Lago is a Nigerian artist who started music as young as age 11 and is making great strides right now. He explains his inspiration and how listening to a lot of Reggae music in his childhood has influenced the type of music he makes now as an artist. Drawing inspiration from legends such as Bob Marley, music has become a form of therapy for him and he wants the world to experience his wild listening and creative range.
We had a chat with him about himself and his journey so far.
Feyisetan: Tell us a bit about yourself, without your music who are you really?
Lago: There are so many sides to me lol but I’ll try to be brief. I’m a really chill person. I’m really passionate about the things I love, I’m tenacious and I’m very inquisitive as well.
Feyisetan: How did you start music?
Lago: I’ve always been around music. My dad used to play a lot of reggae music. He’s late now (bless his soul). I literally knew most Bob Marley songs word for word by the time I was 11. That’s a major influence. I was also a chorister in the children’s choir, then, later on, became a drummer and a chorister in the adult choir. I was also in my school choir and performed raps in school functions( then I thought I was going to be a rapper haha). My desire to become an artist peaked when I gained admission into the university. I used to attend school shows during the weekends and see young acts performing their own songs. That inspired me a lot because I was like “ if they can write theirs, then I can write mine”. So I took my time to write my first song, ‘Ife’, then reached out to one of my friends who introduced me to a producer (Cizabeatz) and I recorded it. I was surprised by the way people accepted it. My friends really liked it and encouraged me to start performing it. That was how I started giving it to DJs in school and started performing in school shows. The love I got from that song inspired me to do the next song and then the next one and now, here we are.
Feyisetan: How did you come up with your stage name “Lago”?
Lago: Lago means Viral Sweetness or Sweet Virus. I coined that from my surname “Ulogo” which means “Sweetness” and a virus I learnt about in Science class back in secondary school called USTILAGO MAYDIS.
Feyisetan: What’s your connection with music though? We’d love to know.
Lago: Music is therapy to me. I have different songs for different moods. I have a wide listening and creative range.
Feyisetan: What inspires the songs you write & where do you derive your inspirations to make music?
Lago: I’m inspired by real-life experiences, mine and that of others. I’m inspired by my goals too! In my song “Vibes”, I said, “You me inna d back of the Bentley truck getting loose”. I’ve never been in a Bentley before, I’m just hoping that one day I will own one, then me and her would get loose at the back hahahahaha. The song that popped off was a street conscious song titled “Hustle” a cover of Rihanna’s “Diamonds”.Basically, I was singing like i was already rich when I was dead broke hahaha.
Feyisetan: Tell us a bit about your creative process, how do you make such great sounds?
Lago: I don’t like to be in a studio for too long. It puts me under pressure, so I record random voice notes regularly and then I call up a producer catch a vibe and from the melodies of the beat I’d see which of the million voice notes fit the vibe. Sometimes I buy beats online too and catch a vibe. I really just like to have fun.
Feyisetan: What are the challenges you’ve faced in the industry so far?
Lago: Getting my music out there basically most especially the financial aspect but I’m grateful for how far God has provided for me and for a team of great people that believe in me.
Feyisetan: Who are the artists you look up to in the industry?
Lago: I have a couple of those; First off Don Jazzy, he’s a mad genius. His understanding of the music business is crazy! I like Wizkid, Davido Drake, Jay Z, and Kanye West and Travis Scott as well for the same reason. They all carried their businesses and brands and paved ways of their own. They’ve also had different challenges and the way they handled them inspires me.
Feyisetan: What genre will you classify your music as?
Lago: I’m yet to find a particular genre to classify my music as. I just make amazing melodies and good music.
Feyisetan: What else do you have a passion for besides music?
Lago: I like making money.Love trying out new cars and travelling. Basically, I like enjoyment.
Feyisetan: Are we expecting a project from you soon after these couple of singles you’ve dropped ?
Lago: Yes yes! Expect a jaw dropping body of work. Yeah,that’s all the tea I can give you about that hahaha
Feyisetan: What advice would you give someone aspiring to walk a similar path?
Lago: Enjoy the process, Don’t try and skip any parts. In all the mistakes you’d make along there’s always lessons so don’t fret. Good music will always find its way out there so work on your craft so that when the people are destined to help you come you would be ready. Work very hard to put yourself in the right place at the right time.