‘SABI BOY’ DKIZZ On His Latest EP, His Afrobeats influences & More [@IAMDKIZZ],

Hailing from Port Harcourt and now shuttling between Birmingham and London, Dkizz is following in the footsteps of legendary Port Harcourt artists like Burna Boy, Mr Eazi, and Omah Lay that have been instrumental in taking afrobeats across the globe in the past few years, as he brings his own unique afropop fusion sound to the forefront of global music this year. Making waves with his undeniable voice, captivating musicianship, expressive lyricism, and penchant for making hit songs – Dkizz is quickly setting himself apart as one to watch in 2023, beginning with future hit single ‘My Lady’.

Following the success of his breakout debut single ‘Show Me’, which has amassed over half a million plays online, and after teasing this new offering on TikTok and surpassing over five million views on the platform, Birmingham-based Nigerian afropop sensation DKIZZ is excited to unveil his highly anticipated new track titled ‘My Lady’. Serving as the lead single for his forthcoming debut EP Sabi Boy, which arrives this summer.

Bethel: Can you tell us about your journey into the music industry and what inspired you to pursue Afrobeats?

DKIZZ: I started my musical journey at fifteen. I started recording at the age of fifteen, when my mom got me my first studio session. She was the one who paid for my first studio session, because I always had this book where I used to write rhymes and songs that I made in high school, and I never heard how it sounded recorded. During a vacation we had, I just had to tell my mom that this is what I want to do, and if she could help me. I wasn’t expecting her response, I was expecting her to be against it, but she actually found a studio near my house, where I recorded my first ever song that I put on soundcloud but it’s not there anymore. When I was younger, I used to be actively involved in church, in the choir. I can play like most musical instruments – I was always actively involved in stuff that had to do with music. Same thing when I was in high school, I was actively involved in the school choir, and at some point I just came to a realisation that this is what I’m very good at. When I made my music, I got more positive feedback, so I was like, “okay, fine. Let me go for this. Let’s see where it takes me.” At first it wasn’t looking possible but now everything is just crazy and the growth is immense. Some people who knew me and they knew my music when I first started, they can see the growth. They know that there is a big difference between then and now.

Bethel: You said you played instruments when you were growing up in church. What kind of instruments do you play?

DKIZZ: My mom got me a keyboard when I was five, so I started learning by myself. I didn’t get anyone to teach me and I used to play it in high school. I also know how to play the drum, the trumpet and the saxophone. So I was really good at all this stuff and that’s what grew my love for music.

Bethel: Do you feel like there’s a connection between the instruments or are they all completely different experiences for you?

DKIZZ: Yeah, definitely. If you know how to play a musical instrument and you actually sync, it is way easier because it’s an unconscious feeling that makes your music easier. For me, it makes my memory easier because I know what I want to hear, and if I’m not hearing that, then it p*sses me off. I have to make sure that I hear what I want to hear, because I’ve been playing musical instruments all my life, and if I’m not hearing what I want to hear, I have to either start again or I just end the project. If you know how to play musical instruments, it’s gonna be a very big plus for you when you start to do vocal recording and everything else involved.

Bethel: You’ve been performing strictly in Birmingham and London. How would you describe the afrobeats scene in the UK or specifically in those two cities?

DKIZZ: The afrobeats scene in the UK is crazy because I feel like they want to hear new stuff, they want to see new people, new afrobeats rising artists, they are open to afrobeats artists here. Most of the shows that I got here, a large percentage of people don’t actually know my music, but they are still open to know who the artist is, so I still get positive feedback and positive reaction. When I had the plan to go on tour, my idea behind it was to spread the word out there, and make people who do not know me, know who I am. It’s been wild, it’s been crazy, so I’m grateful.

Bethel: ‘My Lady’ is a song you wrote after a situationship taught you what you want in a relationship. What are those things and do you know what you want moving forward?

DKIZZ: I just want someone who’s not gonna give me stress. How do I explain? I want something that’s real, something that’s not forced, I want something natural. Also, I want the “Yes” to be a “Yes”. I don’t want any form of dishonesty.

Bethel: Who are your biggest musical influences, both within and outside the afrobeats genre?

DKIZZ: When I started making music, one of the people who really influenced me was Davido. I really enjoyed seeing him doing the whole music thing. I grew up wanting to be like him if that makes sense. I really loved his aura, the way he did his thing, the way he pushed his music. I have an unconscious love for Davido, and I saw it as a thing where if he can do it, I can also do it. That was when I was growing up but right now, I listen to everybody. I listen to a wide range of artists. It’s the kind of thing where I hear something in someone else’s music, I don’t consciously put it in my music but it influences my sound. So I listen to everyone now. It’s not a thing where I just focus on one thing. I have a wide range of songs I listen to, I listen to different genres. 

Bethel: Do you get any inspiration outside of afrobeats?

DKIZZ: I used to listen to Roddy Rich, because I really love his album, the one with ‘The Box’ in it. That album really change the way I saw music. Also, I listen to the Flo. I love their brand, I love the way they brand their music, and I look forward to working with them one day.

Bethel: You’ll be releasing your ‘Sabi Boy’ EP in the summer. Tell us what we can expect from that?

DKIZZ: ‘Sabi Boy’ a self proclamation where you’re like “Yes, I’m here now, I’ve got the audience I’ve been looking for all this while. “People understand my sound now, people rock with me and now this is who I am. It’s just me being confident about myself. I’m owning up to the fact that “Yes, I’ve worked hard for this, and I’m here now.” So that’s the ‘Sabi Boy’ EP.

While you wait for ‘Sabi Boy’ to drop, listen to his latest single below!

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