“Creating this album was a way to remind both my old and new fans of what I’m capable of.” – Kcee
By Hope Ibiale
In 2023, the world was introduced to a refreshing Amapiano record, “Ojapiano”. While we were all drawn to the log drums and intoxicating melodies of Amapiano, Nigerian artiste, Kingsley Chinweike Okonkwo, popularly known as Kcee, introduced a new instrument to the sound; the Ọja. The Ọja, which is a traditional musical instrument, originates from the eastern region of Nigeria, where the “Big Fish” crooner hails from, added a unique flavour to the track. With “Ojapiano”, he once again demonstrated his ability to adapt and thrive across multiple eras in the music industry.
However, this wasn’t the first time he had made a significant impact on the music industry. In the early 2000s, he and Presh formed the music group, KC Presh. Together, they won the Star Quest music competition in 2002 and released hit records like “Shokori Bobo”. A few years later, the group disbanded, allowing both artistes to pursue solo careers. Kcee went on to release his solo debut project, Take Over in 2013. The album produced hit records such as the Wizkid-assisted “Pull Over”, “Limpopo”, which earned him a Song of the Year win at the Headies Awards Show, among others.
Eleven years after his solo project, the award-winning artiste continues to expand his discography with unique records. Whether it’s exploring the Igbo cultural gospel music in the 2021 Cultural Praise album or showcasing his versatility in his latest project, Mr. Versatile, Kcee has proven over time that his well of creativity isn’t drying up soon.
For Afrocritik, I spoke to the singer in a virtual interview. We discussed his latest album, his distinctive approach to making music, how he has managed to stay relevant, the challenges he has faced, and the inspiration behind “Ojapiano”, among many others.
Congratulations on the release of your recent project. How does it feel to share your new music with the world, and what has the journey been like leading up to this moment?
I’m excited and I feel good about this project. It is special to me because it represents a rebranded Kcee and a more refined sound. I’ve never been one of those artists who enjoy working on albums; I usually prefer releasing singles, but you can’t be a complete artiste when you don’t have a body of work.
This year marks my 25th year in the music industry, and I felt that creating the album was a perfect way to express myself and give myself to my audience and the world. That’s how the idea for the album came. I started recording in 2023. The process wasn’t easy, especially when it came to selecting the tracks, as the album’s title demanded that I touch on every aspect of myself.
Recording the project was a lot of fun, though, because I had the support of incredible producers, songwriters, and creators around me.
Your album title, Mr. Versatile, is intriguing and suggests a multifaceted approach to your music. Can you share the inspiration behind this title and how it represents your current state of mind and artistic vision?
I named the album Mr. Versatile because it reflects my entire music journey. I decided to show different sides of my creativity on the album because I can delve into different genres of sound. The project represents my current state of mind. If you’ve followed my music over the years, you’ll notice that I’m not an artiste who can be confined to one style—I can explore diverse sounds.
A few days before the album was released, I posted clips of my old records on my Instagram page and a few people noticed the level of versatility in my music. Creating this album was a way to remind both my old and new fans of what I’m capable of. That’s the essence of this project. My next body of work might be channelled to something else.
The ability to give the world different things makes you stay more relevant and unpredictable. It also gives artistes a long span in the industry. When you think it’s over, I’d shock you with something abstract that will hit you differently and you’d pay attention to me.
In 2021, you collaborated with the renowned music group, Okwesili Eze Group, on an Igbo gospel project titled Cultural Praise. What motivated your decision to create a project that celebrates and preserves the rich cultural heritage of Igbo gospel music?
Igbo gospel music is a part that has been embedded in me as a result of the different genres of music I grew up listening to. My brother was part of the creation process of Cultural Praise. He has a habit of calling ogene players to his house and anytime they performed, their music was so raw and organic and I realised that the world could dance to this music.
So, I decided to take them to the studio, though they didn’t quite understand what that meant at first. Even the music producer was unsure of my vision, but I was determined to explore this approach using only local sounds. By the time we started working on the records, everything started sounding amazing.
We referenced the bible a lot in the album. When I released the project, we were just coming out of the lockdown period and people needed to thank God, so the timing was perfect.
Reflecting on your musical journey, you released your debut solo project, Take Over, in 2013. Since then, how has your relationship with music evolved? Can you share some insights into how your approach to creating music has changed over the years?
A lot has changed, and I’ve learned so much along the way. I have been able to learn from different people and polish my skills. The ability to absorb knowledge from others has significantly contributed to the growth of my music.
You have been in the music industry for 25 years, which is an incredible achievement. Was there ever a moment when you felt like quitting music? How did you overcome this period, and what kept you motivated to continue pursuing your passion?
There have been moments when I thought about quitting music. At one point, I started importing furniture, but it didn’t work. Running a furniture business wasn’t my passion, so I abandoned it and sold all the furniture. I went back to creating music. The ability to pay attention to your passion is important. After that business experience, I refocused on my music and made a promise to myself to keep going. When I came back, I gave it everything I had, driven by the determination not to fail—a drive that still fuels me today. I don’t care about what anyone says, I am only focused on my positive energy.
Some of my colleagues have stopped making music because they stopped believing in their dreams, but I believe in my dreams, despite the hurtful words from critics. Instead of being discouraged, I use their words as motivation to work harder, and as a result, I keep improving. The Kcee you see today has gone through fire and has remoulded himself.
You’ve had an illustrious career that most artistes today aspire to achieve. Looking back, is there anything you would change if you could time travel?
I wouldn’t change anything about my musical journey. Along the way, I’ve had my share of failed records, albums, and tough moments, but I’ve also experienced great successes and memorable achievements. All of these experiences have shaped me into a better musician and a better version of myself.
When I was growing in the industry most of my colleagues got more recognition than I did. While they were enjoying those accolades, I was working hard to catch up. Currently, my focus is not on awards; it is more on the rewards from God. Awards can sometimes be a distraction, making you complacent, but failure can be a hidden treasure, offering valuable lessons that lead to future wins.
That’s why I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey—I’ve learned so much from it. For instance, most of the people I started with are doing well in other fields but they might have loved to continue creating music. But I am still here.
Every job comes with its own set of challenges, and music is no different. Can you share some of the challenges you’ve encountered in your career and how you navigated them?
The main challenge has been the ability to keep pushing forward, especially with new artistes and trends emerging every year. It often feels like they are going to take you out. Keeping up with these new artistes while staying relevant is difficult, particularly when it comes to rebranding.
Although I can reinvent myself, it’s challenging because you have to stay true to who you are while remaining aware of the changing landscape. Also, the ability to entertain listeners in my age bracket with the new sound and simultaneously keep new audiences interested is difficult. You need to be young at heart to connect with the younger generation.
My kids and their schoolmates know who I am, which shows that I have been able to market myself to that generation. While it has been challenging to reach this new generation, I’ve managed to do so. For instance, when I wore a mask during the “Ojapiano” run, it was my way of targeting Gen Z.
I wanted to project a ‘bad guy’ persona that would resonate with them, and it worked—it even caught my children’s attention. Before that, they didn’t pay attention to my music and were always listening to artistes like Rema. I used to tell myself that I wanted them to listen to my music too, and that gave me the motivation to work on “Ojapiano”, now they are paying attention.
Reflecting on your time in the music industry, are there specific areas you feel require change or improvement? What measures do you believe should be in place for the elevation of the industry?
At the moment, I believe the music industry has seen significant growth, with things being handled more professionally. Given the pace of progress, I don’t think I want to ask for anything more. Whether it’s winning prestigious music awards or selling out stadiums, a lot of artistes are already achieving these milestones, and I don’t want to be greedy by asking for more, I think we are in a good place. I hope we don’t lose the grip we have at the moment.
One of the significant milestones in your career recently was the release of “Ojapiano”. Since its release, the track has amassed millions of streams and captured the attention of music enthusiasts globally. When you were working on the record, did you anticipate that it would achieve such widespread acclaim?
To be honest, I didn’t expect the song to blow up like this. The speed at which it gained popularity is the fastest I’ve experienced in my entire career. I released the song on a Saturday, and when I woke up the next day, it was already gaining a lot of attention on social media.
Over the next few days, it continued to explode. I knew the record was good and expected it to grow on people gradually, instead it hit the world differently. “Ojapiano” was a song I had been working on for a long time. I tried working with two producers, but they couldn’t get it right; then I tried working with JaySynths, who nailed it perfectly.
The other producers didn’t see the vision of the record. Sometimes, when an artiste is working on a song, the people you are surrounded by may not fully grasp the vision. There is an A-list artiste I gave the song beat to, but he told me he didn’t understand it. When the record was released, he hugged me and called me a genius.
Since the release of “Ojapiano”, you have released several remixes of the song. Can you share why this particular song holds such significance in your career? What motivates you to release multiple versions of the same record, and how do you believe these different versions contribute to the song’s impact?
The song’s success led to a remix with One Republic. When they reached out to me, they mentioned that the founders of TikTok had told them about a record that was blowing up in Africa. Normally, I don’t make remixes of my hit songs, but since I created this sound, I thought it would be fair to allow more people to hop on the record.
Also, the interest in the song keeps increasing and everyone wants to be a part of it. I don’t believe in limiting the song’s potential, especially when it has the chance to reach a wider audience. I also have an Indian version of the song ready. These remixes will help expand my creative reach and introduce the song to an even larger audience.
Your music is notably distinguished by the way you weave elements of your culture into the lyrics, music videos, and overall art direction. Could you elaborate on why incorporating these cultural elements is significant to you? Do you believe it is essential for artistes to reflect their identity through their work?
I’m glad the world is noticing now because, in 2017, I made a deliberate decision to focus on my culture and heritage. The overall goal is to uphold my culture and express it in my music as much as I can. The Afrobeats scene is vast and diverse, with many talented artistes, but I felt there weren’t enough people from my background incorporating Igbo culture into their music.
So, I chose to be part of that movement. In 2018, I released an album called Eastern Conference, which wasn’t that successful; nevertheless, it gave me more confidence and ideas on what to do. I picked a few lessons from the reactions to the album and returned with the Cultural Praise album, which shook everybody. It’s amazing to understand that music is a global language; it just depends on how you put it together.
There are a lot of things from our culture we can infuse into our music and sell to the world. For me, I am focusing on doing this with my culture and I am not going to stop. One day, we are going to get to the Grammys with a cultural sound. However, I recognise that not every artiste can incorporate their culture into their music, because we’re all different creatives.
Some artistes might not have the ability to switch genres or adapt their style. While it’s important to infuse cultural elements, it ultimately depends on each artiste’s strengths.
On your latest album, you worked with Didi B, Teni, Skibii, Diamond Platnumz, Odumodublvck, One Republic, Ijaya, Kanika Kapoor, and Oxlade. What criteria do you look out for when choosing collaborators on your projects?
I don’t choose artistes to work with based on their streaming numbers or popularity. I collaborate with artistes whose sound, vocals, and energy resonate with me. Sometimes, while recording, I hear a specific artiste on a track and reach out to them.
If you check my catalogue you’d see that most of my hit records are solo songs, which shows that I am not fixated on collaborations because I believe in what I can do. Everyone that worked on my latest project is on it because I was feeling them. Oxlade, for instance, is an artiste I have been looking forward to working with because of his vocals. I’d been trying to collaborate with him for two years, and when the time was right, we finally made it happen.
Teni the Entertainer was someone I almost signed to my record label, but I couldn’t because she had already signed a deal with another label. Despite that, we became friends, and working with her on this project was a dream come true. Skibii was another artiste I saw from afar and believed in him.
When I was recording “Ojapiano”, he was in the studio and we wrote the verses together. These artistes are the people I love to be around. When Odumodublcvk came into the music scene, I was drawn to his energy and the way he wore the Isiagu cap. All these qualities attracted me to him.
You have also worked with other artistes like Wizkid, Tekno, Falz, Flavour, Shatta Wale, and many others in the past. Which other artistes would you like to work with?
Right now, I want to work with Wande Coal. I was performing with him in Houston and I loved his energy. I also want to work with Burna Boy because I love and respect his creative process. Rema is another artiste I look forward to working with because he is very intentional about his music and everything he does.
From your experience as a veteran artiste, what advice would you give to the new generation of artistes?
Focus on yourself and believe in your potential. Stay true to who you are. You just have to find your uniqueness, package it, nourish it, and sell it to the world. Then, you will get every result you want.
Don’t be distracted by anyone, not even your management. Sometimes, the management doesn’t understand the ideas we have as creatives. To help them understand, nurture the ideas, and pitch them at the right time.
Lastly, do you think Kcee and Presh will ever make music again?
It is possible, and I am ready because music is what I love to do. However, it’s important to recognise that everyone has their state of mind. I don’t know if he is currently in a space where he wants to create music. I can’t force anyone to make music, but I am ready to collaborate with him whenever he’s ready.
Hope Ibiale is a writer and journalist. She has a keen interest in music, film, and literature. You can connect with Hope on X @hopeibiale and via email: hopeibiale@afrocritik.com.