Continuing our series of spotlighting promising female acts across Africa, we spoke to F3line of Jinmi Abduls’ Chase Music.
F3line is a fierce and beautiful singer signed to Chase Music record label. She prides herself as a proud lover and mother of cats. She is balancing her music with her education as she’s currently studying Electrical Electronics Engineering. She announced herself to the world with the release of her debut singles “Go Back Home” and “Lemons” this year, both standout tracks on Chase Music’s “The Chase” EP.
She draws inspiration for her music from some notable black soul/RnB singers like Sza, HER, and Jhene Aiko to name a few.
49th Street: The name F3line is quite unique, how did you come up with it?
F3line: Well, I love cats a lot. Growing up I had seven of them. They’re beautiful creatures. I had so many of them, I think I started to morph into one (laughs). So the name “f3line” come from “feline” which basically means cat-like.
49th Street: Do you make music full time or part time?
F3line: It’s part-time for now cause I’m still a student, but I do intend to go full-time cause music is honestly what I love. It’s my talent and I’m definitely gonna use it.
49th Street: Since it’s still part time for you, what’s your other hustle?
F3line: Lol, I’m hustling for my degree . I do modeling gigs here and there too.
49th Street: How did you meet Jimni Abduls?
F3line: He reached out to me on twitter actually. Asked me to be in his music video for “Jowo” with himself, Joeboy and Oxlade, and I was all for it. When I got to set and saw everything, I was like “wow, I want this to be me. I want to shoot a music video for MY song”. Eventually, I gathered enough confidence to go up to Jinmi and I literally just said “hi, I can sing” (laughs). I’m sure he was confused but shocked at how random it was. He told me to come by his studio the next day and I think the rest is history.
49th Street: How has it been like working with it?
F3line: It’s been amazing. He’s made me feel really comfortable in owning my sound. We’ve worked on a lot of songs and I can’t wait to share them with everyone.
49th Street: How has the reception for Go Back Home?
F3line: It was amazing. I’m so grateful for everyone that streamed and are still streaming it. I was especially excited to find out that my literal idol, Fisayo Longe, listens to my music AND it was also the soundtrack for kaicollective’s swim campaign!!! It was definitely a confidence boost for me like wow, I actually make good music and I should never doubt that
49th Street: What inspired it?
F3line: Funny story actually(laughs). I was out with a bunch of my girlfriends, you know the usual, having fun and partying! And then my mom calls me and says I should come back home and I just didn’t want to go back home (laughs). At that moment, I felt free, I felt amazing, I felt confident, I felt genuinely happy with myself and my friends and life and I just did not want it to end. I wasn’t thinking about any problem or any boy or anything actually. I was just soaking in the good vibes. That’s the message behind this song. I wrote it for people who just want to soak in the good vibes. You can worry about other things later but right now, let’s have fun!
49th Street: What part of the music process gets you most excited?
F3line: Listening to beats. Ughhh I love listening to beats and then associating it with a mood. It’s so crazy how a beat can just give you a feeling. It paints a picture in your head already, even without lyrics. It’s now up to the artist to portray it. This part gets me most excited
49th Street: If you were not making music, what would you be doing?
F3line: I’d be an electrical engineer (laughs) or a full-time face model. Who knows? But I can’t even see myself not making music cause this is just what I love to do.
49th Street: Plans for the future?
F3line: My plan for the future is to definitely work on some songs with bigger names in the industry. Get my sound out there, get more people listening. I’m working on an EP currently. So excited. I can’t wait to release it. Ya, I’m definitely just working on putting more stuff out. You’ve not even heard the best of F3LINE yet!!