[@adekunleGOLD] and The Unconfined Creativity He Carves into His Career

Adekunle Gold is the crown jewel the world is fighting over. It’s in his name, literally.

Over the years, the artist’s work has oscillated through creativity and entrepreneurship. Since the success of his 2015 single, “Sade” – a reminiscent highlife cover of One Direction’s “Story of My Life” and 2016’s Gold album – The diligent AG Baby has been gathering recognition from every corner of the world.

There is something incredibly charming to Adekunle’s love-drunk ballads and voice, sweet as honey, delivering slow-grooving tunes that tell stories from the heart. You can hear it expressed especially in this 2021 release with Nao, “Fire gyal, she don’t take no flack / You take the sun with you when you leave the room / It’s incredible, I put you on a pedestal” he sings.

“This song is a perfect description of how I feel about my daughter. Love usually feels like a concept, sometimes invisible, but with her it’s so tangible because she’s right there. I’m so obsessed with her that if she wasn’t around me, I wouldn’t be OK, I guess that’s what antidote is, a cure, a loving cure to the things that ail me.”

In this moment of popular Nigerian music awash with divergent styles—from more traditional music like highlife to reggae, hip-hop, to the more modern Afro-fusion, alté, and the mainstream Afrobeats—Adekunle doesn’t put himself into one category; he rests at the intersection of R&B, pop, Afrobeats, and alté. 

‘Catch Me If You Can‘ is his latest album and most intoxicatingly transporting to date. Music that whisks you away to another dimension. Following on from the tidal wave of praises for his last album Afro-Pop Vol.1, released two years ago, on which he featured a 14-track listening experience filled with golden nugs of heartfelt melody. The one song I find myself returning to again and again is the easy-listening “It Is What It Is”, a joyous wave goodbye to the days spent without money in your pockets.

His sharp-tongued edge brings a brightness to the new record’s happy-go-lucky moments, particularly on the Fousheé collaboration “Dior, Dior, Dior”, a song that sounds like what velvet feels like.

Ahead of the release, we had the pleasure of being blessed with the hard-to-catch Nigerian Starship’s presence at our studio in East London. Get into the full interview below.

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GUAP: Before we get into the whole year and what you’re doing at the moment, briefly tell me about you. So your upbringing, a bit of background where you’re from?

AG: Grew up in Lagos, my parents were liberally strict. They were the parents that didn’t teach you what to think but thinking and doing was very important. 

What’s something which has been particularly influential while making your latest album Catch Me If You Can?

I think paying attention has been super influential. As creators, our greatest asset in creating is creation itself. Paying attention to the intricate behaviours of people and to how the world functions. Super important. 

There’s nothing like December in West Africa, how did you spend yours?

I played over 30 shows. Nothing crazier than that if you asked me. 

Growing up in Lagos state and in a Yoruba household what were the sounds you heard around your house and in the neighbourhood?

First the sound of religion and prayers from surrounding mosques. The sound of Ebenezer Obey, Fela and King Sunny Ade. The sound of trading and battering, the sound of unruly school children singing off-key in assemblies. The backdrop sound of horns and angry drivers with voices on the lowest register. The sound was chaotic but it’s the sound of home. 

You’ve not only achieved some incredible feats in music, but you have also made waves as a graphic designer, even designing YBNL’s official logo. Does graphic design still play into your artistry today?

Still design all my artwork to date.  Still edit all my photos and for others as well. 

I don’t really have that much time to do it but I’m also anal by nature so I make the time. 

Tell me a little bit about your introduction into music as a career?

I joined the teen’s choir in a church that my Muslim dad let us worship at. I vyed for a top spot on the choir, but it never happened lol. I left the church and decided to go for music talent shows…

As a musician, you don’t seem to stay in just one lane with your music, which is always an incredible trait. But why is that?

Because who would God have been if God just created one thing? And if the idea of God is limitless and I am fashioned in the same image, I MUST express myself in every way I can. 

Do you think it’s important for the younger generation to witness your success and use it as motivation?

I hope that above seeing me, they see themselves. I hope they look in the mirror and realize that they are already what they wish they are, they just have to work it out. I hope that they are less afraid than I am and have more gratitude about all their wins. I hope they are motivated from positive sources within themselves and not motivated by external triggers.  

Why do you think it has it taken time for your name to be on the map in the world of Afro-pop?

Man I don’t know. But as they say, good things take time. And I say, legendary things take eras. The world will know of my greatness and no good thing that belongs to me will pass me by. So I’m ok for people to come around whenever they do. 

Do you plan ahead in your career? What’s the next stage of growth for Adekunle Gold?

I have ideas but honestly, I’m like a rolling stone in the most positive way. If I feel something I will pick it up. 

Catch flights, not feelings and get immersed in Adekunle’s latest album ‘Catch Me If You Can’ here.