Kemuel’s single ‘Alone’, amassed over a million global streams in less than a month. Nigeria’s rising R&B sensation produces and writes his own material, get familiar via this VIPER interview…

What five words define your sound?

Soul, Melancholy, Psychedelic, Pop, R&B.

Tell me something unique about your creative process

I love it when my vocals are a part of the beat, in a strange way it doesn’t feel like separate from the beat. I feel one with the instrumental and it helps me fuse better with the sound.

Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?

‘Champagne Girl’; it’s my first official debut so if you’re starting the journey with me it’s best you know where we’re coming from. It’s a sonic adventure and you don’t wanna miss out on anything. 

What inspired you to make that song?

Love and heartbreak, I always make music whether I’m sad or happy. I love creating, I could say I even create better when I’m sad. 

What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?

There’s a song on my forthcoming EP. Originally I thought it would never drop because of how vulnerable I was with the songwriting. It’s titled ‘FIND’. I can’t wait for you all to experience that sonic adventure, for most of you it may feel like you’re looking in a mirror. 

What’s the worst experience you’ve had on stage?

The DJ played another artist’s song on my set and I had to perform it, it was awkward and I had just started performing. But I knew the show had to go on so I kept going, eventually he figured it wasn’t my song and played mine. Even though he cut me off mid performance. It was in general an experience that taught me a lot. 

What is your favourite song to perform?

I love performing all my songs, I wish I could perform all my songs all the time. It’s so much more flexible making the music in real time in front of people, watching their real life expressions and taking them on an adventure with sound. 

Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?

It was my friend’s Rap verse on a song his cousin featured him on. It was just another regular day, and the lockdown had just taken full effect. I got a broadcast text from him saying the song was out, I went to listen to it and I was blown away, that inspired me to try it out. With a ton of free time on my hands, music slowly became a hobby and I’ve been in love with it ever since. 

What’s the meaning behind your name?

Kemuel means – one with God or helper of God.

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?

I’m not sure what I’d be doing if I wasn’t doing music; music excites my soul it gives me life. I’d probably be deep into business but it may still end me back in music. Music is the one thing humans got right, I see it as a God language. 

What’s success to you?

Success is the music reaching the people that need it the most. Knowing that someone somewhere wakes up to play Kemuel to start their day or to get them through a phase, even to work out at the gym. Music is life, so people making my music part of their life is my definition of success.

What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?

There was a time a fan messaged me on instagram after I’d just dropped my debut EP ‘ESCAPE’. Here’s what she said to me “I was deep in depression almost contemplating suicide but your music saved me,” from that moment, I knew what I needed to do. 

Where can people keep in touch with you?

You can connect with me on all socials @kemuelthekid.