Cover Star InterviewNigerian Afrobeats star CKay joins Nandi Madida via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest single, “ADDICTED (feat. The Cavemen.).” He also discusses his new album, ‘EMOTIONS,’ how he approaches collaborations, and how he stays true to his roots.
This Week’s Hottest New TracksNandi Madida shares the hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Lojay, M.anifest feat. The Cavemen. & Flea, Wizkid & Brent Faiyaz, Cassper Nyovest feat. Massive95k, Djy Fresh & L4desh 55, and Shimza, Dj Vitoto & Zano.
Tune in and listen to the full episode this Friday, October 18th at 9a Lagos/London / 10a Johannesburg/Paris / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow and broadcast on YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm.
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CKay Tells Apple Music What to Expect from His New Album, ‘EMOTIONS’
The part of Nigeria I’m from, it’s called Anambra State; it’s in the southeast, and the soil is red there. So we have a unique type of soil that is red, and I always just saw my sound as something that felt other otherworldly to me. I like to really play with psychedelic sounds. My stuff sounds like it’s from somewhere else. So of all the planets in the solar system, the place that represented where I was mentally, if I was to describe it, it would be Mars. Mars also represents fiery emotions, which is, I would say, the spectrum of emotions on this album. It’s a bit more fiery, it’s a little bit aggressive sometimes, and it’s strong. It’s fiery. That’s the word I would use, fiery.
It’s what I was just feeling at the time. I was in a very fiery place, so to speak. I was going through a lot, and I was also experiencing a wide range of things romantically, in my personal life, in my relationships, in work as well. It’s just been a whole lot of things going on, and music has always been an outlet for me, an outlet of expression.
CKay Tells Apple Music How He Approaches Collaborations
If you listen to ‘EMOTIONS’, you can expect to be in a wide range of emotions, which ranges from sexiness to realness to inspiration, to dancing, to real life, basically. And the collaborations, I collaborated with a few artists on this album, Olamide, Ty Dolla $ign, Nora Fatehi, and The Cavemen. These are musicians that I vibe with, and I think we make something nice together. I collaborate with artists when I believe we can actually make something nice, something that is good, and something that is… It is not just a strategy thing for me. And I also have a personal relationship as well with every artist I collaborate with. So big shout-out to all the collaborations on the album. We made something really special and love and appreciation to each and every one of them.
CKay tells Apple Music About Growth and How He Stays True to His Roots
I see music as art and I see it as self-expression first, before anything. So regardless of acceptance around the world and all that, I don’t think it changes who I am or where I’m from. And I believe it’s important to make music that is authentic to your experience as a person, and that’s exactly what I always do with every project. And each project reflects where I am in my life at the time. So ‘EMOTIONS’ basically represents where I am in my life right now.
I feel like I’m in a different place in life. I’ve experienced so many things. I’ve been through so many things, good, bad, in between. And basically, I say, the challenges you experience in life make you who you are, and they shape you into the higher version of yourself.
