruba alphabet, so instead of Rock, it’s Rok.
You’ve been making music for a while now, how has your sound evolved from the first time you started till now?
Kola: My sound, like myself evolves daily. Being intentional has really helped to define and refine the sound. Now when I make a song I’m really aiming for a certain feeling, an emotion and to evoke that emotion.
With the writing, I’m much quicker now but if I’m listening back to a song I’ve just made and I don’t get that feeling, then the song isn’t complete (I’ll still vibe to it on the road but I know I’m coming back to it). That’s how intentional I am with it. Of course there are those quick bangers that I like so much I’m like ‘yhh this one’s coming out’; there’s one like that on my debut EP.
Listening to a lot of music helps me to identify what about a song really moves me and when it comes to melodies, it’s all about nostalgia for me.
When do you plan on releasing a body of work?
Kola: I plan to release my debut EP ‘Ryde my wav.’ in November this year.
Which artists do you think are Nigeria’s biggest exports in terms of music now?
I would definitely say, Burna Boy Wizkid Rema Tems Asake Davido
What do you think about the coining of subgenres by artists who do not want to be under the afrobeats tag?
Kola: I think it’s great, and it only makes sense that artists want to join their own subgenres because being different and thinking outside the box makes us want to be artists in the first place. It’s how they want their music to be experienced and the feel the music gives off. However, not wanting to be included under the Afrobeats tag is a bit concerning, as Afrobeats form the foundation of the music we make.
Do you think that the Grammys creating an Afrobeats category will do more harm than good? Why do you think so?
Kola: I think it will do more harm than good in the long run. At first it’ll be a great opportunity because it means a lot of Afrobeats artists will get to win a Grammy sooner than they ever thought possible but after a while It becomes easier to pigeonhole artists into categories rather than giving them the recognition they deserve.
Which artists do you want to collaborate with in future?
Kola: Burna Boy, Gabzy, Wizkid, Donald Glover, Asake, Rema, Tems, Ayra Starr, Psycho YP, Santi, Davido, PND
You performed at Asake’s concert, what are the differences you can highlight between the concert culture at home and abroad?
Kola: One word: Production. The production that’s done in concert culture abroad is amazing. They do not play. Everything is timed to the tee from the lighting, to the sound, to the acoustics, to stage design, to special effects. It’s amazing honestly, they’re miles ahead but that doesn’t mean we’re not gonna catch up and maybe even overtake soon. Health and safety is also much more regulated, I know we all just tryna have a good time but no one wants their concert experience to be them getting hurt.
Anything else you want to add?
Kola: I love these questions; thanks for having me
You can find Kola The Ryder on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Amazon.
