5 Minutes with AdeJosh: The British Nigerian musician on his musical legacy and the evolution of his sound

AdeJosh has seen his stock rise in the music world ever since the release of his eye-catching debut EP Confident, which racked up over 100,000 on Soundcloud alone. Since then, the rising star has gone from strength to strength thanks to his unique approach to afroswing shaped by his east London upbringing and Nigerian heritage. What’s most impressive about AdeJosh is his ability to blend a variety of genres with ease, including afroswing, dancehall, afrobeats, R&B and hip hop, amalgamating in the captivating sound he’s cultivated for himself today.

The musician recently released his latest EP, All For Me, which is yet another fine display of the artist’s talents. The EP sees AdeJosh link up with long-time collaborator and producer ATG Musick, who worked with the likes of Not3s, IAMDDB and Kelly Rowland among others. The duo waste no time and their chemistry is obvious for all to see as AdeJosh’s smooth flows and vocals float over ATG’s infectious production throughout the four-track EP. With tracks like ‘My Own’ we see AdeJosh take a deeply personal approach to his songwriting as he stresses the importance of self-reflection, whilst there are also lighter hearted moments like ‘All For Me,’ where AdeJosh’s incredible melodies take centre stage. Here, HUNGER chats with AdeJosh to discuss the inspirations behind his new EP, musical idols and much more…

How would you say having roots in Nigeria and the UK has affected your music?

Being from Nigeria influences my sounds heavily, from the melodies to me including the language in my music. Growing up in an African household, going to an African-dominated church, and my East London environment all have a major influence on the moulding of AdeJosh.

Who were the main people you were looking up to growing up?

Michael Jackson, Usher and Wizkid were people who I really looked up to and watched their stardom

Has music always been the only career path for you?

It’s the only thing I feel like I’ve ever known, it’s the one thing in life I know I’m good at, and there’s this burning passion to always be around music. I don’t know where it comes from or what keeps it burning, that’s why I believe music is a calling.

At what point did you start taking music seriously?

When I dropped my first song ‘Silver & Gold’, I said to myself if this doesn’t get at least 500 plays on Soundcloud (Soundcloud was popping at the time for music) then I am not doing this. I got 5000 plays on the first day and from there, the rest is history.

What would you say is the best thing about creating music?

Watching how it makes people feel and how they interact with it. Seeing your own people believe in you. Strangers being inspired. When I see how far music travels, by a week, a month, or even a year, and lastly, how someone halfway across the world can stumble across your music and be impacted by it.

How would you like your music to be remembered?

A legendary journey, a journey that shows it is possible! I want my music to show people to believe in their gifts, understand their value and just go! You don’t need to be the best, you just need to be willing, and dreams can come true.

What advice would you tell your younger self?

Just keep going, you never know who has their eyes on you, and you never know who is routing for you, if one person is rooting for you, that is a reason for you to never give up!

Have there ever been any moments where you’ve doubted yourself, how did you get out of those if so?

I’ve had many doubts, but God always reassures me. All I know is God.

You said that your latest EP, All For Me, was inspired by events that led you to a path of self-discovery. What were some of those events and how did they affect you?

Deaths and a breakup made my whole world stop, and made me feel like anything in life can happen. Cherish the present moment and plan for a better future.

You reunited with ATG Musick on this project, what’s your relationship like with him?

That’s my brother! Family for life! We are locked in forever. Church made us get into music 24/7, our relationship was founded on music, we will always be locked in especially with music, it’s all we know.

How do you feel your sound has evolved on this EP compared to previous projects?

My sound has evolved in maturity and understanding. My last EP was titled ‘Confident’, but you can be confident and not know what to do. ‘All For Me’ is the next level up from being confident, it’s now about being intentional.

What can we expect from you for the rest of the year?

I have a music video dropping real soon. I also have some features in the works, which I think the people will be excited for, and a potential headline show as well.