Some musicians learn how to make music, while some are born to do it. For Clinton Zino Mena, professionally known as X1N0, music has been in his DNA right from birth. A singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, X1N0 started making music from the tender age of 7. Born and raised in the capital city of Nigeria, he is one of the shining stars of Abuja’s golden age that has seen artistes like ODUMODUBLVCK and Bloody Civilian take the industry by storm. After a brief hiatus, X1N0 is ready to take his music to the global stage.
In this interview with The 49th Street, X1N0 talks about his come-up, being a dangerously talented artiste, his new single ‘Family’ and future plans.
Taiwo: Hi X1N0, it’s nice to meet you. Tell us a bit about yourself.
X1N0: My name is Clinton Zino Mena. Zino is my actual name, the actual spelling is Z-I-N-O. Basically, I’m just someone who loves to do music in general. Yeah, I’m a great guy.
Taiwo: You started making music at the age of 7 with the influence of your dad.
X1N0: When I was much younger, my dad was always getting booked for shows and all. There was a time when Ashanti and DMX came to Nigeria, and my dad was booked for the show too. It was at that moment I chose to do music. Prior to that time, I always sang melodies as music came naturally to me. The feeling was just perfect, and I knew that I wanted to do it. My dad saw my passion for music and took me to a studio when I was in Primary 5. I recorded my first song that day, and I have been writing songs ever since.
Taiwo: At what point exactly did you decide that music was the right career path for you?
X1N0: Funnily enough, it was at that same time when I was much younger that I made the decision to do music. Even when my mom forced me to go to church because she didn’t want me to do music, I still insisted on doing it. And eventually, she realized I was really interested in it.
Taiwo: What do you call your genre of music?
X1N0: My genre of music is Afro-Dancehall, but I’m pretty versatile.
Taiwo: Talk to us more about it. How would you describe your musical style and the themes you explore in your songs?
X1N0: For me, music is an expression. It’s how I feel at different stages, I can’t be boxed into a particular genre. I can say that I’m in an Afro-Dancehall era right now. With Family, it was a song that expressed how I felt at that moment. For my next project, I could decide to do Afrobeats or RnB, you know. It’s just an expression, to be honest. I love to fill my music with a lot of emotion.
Taiwo: What sets you apart from everybody else?
X1N0: Personally, I feel that I can do everything musically. I can sing, write, produce and even mix. That’s the unique calling that sets me apart from everyone. Nobody can be like me. That’s what makes me stand out.
Taiwo: As a multi-talented creative, how do you balance the different sides of your creativity? How are you able to make everything work?
X1N0: I actually went into production because of the money. I couldn’t afford to pay producers at the time. My dad had given me a few instrumental lessons. A friend of mine then taught me the recording process, and that’s how I picked it up.
As an all-round creative, there are moments when you go through a block phase. Working with other creatives helps your creativity. Although there are phases when your creative juice runs out, the best thing is to take a break. Explore new genres, give your ears to new sounds, and learn new stuff. I don’t know about anyone else, but that’s how it works for me.
Taiwo: Can you give us some insights into your creative process?
X1N0: It’s a dynamic process in the sense that I could literally dream about the melody, and then pick up my phone at night to record. Then when I get to my keyboard, I start to play. In less than 20 minutes, I’m done. It’s that fast.
Taiwo: That’s very interesting. Tell us about your new single, ‘Family’. How did it come to be?
X1N0: After my first project “Dangerously Talented,” I hit a rough patch, and I felt really down. I had a block and couldn’t sing anymore. I stayed at a friend’s place during that period, and I’d always try to record in his studio but it just wasn’t coming off.
After signing my record deal, I went to the studio to record. I was trying so hard, and then I started crying. After about 15 minutes, I went back and I made ‘Family’. I basically spoke about everything that happened and how I felt. It just felt like everything would be fine. It is a song that shows my love and respect for people who stood by me during the hard times. The song I created expresses my gratitude for their unwavering support.
Taiwo: You worked with Bigshyrobot and Tomi Obanure on the song. Being an emotional song for you, how did you know that they were the right features?
X1N0: When I wrote the song’s verse and melody, I just knew Bigshyrobot had to be on the song. I called him and we made it happen. The song was done at that point in time. Tomi Obanure came by the house one day, and I was like “I want you on one song”. He recorded his verse, and that’s how the song came to be. It was a natural thing, it wasn’t planned.
Taiwo: You also have a song with Mystro titled ‘Gimme Love’. How did that come about?
X1N0: At the finish of my last EP, I was trying to get an artist on it. Someone reached out to someone, and that’s how we met. The first time we met was when we made the song. We became close friends after that. He’s a great guy.
Taiwo: Apart from your dad, who is your biggest inspiration when it comes to music?
X1N0: I like Burna Boy a lot.
Taiwo: So would you say you have substance?
X1N0: *Laughs* Everybody has substance, it depends on what you describe it as. I like Burna Boy and Patoranking. I don’t have favourites, instead I like the blend of their melodies and instrumentals. I listen to a lot of 2000s music, talking about Aaliyah, Usher, Sean Paul.
Taiwo: The Abuja scene is taking the country by storm now. What are your thoughts about that?
X1N0: It’s been there for a while now. I think the country does not know what is coming. Abuja is packed with talents, and Psycho YP and ODUMODUBLVCK are just two of the many talents coming from there.
Taiwo: What do you think about the ‘Afrobeats to the World’ movement?
X1N0: It’s a good movement, good exposure, and all of that. The best thing that has happened to Africa. Everybody is going to enjoy that, and it’s super amazing.
Taiwo: As your fan base grows, how do you plan to stay connected with them?
X1N0: To be honest, they’re my family. I just want everything to be organic. I just want to keep giving them more good music and let them have bragging rights. They support me too much, for me not to do that
Taiwo: So what’s next for X1N0? What should we be expecting?
X1N0: My EP is coming before the end of the year.
Taiwo: Should we expect any collaborations? Can you give us names?
X1N0: Yes, there are collaborations, but I won’t give you names *laughs*
X1N0: I can’t say anything for now but just expect something in a month or two.
Taiwo: We can’t wait for your drop and we’ll be rooting for you.
X1N0: Thanks, I appreciate it.
