Music is my first passion –Falz

By Rita Okoye

Nigerian rapper, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz The Bahd Guy, has successfully established himself as a household name in Nigerian music since his career began in 2009.
He is known for songs which are often targeted at addressing bad governance and societal ills including ‘Wehdone Sir’, ‘Child of the World’ and ‘Talk’.
The singer has had an impressive music career, which has seen him win several awards including ‘Album of the Year’ at the 2016 edition of the City People Entertainment.
Falz recently released his highly anticipated extended play (EP) titled, ‘Before The Feast’.
In this interview with The Entertainer, he talks about his career, EP, and why he took a break from music.

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learnt during your musical hiatus?
I think the biggest lesson I learned is to stop overthinking. As a creative person, it’s very easy to fall into that hole. It’s a very deep hole, overthinking everything, wanting to come out in the best way possible. I’m a perfectionist, both creatively and personally. I felt myself entering deep into that hole, so I needed to pause. That is the biggest lesson I have learned because I realized it was all for nothing. There’s no need to keep going deep there. You just have to move, just act. If you have a great idea, just act, just work on it. That’s the biggest lesson.

Before The Feast captures different genres of music, was it intentional for you to capture different genres?
It was very intentional. What I wanted to do with ‘Before The Feast’ was to cleanse the palette of the listener. I aimed to make it as diverse as possible with the sounds. Interestingly, only one producer worked on more than one song on the project. Each new song has a new producer, which was not even intentional. That allowed us to achieve a wide range of sounds. So, yes, it was intentional.

What makes this EP different from your other  works?
On this project, I’m not doing much of the social or political commentary that I typically do. There are socially conscious lyrics, but not particularly about the affairs of the country. That is intentional as well. I resolved not to complain because the emotion I’m trying to convey has to come without that element of complaining. I want to put the listener in the mindset I feel they should have as an African existing in 2024. Before The Feast wouldn’t fully give you that yet, but wait for The Feast (Album).

What were the challenges you encountered during this process?
Luckily, I worked with staunch professionals, very creative. It was just an exciting process. I can›t remember any challenges we encountered.

When someone listens to the EP, what impression do you want to create?
When someone listens to the EP, I want them to feel alive. I wanted to capture a good time. I want them to feel happy, excited, and hungry for more. That’s why we made it very short and succinct. It ends in a way that you know there’s more to come. I want them to thirst for that more.

What lessons have you learnt from 2014 when you started gaining acclaim to 2024?
It’s been a decade. A big lesson I have learned is to do everything I have always wanted to do. If there’s something you’re passionate about and can be good at, pursue it. If I had restricted myself earlier in my career, I probably wouldn’t be the brand I am today. The brand I am today is all-encompassing. I’m the guy in film, music, and more. I still am Falz the Bahd Guy. Another recent lesson is to just act. If you have an idea, just do it. Don’t overthink it. Don’t sit on it. Those are two big lessons I have learned.

You’re multi-talented. Did you set out to do all these things when you were starting?
The truth is, no. I didn’t pre-plan my brand or how I would be. Music was my first passion. I just knew I had this talent and passion, and I wanted to do it the best way possible. Along the way, I found other things. If I didn’t create room to accommodate them, I wouldn’t have become who I am now.

Why did you take a break from music?
It’s very important to rest. Since around 2014, when I started gaining mainstream acclaim, I have just been working. I never intentionally took a moment to pause and relax. At that moment, I felt I needed that. It’s 2024, 10 years after my debut album in 2014, and I felt like I needed to come differently. That’s what this entire journey is about, coming differently.

Do you think you would change your style subsequently to avoid being predictable?
It’s a tricky one. It’s important to evolve as an artist, but you can’t evolve so much that you lose the essence of who you are. Imagine a Falz fan listening and not recognizing it’s Falz because I’m trying to evolve. It’s tricky. I’ve deeply thought about this, and that’s why I resolved that where we are going on The Feast is the best way to do this. It’s a complete rejig. When you hear the music, you’ll know what I mean. I do it in such an aggressive way, but I still retain my core as an artist. You’ll know it’s Falz you’re listening to but on a very new and interesting vibe.

What was it like working with Adekunle Gold on “Who Go Pay”?
Before the song, if I had been asked what kind of vibe I would feature Adekunle Gold on, I would never have predicted it would be this kind of vibe. But as soon as we did it, I absolutely loved it.

What did you learn about yourself while working on the EP?
I learnt that I can make music in ways I’m not used to. As a creative, you develop a system for writing and recording, and you get comfortable with that. Sometimes, it’s important to pause and step out of your routine. With these recordings, I had to do that, and I enjoyed it. Now, I realize I can make music outside of my usual methods.