With a sound that effortlessly fuses Afrobeats, highlife, and contemporary pop, Adekunle Gold has emerged as a luminary within the global music landscape. Hailing from the vibrant city of Lagos, Nigeria, AG captivated listeners worldwide with his enchanting melodies, poignant lyricism, and unwavering commitment to innovating Afrobeats. Drawing inspiration from his multicultural upbringing, the 36 year-old’s music explores his Yoruba heritage with contemporary sounds.
His 2014 breakthrough track ‘Sade’ saw a glimpse of the star power Adekunle Gold had, but it was his debut album ‘Gold’ (2016) that revealed his skills as a masterful storyteller. His following albums, ‘About 30’ and ‘Afro Pop, Vol. 1’ were fearless deep dives into uncharted musical territories, adding elements of R&B, dancehall, and electronic music. With each release, AG reinvents himself whilst capturing the zeitgeist and pushing the boundaries of afro-pop to new and exciting heights.
2022’s ‘Catch Me If You Can’ was his greatest feat yet. Putting his curiosity and experimental talents to the test, he rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in the R&B world. Enlisting Lucky Daye, Ty Dolla $ign and Foushée on the record, Gold’s fourth album reinvigorated his career and brought new eyes to harmonious music.
Next week (July 27) AG will be releasing his biggest album yet, ‘Tequila Ever After’. Gearing up for “Level Five” of his musical journey, AG sits down with NME about his career, the love for his fans and big-name collaborators.
Why did you give fans ‘Tio Tequila’ as the first single?
“It’s really a taste of what you get on the album. I wanted to give people a taste of how different the sound is. If you listen to ‘Do You Mind?’, it’s sexy as heck. And then there’s ‘Omo Eko’, which is a party starter, talking about where I’m from. This newness [on ‘Tio Tequila’]… I’m embodying everything I am, and then I’m learning to be more confident than I was before. It keeps growing.”
It’s crazy that you’re already releasing another album after releasing ‘Catch Me If You Can’ last year…
“I know! I think what’s crazier is how I’m already working on the one that comes after the next one. I’ve always been like that. When I was working on my 2018 [‘About 30’] album, I was already working on my 2020 [‘Afro Pop Vol.1’] album. I knew what I wanted that one to be, but I knew what I wanted 2018 to be. I wanted to grow into 2021, so I’ve always been like that.
Making music gives me joy. Being able to be in a space and then somebody’s playing music, and then you search the depth of your mind to churn out melodies that are from nowhere: I think it’s my superpower. Knowing that there are seven keys in this world, I always find a way to make it different.”
What is Afrobeats to you?
“That’s the music that comes from Africa generally, but mostly from Nigeria. We have the vibe. Forget all these new artists, go back to the likes of Fela [Kuti], Ebenezer Obey, Sarkodie, all these people. The music has always been good. It’s always been groovy. It evokes emotion. We’re all about celebration and it shows in the music.”
‘Catch Me If You Can’ had a relaxed transatlantic vibe with people like Ty Dollar $ign and Foushée on the record, how is it like making those connections?
“When I write, I envision who else can add to the song. First of all, is there a need for somebody to be on the song with me? I serve the music, that’s the most important thing for me. I’ve had collaborations that I didn’t really like much and didn’t put out [because I wanted to] serve the music first.
“I reach out to my collaborators or have people do it for me if I can’t get to them. That’s how I reach out to Foushée myself. My people reached out to Ty Dolla $ign. I sent a message to Lucky Daye. I just be in people’s DMs.”
What was the message for ‘Catch Me If You Can’?
“I’m on this level now. You want to join the train? If you don’t want to, that’s okay. But if you want to, catch me if you can. I feel like I’m on a new level. I look at my musical journey as different levels of an adventure game. You know how you’re playing Mario Bros, for example, with each level it gets harder. It gets more interesting, gets more challenging. That’s what it is.”
What can we expect from your new album, which is Level Five?
“Crazy… I say anything I want to say – I pushed my pen the hardest on this one. I need people to know that I pushed myself the hardest on this one. I said to myself before I started making this album I was going to write 50 crazy songs. Of course, I wasn’t going to drop 50 tracks. Imagine trying to pick maybe 18, 19 tracks from 50 crazy tracks. That was my intention, and I’ve achieved it. I’ve done it. So be on the lookout!”
What is it like being signed to Def Jam?
“It feels good to be in the company of people that care… Tunji [Balogun] is my friend. The CEO has been my friend since 2018 and you’ve seen his track record, like, the artist he has helped blow up. So he cares. He understands the game. He understands afrobeats. He’s Nigerian and is a Yoruba boy. Afrobeats is deep in the culture so he gets it.”
From getting signed, earning MOBOs and performing the Grammys, you’re getting your comeuppance – how is that?
“I’m grateful that these things are coming up and then there’s more that will come. But I think the most important acquisition for me, really, is people growing with me, because it’s been nine years since my first song blew up since ‘Sade’ in 2014. I’ve changed. People don’t fuck with change that much, but I didn’t care. I was just going to do my own thing anyway. It was beautiful to see people stick with me still. They followed me all the way…”
What does ‘Sade’ mean to you nine years later?
“It means the same thing to me. I hold that song so dead to my heart because it was my story… And it was a cover of One Direction’s ‘Story Of My Life’. So I didn’t even want to invest so much in it [so people weren’t like] ‘Oh, just another cover.’ The only thing I used from the song was the beat, not even the melody or anything. So the song is realistic and it changed my life… Nine years in the game from just a cover.
“It’s surreal. It’s definitely not my hardest song. It was just a cover that was innocent, but it was the reason I came to London for the first time. It was the reason I went Gold in America, all of these accolades that you mentioned – that song is the reason. So what that song meant to me then is still the same now. And will be the same forever.”
What’s next for you?
Other than the album, we’ll be announcing a London show in November. We’re playing Wembley Arena this time. I just want to say to everyone who’s supporting me that I really fuck with you. It’s insane to just be following me all the way, like, rooting for me, sharing my song, telling people about me. I want to say thank you. And then this new album is everything.”
Adekunle Gold’s new album ‘Tequila Ever After is released July 28
