A leading light in the rising Alté scene, Boj is a totemic presence in the wider Afro sonic revolution that continues to speed across the Western pop consensus. The London-born, Nigerian-based artist brings a vibrancy to his sound and to the scene as a whole, fusing R&B, Afro-fusion and electronic tendencies together into a melting pot of energy and excellence, unique and progressive in his approach.
In the latest crowning moment in his revered career of nearly a decade, Boj has just shared a potent new record, 12 Summers. With a titled derived as a homage to the trailblazer’s 12 years spent dedicated to music making, the record presents a craftsmanship that is refined, matured and provoking. Boj is in top form across the 13 cuts, with the eclectic features – from Sainté to Oxlade, ODUMODUBLVCK to Blanco – bolstering the entertainment value and perspective of the impressive body of work.
We caught up with Boj to discuss the rise of Afro sounds on a global scale, his diverse artistry, and the excellent new album.
Listen to the album…
Read the interview…
Hey Boj! How has your year been?
Man. I feel super blessed and excited to be here today. Coming off the back of the success of the ‘Make E No Cause Fight 3‘ project and headlining my debut ‘Our Land’ festival in Lagos – the year couldn’t have started on a better note.
Talk us through your musical origins. What has your journey been to reaching these heights?
I was raised between Nigeria and the UK. Went to school in England, met Teezee and Fresh L (DRB LasGidi), and the rest is history really. Those beginnings influenced my sound, as did moving back to Lagos. I’ll always be an Alté guy. It’s a lifestyle.
How would you define your essence as an artist?
I like to stay true to myself. To my roots. The rest falls into place.
Afro sounds and genres are finally getting their flowers on a global scale – what do you put it down to?
I think it was a long time coming. There are so many exciting voices coming out of Africa.
Congratulations on your forthcoming body of work! How are you feeling about the release?
Thank you man. I’m so proud of this project, so happy with the visuals, the music. I hope everyone loves it.
What inspired the project, sonically and thematically?
At its core, this project is all about paying homage to my journey as an artist. I’ve been making music for 12 years, so it’s all about that evolution. And it’s also the beginning of a new journey.
The new project has got some crazy features! How did you go about choosing the supporting voices?
It was super organic, obviously some of these people are close friends. We’d normally work together. The others are people that aligned with the vision we had for the project. But yeah, it all came together very organically.
It’s a diverse and global mix of names, is that intentional?
Yeah. I’m really intentional about everything I do. When making music I always have an audience in mind that I’m trying to reach. The goal of this campaign is to expand into new territories, and that was in the back of my mind when thinking about collaborations.
What do you hope the project achieves?
I just want people to have a great time listening to it, like the title suggests, it’s a summer project, so let’s have it.
What’s to come from you, this year and beyond?
Now that my album 12 Summers is out we’re going to be taking it global – I’m going to be playing some shows, traveling. I’ll be in the US all of August, we’re working on a European tour, planning the second ‘Our Land’ festival, and much more. It’s going to be a busy rest of the year for sure. So stay tuned!