After cementing herself with a wealth of shimmering outings these last few months, Nigerian-British artist Azul Kechi returns once again to offer up her vibrant new single 'Temporary Love'.
Lifted from her forthcoming debut album 'Celestial Love', which is set to arrive soon, 'Temporary Love' makes for an incredibly rich and alluring listen. With her warm and insatiable voice layered across a progressive R&B-inspired aesthetic throughout, she is continuing her rise as one of the more mesmerising names doing the rounds right now.
So with the new single available now, we sat down with her to find out more about her background and what has inspired her most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The first instrument that captivated me was undoubtedly the grand piano. The limitless possibilities, timeless sound, and the intricacy of the mechanics, it was the juxtaposition of complexity and simplicity that I was intrigued by, and artists like Alicia Keys showed me the possibilities of the piano in performance and pop music.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I was obsessed with the west coast hip hop of the 90s. I remember for the first time hearing my Dad playing Dr. Dre’s ‘Still D.R.E’, and since then that iconic piano sample has always stuck with me. Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, N.W.A, and Tupac really introduced me into the world of hip-hop, and to this day they’re still my timeless favourite artists. I’m a bit of an old soul. All the music I listened to growing up is pretty much the same music I listen to now, give or take. I love nostalgia. The music I listened to when I was in my pre-teens and teens still evokes that same excitement now in my early 20’s. I also grew up with a lot of soul. Predominantly soul from 50’s- greats like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles. They paved the way for my love of storytelling and performance. They are just iconic.
What was the first album you remember owning?
‘The Marshall Mathers LP 2’ was the first album I owned. In my generation, streaming had always been a thing, but on my 13th birthday, being a massive Eminem fan, I asked for the Marshall Mathers LP 2 (which had just dropped), on CD as I really wanted to have a hard physical copy of it. It was a cool experience, to be able to hold this little disc of great music in my hand, to actually own it. The digital world has really taken that away and listening to music definitely doesn’t have that personal touch anymore as we can literally access any song at any time with streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Any song by Akala. He’s a lyrical genius, and he has inspired a lot of what I do. ‘Roll Wid Us’ is an incredible song, as is ‘Welcome To Dystopia’. His freestyles are definitely just as good as his singles & albums, and that is for sure the sign of a great lyricist. In terms of production, to be able to have produced ‘Dirty Harry’ by Gorillaz would be my biggest flex. What a song!
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I always say when writing new music it has to be natural. I can’t be trying too hard to write. I listen to the beat, listen to the sound, and let that control how I feel, let that dictate my emotions and see what lyrics I feel driven to write. The music has to lead the lyrics for me, I find it really difficult to get pre-written lyrics and sing them onto new material. I always have to listen to the music and see what journey it takes me on.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Greentea Peng is lit, I love her infusion of Jazz, RnB and Pop, and her vocal style. Her music always has a distinctive groove that I love. I’m always listening to Gorillaz no matter what, they have timeless hits but also are always dropping fresh new tracks. ‘She’s My Collar’ with Kali Uchis is a great new one from Gorillaz and ‘Kids With Guns’ is an old classic favourite.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Rihanna, obviously! I saw her perform in London when I was really young, I must have been about 12, and I remember thinking, wow, that’s what I want to do. the way she controlled the stage, her choreography, the way she moved so naturally and her confidence. I never forgot that.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The most rewarding part is definitely seeing people just genuinely enjoying my music. It’s such a good feeling, and that's what drives me to make music. Knowing that people are vibing to something you’ve created is a very special feeling.
And what is the most frustrating part?
I love all aspects of being a musician. It’s all part of the journey, the highs, and the lows. Anything negative is just more motivation to do and be the best I can be.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
To be yourself. You know yourself as an artist more than anyone else, so it’s so important to listen to your gut and to do what's best for you, no matter what people say.
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Azul Kechi's new single 'Temporary Love' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.