Photo Credit: Vianey Photography
Rising U.K./Nigerian superstar YUGO is only 17-years old and is already making waves in Nigeria and across the world. YUGO was featured on Live Nation’s Ones to Watch editorial playlist Now Watching, made his SiriusXM debut in March, premiered “Before Before” exclusively on Ghana’s Y 107.9 FM station in Accra and performed it onstage in Lagos, Nigeria, at ISL’s annual festival.
Although he’s young, the singer/rapper/songwriter is one of the most talented and versatile new artists coming out of Nigeria and speaks on subjects like heartbreak from a universal and relatable perspective that people of any age can resonate with. He also discusses identity, young love and Africa in his music and loves uplifting and highlighting his culture. In a matter of years YUGO went from recording at home to having sessions with Davido collaborator Chillz. We recently caught up with YUGO to discuss his musical beginnings, his supportive family, his upcoming debut EP YUGO SZN and his latest singles “Before Before” & “Renegade” both produced by Shwoff. It’s safe to say this budding new artist isn’t slowing down anytime soon and will only continue to skyrocket once the world hears his EP.
The Knockturnal: Is YUGO a play off of your middle name?
YUGO: Yes. My middle name is Ugochukwu.
The Knockturnal: What made you use that as your stage name?
YUGO: The meaning of that name was what actually made me use it as my stage name, because the meaning of the name is God’s Glory and having that name myself, I see myself as a testimony of God’s glory and a testimony of God’s work on this earth. Me using that name as my stage name, it was like taking up the title as a responsibility that God has put me on this earth for.
The Knockturnal: How old were you when you first started experimenting with music?
YUGO: I was nine. I was in primary school, back then I was just playing with the whole thing, you know, just trying different things. I was mostly writing just, okay. Sometimes I wouldn’t even rap on an actual beat, just like a beat box or something like that. I’d just write a couple bars and sometimes a verse or a hook or chorus. Just little, minor things back then that I was using to improve my craft, so it was mostly writing.
The Knockturnal: What was motivating you to write while, let’s say maybe your friends were playing on the playground?
YUGO: To me, writing music was like, back then it was like just my personal space. It was the way people have diaries, you know, when their friends are playing, they’re probably just documenting their day in their diaries. I just had a little small book where I’d just be fumbling with words and just be writing different things. just be experimenting and rhyme with different things.
The Knockturnal: Was there anybody in your life that was motivating you to take music seriously?
YUGO: Yes. My mom. She was always there for me.Even the times where I need feedback for certain songs. I usually play the song for her and be like, what do you think? And she’s like, you know what, do this, do that or in my perspective, do this, do that. Then ask another person. She was always there for me. She was always praying for me, she was always supporting me. She was always motivating me and like cheering me up beause during times where I was just feeling down in the whole thing, she would cheer me up so she’s my number one in anything.
The Knockturnal: How does she feel seeing you now as an artist on your journey, on the rise?
YUGO: For me, I would say she’s really proud. I’m hoping to make her proud.
The Knockturnal: How old were you when you put out your first song and what was it called?
YUGO: I put out my first song s in 2019 and the name of the song was changed. I had it out on AudioMack first. That was like the first song that I had released to the world basically.
The Knockturnal: What motivated you to use Audiomack specifically as the platform for your first release?
YUGO: So for me in here in Nigeria, not everyone in Nigeria is really aware of SoundCloud. Not everyone uses it like that. So it’s either Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, you know, the whole nine yards or it’s Audiomack and back then I didn’t really, know like the whole uploading through a distributor and then getting it to Spotify. I didn’t really have that knowledge. I just thought you just upload your music somewhere and it’s gonna flow.
The Knockturnal: So what are you currently promoting right now?
YUGO: I’m promoting “Before Before” & “Renegade” they’re out on all streaming platforms,
The Knockturnal: What are you currently working on right now?
YUGO: I’m working on another project, but I already have a project that’s gonna be releasing this year, which is the, the Yugo SZN EP. Okay and I’m super excited and proud. It’s gonna be my debut EP release on all streaming platforms.
The Knockturnal: What are your favorite songs off of your upcoming project?
YUGO: “Before Before” & “Renegade.”
The Knockturnal: Getting back to “Before Before” Can you talk about the inspiration behind it?
YUGO: So “Before Before” was all about a toxic relationship, you know, this thing where you thought your significant other was the one and it didn’t really work out because your significant other in my case was just all about the material. She didn’t want love and she didn’t show it so when I found that out it was really heartbreaking for me. When we broke up, I went through healing myself and when I was done, she was trying to, come back for round two, which definitely was not gonna happen.
The Knockturnal: Who’s your dream collab or in you top five?
YUGO: People that I’d love to work with in my country are Rema, Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, CKay,
The Knockturnal: How about in the U.S.?
YUGO: I would say currently The Weeknd is one of the people I’d love to collaborate with because his sound is really diverse. Yeah. Travis Scott, definitely Kanye West and there are a couple of others, Maroon 5, Drake.