For those who’re an alté lover, a clean vocals fanatic, high quality lyrics connoisseur, then get to know Yinka Bernie. 25-year-old Yinka Reuben Onaduja is the proper mix of emotional writing and nostalgic melodies. His newest launch, conveniently titled One thing New, is so intimate it’s like Yinka Bernie is sharing a secret with you. His deep, jazzy voice and the recurrent buzzing are soothing. In 5 songs and twelve quick minutes, the Nigerian alté act is ready to convey messages and drag out the sort of feelings solely an excellent remedy session would. A bit dramatic? Certain, however you received’t get it till you’re taking the time to hear.
Though his music is open, you received’t discover a lot about his private life on the web. So who’s Yinka Bernie? When requested to introduce himself, Yinka listed a number of issues: he’s a producer, a recording artist, and a sound engineer. That’s not it! He’s additionally an online and app developer and runs Egwu, one in all Lagos’ finest file outlets.
Bernie didn’t develop up within the tumultuous metropolis however additional north in Oyo State, within the extra peaceable Ibadan. “I believe Ibadan is tremendous calm, like the exact opposite of Lagos. Tremendous calm. Everyone seems to be calm, the surroundings could be very serene. It’s a really calm metropolis”. He additionally notes that his adolescence on this area formed his artwork. “I believe it actually interprets into my sound. I believe my sound can also be calm and serene. Not an excessive amount of occurring, simply simple”. To flee Lagos’ chaos and fixed noise, Yinka answered my questions within the consolation of his automobile.
Music got here to Yinka early on, his obvious love for bodily data drawing him in. “I believe it’s once I began shopping for CDs in, like, junior highschool. As soon as I began proudly owning CDs, music simply fascinated me: the making of music, the artists, and watching music movies, … I imply, I didn’t significantly know I used to be going to be an artist however I knew I wished to do one thing round that as a result of like I stated, I began as a producer.” With a touch of satisfaction nonetheless displaying on his face, he explains that he began producing in 2012. He was buddies with the older boys at school, so he used to make beats with them as a cool child would. “We had been speaking so much about music and one way or the other I knew that ‘okay, I believe I actually wish to do that’ however on the time, it was nonetheless passive. After I knew for certain was in college, once I began making music in 2014/2015. I used to be like, ‘yeah, I’ll do it, for certain.’”
And he began robust, exploring the sekere’s many notes and afrobeat roots on the experimental Fela Obsession EP. His productions sampled the style’s founding father Fela Kuti’s speeches. However Bernie’s influences go even additional than the afrobeat blueprint. “For influences, I’d say loads of the UK Jazz scene. Like Tom Misch, Masego, FKJ. Simply something influenced by jazz and soul music. These kinds of artists. And again in Nigeria, I’d say I’m influenced by the older stuff: Lagbaja, Sunny Ade, simply each percussion music.” It transposes within the exact manner Yinka Bernie locations his baritone voice on the instrumentals, letting the lyrics sink in and the music breathe.
Music got here to Yinka early on, his obvious love for bodily data drawing him in. “I believe it’s once I began shopping for CDs in, like, junior highschool. As soon as I began proudly owning CDs, music simply fascinated me: the making of music, the artists, and watching music movies, … I imply, I didn’t significantly know I used to be going to be an artist however I knew I wished to do one thing round that as a result of like I stated, I began as a producer.” With a touch of satisfaction nonetheless displaying on his face, he explains that he began producing in 2012. He was buddies with the older boys at school, so he used to make beats with them as a cool child would. “We had been speaking so much about music and one way or the other I knew that ‘okay, I believe I actually wish to do that’ however on the time, it was nonetheless passive. After I knew for certain was in college, once I began making music in 2014/2015. I used to be like, ‘yeah, I’ll do it, for certain.’”
And he began robust, exploring the sekere’s many notes and afrobeat roots on the experimental Fela Obsession EP. His productions sampled the style’s founding father Fela Kuti’s speeches. However Bernie’s influences go even additional than the afrobeat blueprint. “For influences, I’d say loads of the UK Jazz scene. Like Tom Misch, Masego, FKJ. Simply something influenced by jazz and soul music. These kinds of artists. And again in Nigeria, I’d say I’m influenced by the older stuff: Lagbaja, Sunny Ade, simply each percussion music.” It transposes within the exact manner Yinka Bernie locations his baritone voice on the instrumentals, letting the lyrics sink in and the music breathe.
In 2017, he launched a number of singles, together with the assured “Silhouette” and the sonic “Oomph” (infused once more with the pan-African icon’s saxophone). In the summertime, he dropped his first EP as a recording artist: the well-received 19 & Over, extra mature and fewer industrial. Then adopted a brief 3-track undertaking in 2019 named Façades, that includes RnB vocalist Aylo and falsetto singer-writer Amaarae. You must also know that he produced her large hit “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY”. In 2020, he launched his most profitable music up to now, “It’s Okay To Cry”, the final monitor on his 2022 prolonged play Something New.
Like many different artists on the Nigerian scene (specifically Odunsi and Santi, whose fanbases’ widespread trait is persistence), Yinka Bernie releases music parsimoniously, when it feels proper. Dangerous enterprise, contemplating the variety of skills sprouting nearly each day on the Nigerian scene. However the high quality and the connection maintain his viewers attentive. “There are different mediums: I produce for individuals, I share music so much, I share assets, I share loads of my day-to-day. So there’s some sort of connection. Even if you happen to suppose ‘oh, he hasn’t launched music shortly’, there’s nonetheless some type of expression that my supporters join with. I’m principally current and they’re current with me. I’ve a mailing listing, I’ve intimate exhibits, I’m going on-line. In order that helps bridge the hole so I’ve a wholesome relationship with my fanbase. They don’t simply anticipate music”. He provides nuance. “They do anticipate music on a regular basis, however I believe we’ve simply been in a position to specific in different kinds. They usually simply wait. No matter the fitting time is for me, they wait till I drop.” On One thing New’s interlude “YB why?”, Bernie’s fan and now buddy Morenikeji Adebola expresses her frustration however will get the purpose: Yinka doesn’t sing nonsense. So, it takes time.
As of late Yinka Bernie’s favourite monitor on the EP is “Very Easy”, a candy, simple ballad. “There may be loads of nostalgia in that music for the early followers, even new followers. I like that the early followers will acknowledge some beats and items of issues I’ve achieved earlier than. And likewise, for the brand new those who hear, after they return to my outdated catalog, they’ll discover the place the references come from. As a result of loads of the strains are from one in all my songs.” Many of the references in query date again to 2017. Good luck digging. “I additionally like that it touched on the kind of girls I like, quite simple girls. And simply appreciating black girls and all of that. So yeah, ’Very Easy’ is my finest music proper now.”
Yinka Bernie has plans to take “Very Simple” and the EP throughout Lagos, the web, and even abroad. As a file retailer proprietor, he in fact loves memorabilia. “In coming weeks and days, you may anticipate extra collectibles from me, like vinyl, CDs, and merch. Extra exhibits in additional cities. We plan on going to Europe quickly. Extra music, extra visuals like music movies. I’ve not dropped a music video earlier than. So extra of that. Simply extra experiential stuff.” One thing New is accessible in every single place. Count on extra to come back from Yinka Bernie.
Hearken to One thing New by Yinka Bernie here.
