Following the release of their latest single “more”, the 49th street caught up with Vanye and Zarri to delve deeper into their musical career, in an exclusive 49th interview.
How did you guys get into music? Tell us a bit about your origin story.
Vannye: Since secondary school, I was the assistant music prefect and it started out as all a joke. I moved the UK for A-levels and that’s when everything started a bit more seriously. I met a roommate in school from Vietnam and we started working on music and recording covers. When I came back to Nigeria, I would play Zarri these covers convincing him to hop on one of the beats and that’s how we started out
Zarri: I started off getting into music a bit in secondary school, but it was more football for me growing up. I remember back then playing a Vanye song for my friends back in high school and they loved it and thought it was crazy. From then on I made a more conscious decision to do music. My brother would send instrumentals and I would freestyle and think to myself “I’m actually pretty good at this”. It’s fine freestyling in your room, but taking it to the next level that’s what is important
In terms of culture, you both have lived in the UK and Nigeria, where would you say influenced the kind of sound you try to create?
Zarri: it’s a mixture. I’m Nigerian and grew up mainly in Nigeria, but the UK influence is definitely incorporated into our sound. Our new song out now “more” definitely has an afrobeats swing to it but there is also a more subtle UK influence as well.
For you guys is music a medium of expression for you, or a full time job and hustle?
Zarri: We can’t look at it as a hobby, this is serious. This is something we love doing, but we have to get something out of it. We need to get the music across, we need people to actually listen so we can build an organic fan base.
What kind of music was played around you growing up? Does it influence the kind of music you put out today?
Vannye: I grew up listening to a lot of P-square and MI, but I had to search for my own sound and find my feet.
Zarri: nothing I listened to peculiarly shaped my sound, but Mr. Eazi’s debut year as well as old Wizkid are major influences
Tell us a bit about the creative process behind the creation of your new single
Zarri: it was literally Vanye that put the whole process together
Vannye: my producer created this beat I thought was amazing. I had been working on my verse and by chance I linked up with my friend Onahi. I had heard her voice previously and knew we would make magic together on a track. Small backstory, she took the song in one take, she recorded and killed it on the spot.
Do you feel to take your music onto the next level, migrating to Lagos fulltime might be necessary?
Zarri: Eventually we have to be together, in the same room, in the same area. You don’t have to come to Lagos. Many artists have successfully done it. But to accelerate the process Lagos might be necessary
As Artists how do you find the confidence to drop music and knowing the time is right?
Vannye: we have a team that decides these things. We have a lot of meetings to gauge the industry and market before every drop. But at the end of the day it’s a collective effort from the team to make the best decision.
As creatives and young Nigerians, how did the ENDSARS campaign affect you?
Zarri: It was a tough time for every Nigerian, seeing peaceful protests turn into a bloodbath. May their souls rest in peace. Also any plans of a release or media rollout all had to take a backseat during that period. We had plans of a release but we had to pause of everything.
How did your parents handle the decision that both of you wanted to get into music fulltime?
Vannye: They thought it was a joke at first, after spending money to send you to school in the UK and all that why would you want to throw it away for music. But once they saw this was what we loved fully they gave their blessing and full support
What is next for Zarri and Vanye?
Zarri: We have loads of music, the next thing is strategy to make our music heard. We have loads of songs recorded. We need to build our base so we have dedicated listeners so our music is heard.
