uNder Spotlight: YKB Is Focused On Authentic Storytelling
"Right now, I’m very focused on longevity and being remembered for as long as possible."
If you’re a fan of music discovery, the chances are likely that you’ve probably come across YusufKanbai’s music on the Internet. Popularly known to fans as YKB, the singer has been climbing an upward trajectory and witnessing organic growth since his debut in 2019 when he began showcasing a unique mixture of versatility, dexterity and style. Since then, improving his skills have been a great source of pride as he wields powerful tales of underdog stories and positive affirmations.
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For those who’ve been ardently following him since before his name change from YusufKanbai to YKB, the singer was already dabbling with the creative industry well before his foray into music. Initially starting off his career in photography, YKB was more interested in documenting the culture from behind the camera lenses: “Photography became a job for me because I was solely doing it for money. I’m a creator and I like to tell stories because as an artist, my job is to translate feelings into tangible things that people can digest, so I decided to look for another medium,”he shares with the NATIVE, a few days after the blockbuster release of his video for new single, “San Siro.”
Now, YKB is learning how to be his own kind of pop star from scratch. Born and raised in Ketu, Lagos, the singer and songwriter is cutting through the noise with a firm narrative, smooth sounding delivery, and no gimmicks, making him an absolute breath of fresh air in today’s industry. The singer fuses Afropop, R&B, Trap music and Hip-Hop together to create a unique blend of Afrofusion that showcases him as an undeniable talent with an incisive vision. Although he refuses to the tied down to any stringent labels or genre categories, YKB always shows up as a burgeoning talent with undeniable versatility.
Speaking about his new release, “San Siro” which is slated to appear on his forthcoming EP, YKB shares that the song was written with a muse in mind. “I wrote the song “San Siro” to impress a girl who likes storytelling so before I put out the record, I had already won because she was impressed,” he shares with the NATIVE. As YKB prepares for the release of his new project and continues to widen his world view, his presence is especially critical right now in the Nigerian pop scene and the singer knows this more than anyone. He says:
“I want my music to be what you’d play for your grandkids to let them know what you used to listen to when you were younger.”
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After landing himself a spot on the NATIVE’s best new artists selection of September uNder, we catch up with YKB to discuss his journey so far, his creation process of making music as well as his passion for storytelling.
His words which follow below have been lightly edited for clarity.
NATIVE: Can you tell me a bit about yourself? What was growing up like for you?
YKB: The highlight of growing up for me was getting to experience two different environments simultaneously. I was raised by two mums, my biological mum and my elder sister which I view as my mum as well. I was exposed to a lot of Fuji music through my biological mum and every weekend I would go to my other mum’s house in Surulere, and that part of my childhood has moulded who I am today.
Will you say growing up in Ketu has had any sort of influence on your music?
Yes I believe growing up in Ketu has made an impact on my outlook on life.
You’ve always been invested in telling stories in one way or the other. You started off as a photographer and you excelled in that before moving into music. What made you make that transition?
Well photography became a job for me because I was solely doing it for money. I’m a creator and I like to tell stories because as an artist, my job is to translate feelings into tangible things that people can digest, so I decided to look for another medium that was interesting and I’ve always wanted to be a musician.
Do you still take pictures?
Yes, I do but just for my friends but nothing professional anymore.
When you introduced yourself to the music scene, you went by a different moniker, YusufKanbai. What made you change names?
I changed names because YusufKanbai was a mouth-full. There’s an Anime called “Bankai” and people would call me that instead of Kanbai, some Yoruba people would even call me “Kanbi,” so I just decided to make it easy for everyone to pronounce my name “YKB.”
When you rebranded as YKB, will you say your art changed in any way or what was the idea behind the entire rebrand?
My art changed unintentionally because I was going through phases, so it was just a coincidence.
What would you say you did differently compared to now?
In terms of my process, I believe I pay more attention to the quality of my work now, more than before. The quality of your work determines how long it’s going to be played by people, so right now, I’m very focused on longevity and being remembered for as long as possible.
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Now let’s talk about your music itself. Why do you make music? What drives you to make music?
I make music to project, hoping that there will be receivers. We’re all human beings and we all have universal truths. If you can tap into that frequency then that’s for you.
The name of your previous project ‘Before I Blow’ is interesting. What were some of the things you were dealing with at the time that inspired this title?
When I was making ‘Before I Blow,’ it was at a time where I just felt like everything was moving slowly. I had made songs which were yet to be released, so I was waiting for things to happen. I was waiting for an advance, looking for money to promote my music and so on, so I just decided to name the project ‘Before I Blow.’ At the end of the day, I can look back at everything and feel accomplished after all our hard work.
Can you describe the music you make to me?
I don’t think I can describe the music I make because I let my music flow. I don’t even attach a name to it until after I’m done or I’ve gone far, so I don’t interrupt the direction of the theme.
Your sound is a bit unique especially with how simple your production can be. Do you contribute heavily to the production process or do you produce yourself?
Whenever I make something I always think about how I can improve on it or make it better. Like I said earlier on, the quality of my work is my priority. If you notice, there are three producers on the song, “San Siro.” Finito made the beat, then I wrote the song and after that, I took it to a certain producer named Fuwon for additional touches. After he was done, I took it to Dave October to analyse the quality of the song. I even had to record a bunch of harmonies with the song just to test it, that’s why the song is so heavy and full.
What would you like your music to mean to people?
I want my music to be what you’d play for your grandkids to let them know what you used to listen to when you were younger, that’s how powerful and meaningful I want my music to be.
What’s next for YKB personally and professionally?
Right now, I’m just trying to make more good records. Like I said, to be remembered you have to do something differently, so I’m really looking to stretch the envelope as far as possible while remaining original to my story. Everything I’ve put out, even the video, I wrote the treatment for it. I just want to make that connection by putting out real content with authentic stories.
Featured Image Credits/The NATIVE
