Whether or not you’re familiar with his game, Victor Ndigwe is not a name to be scoffed at. The 27-year-old Nigerian model has amassed a list of achievements that seem very unreal. He stands proudly as the first Nigerian male model to appear at the fashion weeks in Milan, London, and Paris. It’s easier to mention the fashion brands he hasn’t worked with than to list those on his portfolio; Hermes, Versace, Balmain, Savage X Fenty, Fendi, Dolce & Gabana…and that’s just scratching the surface. He has worked directly with stars like Kanye West and Israel Adesanya. All at the age of 27. With the model half of him fully established, Victor is keen to push the other half of his creative genius to the limelight. Hence, this may be the year we are forced to reckon with Phvnix, the side of him that functions as a musician.
Victor Ogonna Ndigwe, who hails from Anambra state, was born in February 1996. He is a Lagosian through and through, having completed his primary and secondary school education in the southwestern metropolis. He did gain admission to study Applied Mathematics at the University of Benin but left that behind to pursue a career in modelling. History has justified that decision as he has gained incredible success in that walk of life. But Phvnix has always maintained a keen interest in music that stretches back to childhood.
It was inevitable that Phvnix would start writing music as early as the age of 12; he was born into a family that loved and lived music, after all. His mother was the head of their local church choir and indirectly taught him the art of creating melodies. His grandparents were poets, and while it’s unlikely the gift of writing can be passed down through genetics, he must have learnt a thing or two from them. He grew up listening to the likes of Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, Lucky Dube, Lagbaja, Daddy Showkey, TuFace, ElDee, Asa, Sound Sultan, and Paul Play Dairo. By age 16, he had developed the confidence to begin recording his original tracks and distributing them locally. His pursuit of fashion took centre stage in the years that followed, but with a decade spent biding his time, Phvnix is ready to impact the music scene in Nigeria and beyond.
He identifies as an Afrofusion artist, which is immediately evident in his latest release. “Mary Jane” hit digital streaming platforms on March 10 and features an Afrobeat sound with the slightest hint of highlife mixed in there. On the instrumental produced by Chris Ray, he creates the quintessential weed smokers’ anthem. The highlight of the show is his lyricism which features a lot of clever wordplays and metaphors. His flow is also crisp and precise, perfectly fitting its intended purpose. If our presumption that “Mary Jane” is the first of many tracks to come for Phvnix is correct, then it’s certainly a good starting point. Who’s to say that his music won’t reach the same heights as his modelling in the next few years? He certainly has the talent and connections he needs already. Check out Phvnix’s new record on your preferred platform today.
