Get to Know Bryann: The Festac-Raised Artist Releases Single “Longe’’ From His Forthcoming EP
Bryann was born to be in the spotlight. This becomes increasingly clear as the 22-year-old Nigerian artist relays stories from his childhood-always with himself as the entertainer. “I was the lead singer in the school band. I would write songs for the graduating class, and was also a dancer. I became popular for dancing in high school,” he recalls fondly.
In 2017, he would cut the noise and begin to seriously experiment with music. This led to writing and producing his first single off his forthcoming EP, Longe. He describes the sound on this project as a mix of an array of things, with Afrobeats as his base.
He delves into this process and then some, in our full interview below.
This interview has been lightly edited for the purpose of clarity.
Talk to me about your journey with music. When did you know this is something you wanted to do?
I have always been musically inclined all of my life. I was in the choir, I was the lead singer in the school band. I would write songs for the graduating class, and became quite popular. I was also a dancer. I was popular for dancing in high school *laughs*. I was always inclined to performing arts, music, acting, public speaking. I decided that I wanted to do music in 2017. I started experimenting with it in 2015 and focused on shaping my sound. I am a perfectionist and it was 2019 when for the first time I felt that I found my sound. “Longé” was recorded in 2019.
When did the shift happen-when you went from thinking about doing music to actually putting plans into motion?
2017 was the year when I started to put music out. “Longé” is my first official single.
How would you describe your sound?
My sound is a mixture of so many things: Afropop, R&B, Dancehall, Highlife, Afro Juju, etc. I can’t call it one thing. I would say that Afrobeats is my base. I would describe my music as percussion music. I’m still discovering what I can do sonically. My music shifts, it changes over time. It’s not one thing.
What was the process behind your debut single and how did it come to life?
“Longé” came to life in 2019. At that time I was still exploring my sound. I was dying to meet Spax. I was telling everyone to get me in the studio with him. When I met Spax we made three songs and “Longé” was one of them. It was a vibe, I never had to think about the lyrics. It just came together naturally. Spax went for a smoke break and told me not to touch his laptop. I’m very stubborn *laughs* so I did it anyway and that’s how I found the “Longé” beat. As soon as I heard it, I fell in love with it and recorded a voice note.
Is there a full project in the works anytime soon and what does that look like for Bryann?
Yes, definitely. “Longé” is apart of an EP that I’m dropping titled ILÉKÉ. It’s a wonderful project, it’s rhythmic and has a bounce to it. This EP is based on my infatuation with a woman I was seeing. She was the inspiration behind “Longé” and the project.
Who would be your dream collab?
In Nigeria my dream collab would be Wande Coal or Asa. I’d love to get Asa on a record. Internationally, I have a list but my top would be Frank Ocean and Drake. If I can get Drake on a song, that’s it bruv. Drake’s music played a big part in my adolescent years.
Who or what has inspired you as an artist?
Wande Coal, Asa, Wizkid and Burna Boy. My love for Wizkid is big. When I started writing Afropop music, Wande Coal and Burna Boy were the artists that inspired me heavily. Also Angelique Kidjo, she’s one of my idols. Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Graduation are one of the best bodies of work of all time, hands down!
What do you hope to achieve with your music?
Right now I want to share my music with as many people as possible. I want to increase my brand and take my fans with me on my artistic journey. I hope that after the pandemic I can go on tour. I love to perform.
How do you feel about entering the industry during a time where the opportunity to perform live is so small? How do you plan to combat this to grow your audience?
I plan to make use of social media: Clubhouse, Twitter, IG, etc. I want to connect with listeners. I don’t want to be larger than life. I want to relate to people on a human level.
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