Meet the Artist: Yimeeka
Sensational producer cum artiste Yimeeka, gives us an insight into her journey into music and her transition from being a music producer to becoming an artiste herself. On this exclusive interview she shares with us her essence, personal ideologies and philosophy.
Yimeeka started making music in 2020, during the pandemic. She tells us:
“I’d like to say that was my “Covid talent”. I always knew I wanted to do music, but because I was studying then in Dubai I never really had the opportunity to explore that side. I studied psychology in Dubai and the five years there were amazing! When covid happened in 2020 I had to move back home, I was stuck in Lagos actually in March 2020 and didn’t know what to do with my time because that was my final year of university since I was producing and learning the basics of production from Cracker Mallo. After the first few months of learning with Cracker, I realized that I didn’t like the DAW I was using which was FL studio I spoke the PHEELZ about it and I decided to change DAWs to Ableton and that’s how I fully got into production because with Ableton I started to understand music as well the theory of music, sampling and how far sampling could help me with making music.
Honestly I’d say that 2020 was the year I that I got into music and it was just an eye opening year for me because then I knew the potential I had and how far it was going to take me. I’d say personally I never really had any one that was doing music, I mean in high school I was always doing music stuff, my class was probably the most talented one there because we had amazing singers, dancers and always represented the school in competitions. Then I always used to play the keyboard and sing backup because I was shy. I never really felt like I found my confidence in high school. But I knew what I wanted to do so in the background I always played the keyboard for school events. I’d go and sit in my music teacher’s office and listen to him to play music, that was when I first knew I wanted to do something in music because that was the only thing that felt sane for me then in high school, I never really had a group of friends to hangout with them so I was always with my music teacher.”
NTS: A lot of artistes speak about finding their identity/ sound and regard it as one of the most important aspects of making music.
-How were you able to achieve this?
-How long did it take?
-Was it a challenge?
Yimeeka: At first, I always used to say I want to find my identity and sound and I thought it was very important but like I really believe that as artists we always evolve. The person you think you’re looking for then by the time you get there you realize that yeah that’s not the person I’m looking for, I want more. So I wouldn’t say I was able to achieve it, I feel like I’m constantly evolving the music I dropped last year is no where close to what I’m making now, I feel like I’ve evolved from last year.
I wouldn’t say I’ve found my identity or sound but I’d say I’ve found who I want to be, I know who I want to be and I’m working towards being that person and even surpassing that person because I know that even when I get to that person I want to be “I would always want more” and that’s the beauty of it, seeing yourself evolve as you go. I feel like that’s the important thing about being an artist, how much you evolve and not “finding an identity” because finding a sound will limit your soul. I’d say it’ll be better to aspire to be more that what you want to be.
NTS: Through your musical career has there been any (stand out figure) who has had a huge influence in your career
Yimeeka: I would say Pheelz because he is one figure that I’d say has constantly inspired me and helped with my evolution. Working with Pheelz you would constantly see that there’s so much more to music. The past few years of me working with him, I’ve seen how much you constantly evolve as an artist, like limiting yourself and putting yourself in a box doesn’t really do you good.
I’d say Pheelz has been an influence because I’ve seen his evolution, from being a producer to being an artist and even now he’s evolving to be more and it’s just inspiring to see just how far you can go with music if you put your mind to it.
NTS: What type of music do you make?
Yimeeka: I feel like at the core of it I’d like to think that I make peaceful music because at the core of everything, that is what I like to think I’m trying to find; Music that makes me feel calm, Music that just makes me feel emotions. So I’d like to think I make music for the soul. I don’t really think I’d want to limit myself and say I make a particular genre because as a producer I’m constantly experimenting, constantly trying to do new things.
I don’t know the type of music I make but I do know I make a fusion of sound. So I’d say Afro-fusion rn But I do believe that it’d evolve and it’ll be more than that.
NTS: How would you describe your music to a deaf person?
Yimeeka: I’d say “When you feel my music you’d feel calm” I’d also say soothing, soothing music soothing sounds, or feeling at peace that would be the best way to describe my music.
NTS: Also Which musician(s) has/have influenced your sound and style the most?
Yimeeka: Ouuu that’s so crazy… because I learned a huge chunk of the music I make from Pheelz I’d say Pheelz but I’d also say I like Ami Faku, there’s a way she sings that whenever you hear her voice you just feel calm. I’d also say that I love Ninola and I love Angelique Kidgo. I feel like the music I made last year “ISSUES AND TSUNAMI” was inspired by Angelique Kidjo and just how she sings in Yoruba.
Ed Sheeran as well, a huge part of my music from time has always been inspired by him, just how he writes and how he uses words… and Manana, in 2020 when my eyes just opened to music, Manana is just someone I loved. I put Pheelz on to Manana. I was like “Pheelz you need to listen to this artiste, he’s amazing, and his transitions are beautiful!”
NTS: Who are the top five artistes on your playlist?
Yimeeka: I would say, Rema, this year I’ve been onto Seyi Vibez which is so crazy, Ami Faku I love Ami Faku. On top of my playlist, I have an artist called Noah Kahan
NTS: I’m going, to be honest, you have a very rich catalogue, but we want to know which songs you love the most and which ones you like the least?
Yimeeka: I hate saying I like a song the most or I have the least favorite, but I would say that a song that I would say I love is “Here with You” by Joyce Olong. I feel like when I made and sent the beat to Joyce, she understood what I was trying to get, she didn’t make me have to say a lot she delivered the song. So I’d say Here With You is one of my favorite songs as well as IRO, it has to be one of my favorite songs out now. I have more songs that I love on my project coming soon. I don’t want to say their names but I feel like those songs are probably some of the best songs I’ve made since I started making music in 2020 because they encompass words that I’ve never truly said, I mean like my first two years of making music 2020-2022 I really put my words in my beats but now last year into this year I’ve finally found a voice and say the things I never could say.
So I’d say the music I have coming out over the next few weeks as well as IRO are my best songs yet. I don’t have a least favorite song because that would be doing myself a disservice because when I made those songs they were my favorites, I’d just say time and evolution doesn’t make them my favorite songs anymore. So I don’t have a least favorite song.
NTS: The let few years has been amazing and you currently have a lot of people invested in your sound,What’s next for Yimeeka?
Yimeeka: I feel like the next phase for me is just work, more music, more production… I plan on dropping another EP this year but the EP is going to be for my girlies, I want to drop a Producer EP for the girlies I’d have female artists on it and I’d sing on it as well but I majorly want to produce music for my girlies. So the next thing for me is more music, getting in the studio, and working with more females.
There are a lot of female artists who are great in this world, female sound engineers, and female designers because the cover is just going to be girls, down to the cover art will be designed by a woman A and R will be women, I just want everything on that project to be for the women because I feel like we don’t get enough shine, so it’d be nice to do something that is just inspired by us and for us.
NTS: How do you balance the need for artistic freedom with the pressure of commercial success and public expectations?
Yimeeka: I’d say this is something I’m still battling and I feel like imposter syndrome plays a huge role in that. I feel like I need to be kind to myself, that’s one thing I’m learning to be kinder to myself. A huge part of my last year was trying to satisfy commercial success but I realized after a while that I needed to bring people to my world and bring people into my life. So that’s how I’ve been able to balance the expectations from people. just doing the music I want to do, making the music I want to make, and just collaborating more with people so when I feel like I’m stuck somewhere I always collaborate more to see how far I can go with things.
