Nigeria's own afro-fusion artist VUNG has been steadily making a name for himself since he first started releasing music at the start of 2020, but his love for music dates back even further than that. He started writing music at the age of 8, mainly focused on creating sounds that were inspired by hip-hop and rap music. However, over time he has redefined his craft; combining the melodic tunes in pop and vulnerable honesty in R&B have come to explain his very distinct sound. He went on to release his first project HEARTFELT in 2020 and followed with his 8-track EP, SINCERE, that recently released on June 4th. His audience and fanbase have come to appreciate his unadulterated lyrics and silvery vocals, and they are layered effectively throughout his recent release. We got a chance to talk to VUNG a week before the release and learn more about the creative process behind his music, what motivates him, and his big goals for the rest of the year.
Introduce yourself! Who is VUNG? Where are you from?
I am an R&B/pop artist born and raised in Nigeria who loves to create music from my heart and express my feelings unfiltered to show my raw emotions.
How would you best describe your sound? Who are some of the artists who have inspired you in your music?
My sound is a mix of R&B/pop layered with African rhythms to show my African roots. WizKid has truly inspired me so much in music, he’s someone I really look up to.
You can really see the growth in your music and I think it comes with consistency. You’ve been consistently dropping music since 2020 and even more so this year with songs like "Slide" and "SLOW" topping charts. What has been your driving motivation to keep up this momentum?
Music for me is a mind-to-mouth process so it comes naturally to me; it’s the only way I really know how to express myself. I truly express myself through the creativity and art of music, which I really enjoy doing, to connect with other people around the world who have similar life experiences like myself.
Your most recent drop, SINCERE, really gives fans a more in-depth story of who you are as a person and an artist. Walk me through the process of making the project. What were the differences between this project and HEARTFELT?
I was going through a heartbreak so it was more of a therapeutic project for me to heal myself from the pain I was feeling. It talks about the love I had for my ex-girl and how life was without her. HEARTFELT was more about my aspirations and hopes, also overcoming the trials & tribulations that come with the journey of making music.
You’ve definitely put people on notice, and this is only the beginning. Who are some artists that you’re really interested in working with in the future?
A couple of artists that I am really interested in working with in the future are Wizkid, Saint Jhn & Drake. I feel like my sound would really mesh well with them and they inspire me as an artist.
Now that things are opening up, describe what an ideal VUNG concert looks like to you? Do you have any big plans for the rest of the year?
An ideal VUNG concert to me would be glow in the dark with neon lights, type of venue. Me and my audience vibing together to my music as one big family. Nothing crazy but something that would have everyone really engaged.
Last question, what advice would you give to young musicians starting off trying to make a name for themselves?
Advice I would give is to never stop. Keep going no matter how hard life gets.
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