Hailing from the fertile artistic grounds of Lagos, Nigeria, singer-songwriter Yarden is climbing charts and emerging as a prominent name in the new generation of African artists to watch out for. Following his hit single “Wetin” from November 2022, which garnered more than 56 million global streams across platforms, he now unveils his debut EP, “The One Who Descends” — a 5-track offering that champions his Afrobeats influences and positions him as a mature and well-moulded artist.

The EP kicks off with “Wait,” an easy track that introduces the listener to Yarden’s sound and peaks at “Time,” the lead track, featuring a dance-inducing, infectious beat. “The One Who Descends” has been in the making for two years and includes production from upcoming homegrown talents, as well as features from Yarden’s friends, Swayvee and Morien. According to the artist, this was an intentional decision to collaborate with those integral to his journey before reaching out to international superstars.

Listen to the EP…

Read the full interview…

Yarden! How are you doing?
I’m doing good, I’m chill and calm.

How did growing up in a musical household impact your childhood and upbringing?
It really changed my perspective about a lot of things and I didn’t realize that until I started music professionally.
How easy it is to even do day to day stuff when there’s music playing around me. Music has always been the answer to everything to the point that I have a lyric for any question you ask me … And listening to old music really helped shape my sound.

When did you start writing music?
Started writing music in church, yes I know it sounds cliché but yes I started in church writing music for the choir and then I got into school writing actual songs for myself and I just kept evolving from there.

How has your sound evolved and how would you describe it today?
My sound has evolved so much and I’m proud of my growth and the day one listeners can attest to that, I’ve always loved to experiment with certain sonics and most of the time it 100% work. The bangers we get to create are just timeless… I also love to make music with the fans, you know sample voices and all that sweet stuff.

What other artists inspire you?
Definitely, Micheal Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, Omah Lay, The Weeknd and Doja Cat.

Congratulations on “Wetin”! Can you tell us a bit about this track? What themes does it explore?
Wetin was an expression of myself. There’s so much soul in that record that really didn’t think was going to overflow into the listener and that has always been my drive making music. Creating a soul for the music.

What was the writing and production process like?
The process was a lot more seamless than people might think, recorded and mixed that song on my phone and was not so much of a perfectionist that I usually am and just put it out. My recording process is just being true and soulful when making the music.
Give the music exactly what it needs and everything else will fall in place.

How has it felt to see it resonating with so many people?
Felt surreal but I did see it happening. My sound was made to enter your soul.

How does it set the stage for your upcoming debut EP?
Oh it definitely opened some very important doors for me. I see it as a medium to put out more of my art out there to the world.

What are you most proud of regarding the full TOWD project?
The artistry behind the project is just amazing I’m proud of it big time.
It being my debut project and a start of an amazing catalogue and discography is just an overall good feeling.