Afrofusion rising star Minz is back with a captivating new single, “Diallo,” featuring the renowned Tekno. Following the success of his chart-topping hit “Wap” with Davido, Minz is gearing up for the highly anticipated release of his debut album, By Any Minz.
Crafted in Berlin with the innovative production trio 255, “Diallo” is more than just a catchy anthem; it’s a heartfelt homage to Minz’s African heritage and a celebration of love inspired by his travels across the continent. With lush melodies and infectious rhythms, the track embodies a deep connection to his roots, showcasing Minz’s unique blend of contemporary sounds and rich cultural influences.
In this interview, we dive into the inspiration behind “Diallo,” the creative process that brought this song to life, and Minz’s journey as he transitions from promising talent to a formidable force in the music scene. Join us as we explore the essence of “Diallo” and what it means for Minz as he continues to carve out his place in the world of afrobeats and afrofusion.
Congratulations on your latest single, “Diallo” featuring Tekno! Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this track and how the collaboration with Tekno came about?
I’ve been blessed to visit a few African countries, and while on these trips I’ve had first-hand experience with many different cultures. As a result, I’ve been able to draw inspiration from these places, and thankfully, Tekno is also well-traveled, and we connected on a real pan-African level that brought the magic of “Diallo” to life.
The opportunity to work with a legend like Tekno, for me, is something I can say was orchestrated by destiny. He showed me genuine love, and it was a seamless connection with him musically. He really loved the record, and it was a no-brainer to have him on it.
“Diallo” seems to have a deep connection to African culture and heritage. Could you elaborate on how your travels across Africa influenced the song’s creation?
I’m a true pan-African at heart, and my culture means so much to me. Carrying my African identity is very important for me because my heritage is such a significant part of who I am and has a key role to play in the music that I make. You know we Nigerians, we rep our culture to the fullest, and that’s one of the reasons why Afrobeats has gone global today.
Getting to see other cultures around Africa played a role in the thought process I had while making this song. The continent is full of beauty, and I wanted to represent that through my music.
There are hundreds of precedents to show that African elements will take our music everywhere. Look at King Sunny Ade, Baba Fela, Sir Shina Peters amongst others.
“Diallo” has been described as one of the most beautiful songs you’ve written. What aspects of the song’s composition and production are you most proud of?
Berlin was different because of the energy from the guys around, including 255. I was there during winter, and the city was cold, and that made it easy to sit back indoors and not stress too much but the energy we all had was to get up and go. We had a spiritual synergy to just keep creating.
What unique elements did the Berlin recording environment and the collaboration with 255 bring to “Diallo” that set it apart from your previous work?
The guitars – they’re something else, and then we have the verses. The first verse is so simple, yet very potent.
Your journey in music began with setting up your own studio. How has being a producer influenced your approach as an artist?
It’s always interesting to see producers turn artists – Phyno, MaleekBerry, Pheelz, Young Jonn and even Tekno, and it’s important that there’s no one way to approach a creative process, really. Sometimes, you have an outburst of energy and you just open your laptop and create the best beats ever, and other times, you just crawl with your emotions into creating sounds.
With your debut album on the horizon, what can fans expect in terms of themes and collaborations?
You know when people talk about artists’ debut albums and how it changes their lives? Exactly! This is my ‘broke and hungry’ Minz era – certainly and honestly, it’s something you’ve never heard anywhere before. It’s a specially curated album, paying homage to my African heritage, those before me, and a reminder of where I am going. It is really personal to me, and you should anticipate the best music you’ve heard in a while. Fix your speakers or get new ones if you don’t have yet, clean your earphones and exercise maximum patience, By Any Miz will be with you shortly.
How do you stay inspired and motivated creatively, especially when working on a project as significant as your debut album?
I don’t have a 9-5 (laughs), so this music is literally my job, my life and everything I put my life into. Even if there’s no external motivation, I have to channel my inner ‘aspire to refire’ because there’s no going back from here. I’m deep into it, and the fear of sapa is not a nice thing.
Significantly, I listen to traditional music from around the world to get a glimpse of how they infuse traditional elements, and just find a way to incorporate African elements into mine. Trust me, it’s not as easy as it sounds, but we dey run am (laughs).
Your music has been described as Afrofusion. How would you define Afrofusion?
My sound is constantly evolving and I strongly believe it’s the future, but I wouldn’t want to box it with a name – but as you can tell, my sound is deeply rooted in African sounds and everything that has to do with us as a people.
You’ve collaborated with artists across different genres. Is there a dream collaboration you haven’t yet had the opportunity to pursue?
What do you think? (laughs) Absolutely. Davido and Tekno used to be on this list before 2024, but guess who has “WAP” and “Diallo.”
There are some features that I have only dreamt about, I’ll speak to the universe, because I know it’s going to happen. You actually guessed right – Asake, Tems and Gunna are the next 3 on my list now, and 2024 is not even gone yet. So, we might have another 3 in the next interview I’m having with you (laughs).
Looking back at your career so far, what would you say has been the most defining moment for you as an artist?
It has to be the first booking I got outside Nigeria. I didn’t know what and how to feel, I shouted for joy because it was an assertion that I was on the right path to success in my career – doing what I love and getting paid while at it? I can never forget the booking that took me to Gabon in 2018 – a surreal moment.