Genres are formed to be pushed, and exciting Belfast artist Jordan Adetunji isn’t afraid to do precisely that. There is a visceral adaptability to the rising star; precise in his cross-style refinement, the music of Adetunji is thought through to the point of feeling thoughtless. Its instinctive nature pulls from a motley stylistic palette, ranging from rap to emo, jersey club to post punk, with the creative proving to be an endearing protagonist in the sonic universe that he himself has concocted.
Adetunji has returned with his latest jaw-dropping offering, “Go”. Drawing from the hyper-pop movement that has been swirling towards mainstream popularity over the last few years, the artist combines the prolific tendencies with a guitar riff that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Black Midi track. Accompanied by a visual directed by Tyrus Hill, it’s an immersive and full-bodied effort that uses space and tone acutely, amassing an immense emotional potency and lyrical aptitude. An illustration of the artistic depth and eclectic dexterity of Adetunji, the track leaves us longing for be further enchanted by the Belfast visionary.
We had the pleasure of connecting with the rising star, discussing his musical origins, the process and thought behind his latest offering, and his future ambitions.
Watch the “Go” visuals…
Read the full interview…
Hey! How are you? What does a day in the life look like for you right now?
A day in the life for me, looks like waking up and putting fresh ideas down. I love to clear my mind first thing. It keeps me ready to start the day, I then have sessions in the afternoon and then I play a lot of games especially lately so trying to put as much down as possible.
We’d love to know your early days with music! Tell us about how you found your sound.
My early days with music started from video games so I would play a lot of games such as Need for Speed, especially underground 2 which was my first introduction into alternative music. With that I got put on to hip hop music. Where I found the love of merging the two in different ways, which is how I began to find my sound with researching different guitar styles and type to incorporate into my music.
Who have been major inspirations to you, both musically and personally?
Inspirations for me are people like Oli Sykes, Juice WRLD, Jaden Smith, as they are constantly pushing boundaries and innovating as well as constantly trying something new and not being put in a box.
Congratulations on the new single “Go”! Can you tell us the message behind it?
The message behind “Go”, is to keep going no matter what people say. Do what makes you happy, show off flex a little. You’re the main character in your world you know?
What was the creative process like when writing the track?
The creative process was really cool and organic as it started from a math rock TikTok sample by Rjpasin which I love which I then posted on TikTok and people really wanted me to release it so I made that happen and got in the studio with J Rick & Villa and we cooked it up.
How do you want your listeners to feel when they play “Go”?
I want them to feel positive energy especially with the music at this stage in my career i want to make more high energy music as that’s how I feel at this time in my life.
What has been career highlight for you so far?
A highlight for me so far has definitely being found by Oli Sykes as well as finally releasing the songs I’ve always wanted to release such as ‘Insecure’. I really loved going on tour with KennyHoopla and doing a few dates which rocked.
Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?
A dream collaboration for me would either be The Weeknd or Jaden Smith
What is your opinion of the industry currently? What change do you want to see?
I feel the internet has taken over in a good way meaning in everyone is getting a chance, although I do feel meme culture has controlled peoples thought process, people will see something and comment an intrusive thought or troll for attention. People like to hide and throw stones online a lot.
Where do you want to take your artistry?
I want to take my artistry to the next level from live shows, to visuals I want everything to have its own life and tell a story. Which is a large part of me is free expression.
What is your next big move? Any big plans for the rest of the summer?
My next big move is to get all the songs out that I’ve been working on and really show people my sound and take this new wave I’m bringing to everyone and show how creative we have taken it.