In a revealing new interview with Office Magazine, Nigerian superstar Asake has announced an upcoming joint EP with legendary compatriot Wizkid, marking a major collaboration between two generations of Afrobeats excellence.
The interview paints a portrait of an artist at the peak of his powers—whose 2024 album Lungu Boy is the longest-running number-one album in Nigerian chart history—yet remains deeply grounded in spirituality, gratitude, and the pure feeling of music.
The Announcement: A “Real” Collaboration with WizKid
The most significant news from the conversation is the confirmation of a joint project with WizKid. Asake described the collaboration as a natural alignment of spirits. “The first time we linked up, I think we were just having conversations like real-life talk,” he said. “He asked me, ‘It would be good for us to have a project together.’ That was the beginning of it.”
He expressed profound respect for Wizkid’s legacy, stating, “When I was coming up, I was part of the people that listened and saw how great Wiz is.” When asked how he would reimagine the EP as a movie, Asake’s answer was simple: “‘Real’. Genuine people, heart-to-heart conversation every time.”
The Foundation: From Dancer to Record-Breaking Musician
Asake traced his artistic journey back to his childhood home, filled with the Fuji sounds of Ayinde Barrister, favoured by his parents, and a university dream of becoming a dancer or choreographer. “I didn’t want to do music at first,” he admitted. While studying Theatre and Performing Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University, classmates were drawn to his movement. “People like the way I move, they always call me to come teach people to dance.”
His pivot to music was accidental yet fateful. “I ended up being around friends who do music too. Then you end up making a song. Then the whole school went crazy on the song.” This foundation in performance arts, he believes, is crucial: “I picked the foundation first, which is acting, stage performances, doing monologues.”
The Philosophy: Music as Felt Experience
A central theme of Asake’s creative philosophy is prioritising emotion over literal meaning. He revealed that in his free time, he often listens to instrumentals or “songs that I don’t know what they’re saying, but I can feel it in my heart.” This translates directly to his own songwriting. “The most important facet of a song is the feeling it evokes rather than the content,” he explained, noting his music mirrors the “joys, trials and tribulations” of his life.
His creative process is intentionally undefined. “I can’t explain it to you because if I tell you how my last session was, my next session is going to be different. I have to wait to be inspired… All my studio sessions always end up being a moment I can’t ever forget.”
Life in the Present: Gratitude and Spirituality
Despite his meteoric rise and recent move from Lagos to Los Angeles, Asake insists the core of life remains unchanged. Humans are the same. People are trying to make it in Nigeria. People are trying to make it in America,” he observed, noting the move simply offers “more exposure.”
He maintains his equilibrium through a disciplined focus on the present. “I don’t live too much in the future and I don’t live too much in the past,” he said, a practice he likens to mindfulness. His grounding force is an 80% reliance on spirituality, which he defines as “God.” “A man who doesn’t understand his purpose is an empty man,” he stated.
His primary daily gratitude is simple yet profound: “Waking up. ‘Cause that’s like the number one thing. If you don’t wake up, then you have no dream again.” He reflects on his recent iconic performances, like his NPR Tiny Desk concert, with humility: “Those are the things I imagined it would take me so long to have, that are now coming together. I’ll always be grateful to God.”
The First Love: Dance Endures
Though music chose him, Asake’s first love—dance—remains a vital part of his life and art. “I dance. I dance every day too. I even dance on stage every time,” he said with a smile. “I don’t think dance can leave me because that’s my first love. I will always be dancing. I will always be smiling.”
Advice and Looking Forward
For emerging artists, Asake offered two clear principles: “Just believe,” and “be patient with life.” He emphasised, “If you believe in something always 100%, you’ll always get your reward.”
As for his own future, the record-breaker is characteristically present-focused. When asked about his dream project, he declined to speculate, staying true to his philosophy of living in the now.
With a joint EP with WizKid on the horizon and a record-breaking album still dominating the charts, the present moment for Asake is undoubtedly blessed.
