Whether you鈥檙e into soft-girl sorcery or chaos-core layering, there鈥檚 an alt茅 aesthetic for your vibe and a woman already nailing it. 

Here are seven alternative artists, their Alt茅 style, and how to dress like them.

The Soft Witch

Dreamy, soulful, and a little off-beat (in the best ways). Think flowy fabrics, velvet crop tops, alt makeup, and soft-girl energy with spooky undertones.

Artist: Lady Donli 

How can this list exist without her? How can we give accolades without laying her flowers first? , our Pan African Rockstar! She walked so your favourite alt茅 girl could strut in beaded sandals and glitter liner.聽

In a space still dominated by hypermasculine energy, Lady Donli leaned into softness as power. Her music talks about joy, desire, independence, and emotional growth, and she鈥檚 done all this while championing other women creatives and staying fully independent.

Style: Beaded braids, witchy rings, vintage florals, crochets, and thrifted gems. Donli鈥檚 style is alt茅 at its dreamiest. Think retrofits, oversized jackets, velvet, beaded jewellery, tinted glasses, and ethereal makeup. Her fashion tells stories, and often feels like a direct extension of the themes in her music.

Song: Cash

Wear This If: You want to hex your ex with your eyeliner but still light a scented candle and forgive him in your journal.

The Maximalist Chaos Queen

Loud. Layered. Unapologetic. Think fishnets, chunky boots, PVC corsets, bright makeup, and chain belts.

Artist: SGaWD 

She鈥檚 all fury, fashion, and femme power. In a culture that often tries to shrink women by telling them they鈥檙e too loud, too sexual, too aggressive, SGaWD built an entire persona around being too much on purpose. Her lyrics are cocky, her visuals are chaotic, and her fashion is unmissable. She鈥檚 not packaging herself for anyone鈥檚 comfort, and that attitude has redefined what femininity in alt茅 can look and sound like.

Style: SGaWD dresses like she鈥檚 going to curse your ex and headline a warehouse party after. Her aesthetic pulls from punk, grunge, dominatrix streetwear, and Nigerian club girl culture. Fishnets. Metallics. Bold colours. Lots of skin, lots of attitude. She鈥檚 not trying to be palatable, she鈥檚 dressing for impact. 

Song: Pop Shit

Wear This If: You鈥檙e ready to fight a stylist and a system at the same time.

The Effortless Art School Babe

A little grunge, a little 鈥淚 just threw this on,鈥� always hot. Paint-stained denim, DIY details, and layering. She鈥檚 effortlessly stylish even when she鈥檚 tired.

Artist: Ayra Starr 

Half her closet is thrifted, half is fast fashion, and she makes both look expensive. She doesn鈥檛 overdo it; she curates. It鈥檚 a studied nonchalance. She might sing about heartbreak, but she鈥檚 wearing asymmetric eyeliner while doing it. 

Style: Ethereal brat meets futuristic it-girl. Think mesh tops, mini skirts, Y2K silhouettes, and body jewelry. She mixes teenage rebellion with rich auntie vibes. Ayra embodies cool with an edge. She made being a 鈥渟abi girl鈥� an aesthetic: bold, stylish, soft when she wants, sharp when she needs to be. She鈥檚 the girl at the party you wish you were dressed like. She鈥檚 giving confidence without too much noise.

Song: Bloody Samaritan

Wear This If: You want to look like your life鈥檚 a short film and your ex is still watching.

The Afrofuturist 

Metallics, indoor sunglasses, and sculptural fashion: alien superstar, but I still buy gala.

Artist: Wavy The Creator 

She鈥檚 the alien superstar. Bold silhouettes, cold tones, mirror-tinted glasses. Her fashion choices feel like an art installation: metallics, leather, latex, tech fabrics. They are mysterious but magnetic. You might not get them right away, but you鈥檒l never forget the first time you saw her.

Style: Space buns, silver chains, latex or leather outfits, and glow-in-the-dark nails. Androgynous, cyberpunk, experimental. Wavy doesn鈥檛 do 鈥渘ormal.鈥� Their fits are abstract, oversized, and often genderless. A true fashion chameleon who dresses like the future came early.

Song: H. I. G.H.

Wear This If: You want to dress like a post-colonial android who鈥檚 emotionally intelligent. 

ALSO READ: #BumpThis: 15 Nigerian Women Share Their 鈥淗ot Babe鈥� Anthems

The Earthy Muse

Rooted, introspective, and timeless. Embracing natural fabrics, earthy tones, and minimalist designs.

Artist: 础峁&苍产蝉辫;

She鈥檚 a quiet blueprint. Though Lady Donli is considered the first lady of alt茅, before the genre was a vibe, A峁 was out here dressing like herself, sounding like herself, living like herself. She gave space to softness, to solitude, to not always needing a full beat or five layers of irony. Her influence shows up in the quieter girls of alt茅 who want to create without shouting.

Style: Ankara pants with linen tops, aso-oke tunics, shell jewelry, headwraps, books tucked in totes. Natural fabrics. Loose-fitting dresses. Layered beads. Locs or twist-outs. A峁鈥檚 look is never trend-chasing; it鈥檚 timeless. She dresses how her music feels: raw, textured, poetic.

Song: Fire on the Mountain

Wear This If: You find beauty in simplicity and draw inspiration from nature’s palette. You like fabric that breathes. You鈥檙e less 鈥渇ashion girlie,鈥� more 鈥渟piritual aunty in a linen set鈥�, and you鈥檙e proud of it.

The Dark Siren

Gritty, introspective, and genre-defying. Her style blends oversized skater silhouettes with delicate, feminine pieces, reflecting a duality that’s both soft and confrontational.

Artist: Bloody Civilian 

She’s moody, intentional, and emotionally layered. Bloody Civilian鈥檚 sound is textured and cinematic, and her aesthetic matches that energy. She鈥檚 not the most visibly 鈥渁lt茅鈥� in a loud, fishnets-and-neon kind of way. But in terms of tone, control, and offbeat intensity? She鈥檚 alt茅 through and through, just on the darker, art school drop-out side of it.

Style: Baggy pants, tight dresses, skater-inspired looks, layered dark streetwear, structured bustiers, oversized outerwear, bold hair choices, minimal jewellery. Minimalist but powerful, she leans into blacks, grays, muted tones, and brings a masculine-meets-elegant twist to everything she wears. Her fits aren鈥檛 loud, but they鈥檙e saying everything. She dresses like her music sounds: intentional, genre-free, and just a little dangerous.

Song: How To Kill A Man

Wear This If: You’re channeling your inner rebel, ready to challenge norms while keeping your style enigmatic and bold. You want to dress like a quiet, angry genius who reads poetry at 2 a.m. and says 鈥渋t鈥檚 fine鈥� when it鈥檚 absolutely not. You鈥檙e soft, but you鈥檙e calculating. And you probably have a playlist called Revenge but Gentle.

The AfroFusion Alchemist

Eclectic and soulful, merging Afrobeats with reggae, R&B, and dancehall. Her fashion is a tapestry of cultural influences, reflecting her genre-blending music.

Artist: Kold AF 

Kold AF blends Afrobeats, R&B, reggae, soul, and dancehall, and her style reflects that fusion. It鈥檚 never doing too much, but it鈥檚 never basic. She鈥檚 warm and cold at once. Femme but not flimsy. Street but soulful. She represents the new era of alt茅-adjacent girls who are grounded in genre fluidity and cultural style fluency. She wears Nigeria, the diaspora, and a bit of Tumblr-era moodboard energy all at once, and somehow, it all feels authentic.

Style: Baggy pants, minimal crop tops, stacked jewelry, protective styles (braids, locs), mixed textures (denim + silk, jersey + lace). Slouchy cargos with halter tops, oversized jerseys with gold hoops, corsets styled over T-shirts, Adire skirts with Nike slides. It鈥檚 streetwear softened by soul. She鈥檚 not dressing to shock, she鈥檚 dressing to vibe. 

Song: Tension

Wear This If: You鈥檙e the kind of girl who鈥檒l pull up in cargos and a corset, with a playlist titled 鈥渉ealing, but make it hot.鈥� You鈥檙e chill until you鈥檙e not.

ALSO READ: Kill It at Any Alt茅 Party With These 10 Fashion Tips

Nigeria’s relationship with Ashawo fashion back in the day

Just like the world around us, fashion is constantly changing and evolving. Whether we like it or not, the clothes we wear are a tool to reflect or at least capture part of the conversation going on in a particular era. In the 1960s and 1970s, Nigerians tried to find an identity in a country that was finally independent of colonisers.

But by the 1990s, we had finally settled on a trend that embodied the saying 鈥済o big or go home鈥�. The geles were as wide as DStv dishes, and the baggy pants were baggying like no tomorrow. 

In all these eras, Nigerians have always factored in 鈥渕orals鈥�, choosing to be covered up no matter what. Wearing a backless dress or showing your belly button was scandalous in the 1990s. I mean, anyone who grew up watching old Nollywood movies will tell you miniskirts were the trademark look of a wild girl whose over-sexualisation would eventually make her barren or single to stupor. 

The moral standard for fashion was so high that sometimes the wore turtlenecks. 

With the 2000s came even skimpier outfits thanks to the MTV generation consuming Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. However, Nigeria鈥檚 adoption of this fashion trend (now fondly referred to as Y2K fashion) was restricted to the video vixens on screen or the bad girls in films like Abuja Connection, Sharon Stone or Girls Cot. 

No matter how much fashion evolved or changed in the Western world, for Nigerians, it still remained a tool used to police women鈥檚 bodies 鈥� labelling them as either good or bad girls. 

Alt茅 scene brings back y2k fashion

The first time I noticed Nigerians reclaiming the word 鈥渁shawo鈥� and getting into our slut rhythm was in 2018, as alt茅 culture became mainstream. Heavily influenced by the sluttiest era of all time, the late 1990s to early 2000s, alt茅 acts came with a different sound and look. The boys had their hair dyed in crazy colours like pink and purple, while the girls rocked see-through tops and low-rise jeans. 

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As usual, the first reaction was resistance: the alt茅 boys were called gay, and the girls? Well, the worst insult Nigerians feel they can give a woman is ashawo/slut. Did the happening babe care? No. Over time, more mainstream acts tapped into this market and what once felt like a niche group on SoundCloud and a closed-up part of Instagram filtered down to regular folks. 

I remember turning up to a concert in Lagos in 2019 and feeling like I鈥檇 been sucked into a 2000s music video. That same year, Hot Girl Summer became a thing thanks to Megan Thee Stallion, and Old Nollywood pages started popping up randomly on Instagram, romanticising the early 2000s and turning the bad girls from that era into fashion icons. These looks quickly moved from concerts and the gram, to parking lots and regular hangouts. 

In 2022, what our parents frowned on has gotten a facelift and rebranded as Y2k-inspired looks. From Ayra Starr to Odunsi The Engine, the cut-outs are everywhere, and crop-tops have become baggy shirts at this point. 

Did I forget to mention that the men are also in on the ashawo fit trend? Dying your hair pink or painting your nails are no longer signs that you might be queer. Now it just means you鈥檙e either a creative, someone on Twitter with interesting opinions, or a tech-bro.

Men have also made ashawo shorts a thing 鈥� are you really a happening guy if your shorts are kissing your knees? Nah, bro. 

Ashawo fits have become a statement

Taking men out of the equation, by reclaiming these ashawo clothes, women are finally controlling the narrative. If we unpack operation 鈥渃over yourself up鈥�, it鈥檚 easy to see that it has nothing to do with women.

Instead, it鈥檚 always been a tool to keep women in check and excuse men of sexual misconduct. That鈥檚 why the question, 鈥淲hat were you wearing?鈥� pops up when sexual harassment or abuse cases come into the light. But if there鈥檚 one thing we know, it鈥檚 that covering up hasn鈥檛 stopped these cases from happening 诲补颈濒测.听

These ashawo clothes are a way for women to say that their worth isn鈥檛 tied to their bodies. 

With the way fashion has continued to evolve since 2018, it looks like our dress sense isn鈥檛 going to get less sluttier anytime soon. These clothes aren鈥檛 about sex or simple thirst traps; they鈥檙e about confidence and ownership. If you can鈥檛 pull it off, fine. But don鈥檛 hate on the people who can, because that鈥檚 just tacky. 

QUIZ: How Fashionable Are You?

If you think I鈥檓 playing, check out these 10 alt茅 musicians. 

Stage Name: Cruel Santino

Real Name: Osayaba Andrew Ize-Iyamu 

I honestly thought Cruel Santino would have a more gingered name like Isakaba or something. Mr. Subaru鈥檚 real name, Osayaba Andrew, feels like a big scam to me. 

Stage Name: Lady Donli 

Real Name: Zainab Elizabeth Donli 

There鈥檚 nothing about this picture that screams, 鈥淚 share the same name with the immortal Queen of England!鈥� 

Stage Name: Psycho YP 

Real Name: Nicholas Ihua Maduenyi 

I鈥檓 supposed to believe this man鈥檚 name is Nicholas? Say sike. 

Stage Name: Obongjayar

Real Name: Steven Umoh 

Sir, your real name is not Obongjayar? You don鈥檛 mean it. I don鈥檛 know how to explain it, but he looks more like an Obongjayar than he does a Steven. 

Stage Name: Wurld 

Real Name: Sadiq Onifade 

Something about a Sadiq singing about mad sex feels off. Why are you even having sex? 

Stage Name: Omah Lay

Real Name: Stanley Omah Didia

Okay, let me not even lie, this guy looks like a Stanley. No wonder babes keep collecting his necklace pendant. Stanleys are always loverboys, no cap. 

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Stage Name: Wavy the Creator 

Real Name: Jennifer Ejoke 

Jenny baby, is this you? I never experred it. 

Stage Name: Ignis Brothers

Real Names: Edwin Madu and Ruth Zakari

Why does their band name sound like the name of an all-white country band in Nashville, Tennessee? Also, if there鈥檚 a sister, why not just call it Ignis Brother and Sister? 

Stage Name: Ajebutter 22

Real Name: Akintoye Balogun 

Akintoye sounds like an uncle鈥檚 name and not the name of a guy responsible for a song called Serenre. Then again, only millennials still use that word, so maybe it works? 

Stage Name: Ayra Starr

Real Name: Oyikansola Sarah Aderibigbe 

Ayra Starr may not be the most alt茅 artist on this list, but she sure as hell doesn鈥檛 look like a Sarah to me. Not Abraham鈥檚 wife being a bloody Samaritan. Love it!

ALSO READ: The 7 Nigerian Singers Guaranteed to Give You a Hit Song in 2022

Alt茅 hive, arise! Cruel Santino has rejoined the group chat. Three years after releasing Mandy & The Jungle, an album that cemented his position as a leading voice among a new group of Nigerian creatives pushing the musical thread, Cruel Santino 鈥� formerly Santi 鈥� has made a major comeback with his new 21-track album, Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN. For Love It/Hate It, we asked Nigerians what they think about the new album, and this is what they had to say. 

鈥淎jebo agberos, rise! Don鈥檛 waste this album鈥� 鈥� Josh  

Cruel Santino is the only one that can unleash both the ajebutter and agbero side of Nigerians at the same time. You listen to him and you want to break bottles but you also want to talk to your girl about romance and anime. This album is peak cult茅. It鈥檚 insane because no one man should have all this power. Is this the best album I鈥檝e listened to this year? Yes. People may say I鈥檓 capping, but my question is: and so fucking what? Is it your cap?

鈥淚 see we鈥檙e back with this pretentious shit. Alright.鈥� 鈥� Khadijah 

Fake alt茅 people will not allow us hear word for the next one week because of this very mid album. Their oga may have changed his name, but everything else is still faux-intellectual rave BS. I listened to it because, honestly, I want to like his music. I don鈥檛 know where the hype is coming from, but 21 songs where I couldn’t hear you properly on like 18? Oh wrong nau. Old Nollywood called, they need their aesthetic back. 

RELATED: Love It/Hate It: Asa鈥檚 New Album, 鈥淰鈥�

鈥淭his is the type of album you release when rent is due. Inject it inna mi veins!鈥� 鈥� Tobe

Subaru Boys for life mehn! I don鈥檛 know how he does it, but Cruel Santino is way ahead of his time. My brain cells can only comprehend like three of the songs on this album, but that’s what you get when you listen to an artist who鈥檚 experimenting with his sound. Now I want to listen over and over again until I actually get it. This is what good music is about and I鈥檓 soaking it in. The man did a madness abeg. 

鈥淲erey will not touch me IJN (Amen)鈥� 鈥� Lara 

Why does Cruel Santino like to play with demonic spirits? It doesn鈥檛 sit right with me and my heavenly race. His music reminds me of the evil Mount Zion films preached against, but my coconut head will still listen, and I will be jumping up and down to the songs. Please and please, this album is elite. But as much as I love vibing to it, I鈥檒l never shout, 鈥淲erey touch me,鈥� because na from clap, dance dey start.  

鈥淕orgeous gorgeous girls do usually listen to Cruel Santino鈥� 鈥� Ashley

Instagram stories and TikTok will ban me from using songs from this album before next week, let鈥檚 bet. I can鈥檛 believe he made us wait three whole years! This album was totally worth the wait because it鈥檚 the most cohesive album I鈥檝e heard in a long time. Everything just blends and no song feels out of place. It鈥檚 easy to get bored listening to an album with 21 tracks, but this man had me in a chokehold and I lowkey liked it. Hey daddy!

鈥淐ruel Santino needs to push himself with collaborations鈥� 鈥� Uchenna 

In my opinion, no one makes alt茅 music like Cruel Santino. He knows what works for him and he has mastered it. But at what point do you actually reach outside the box? This album is golden, but the collaborations are predictable. The guy needs to work with people with different sounds. Can you imagine how much a Cruel Santino and Zinolesky track would bang? Santi鈥檚 collaborations need to come out for air once in a while. 

CONTINUE READING: The Year in Alt茅: 12 Songs That Got Us Through 2021

Selense – Cavemen聽

The Cavemen stole our hearts in 2020 with the release of their debut album ROOTS. Drowning us in nostalgia, palm wine and pure enjoyment, it comes as no surprise that their second album, Love & Highlife follows the same direction. As the loverboys that they are, on  Selense we find the brothers professing their undying love yet again. What would normally sound corny, ends up being so cute we can鈥檛 stop blushing. God save us from Igbo men. 

Angel – Solis聽

While Angel is a sultry standout from Solis鈥� seductive new project Stairway to Heaven, SoundCloud babies like us have known this song for a while now. There鈥檚 something about Solis鈥� voice that makes us want to fall in love, cuddle and make babies, but omo, streets are tough right now. 

Again – Tomi Thomas

Tomi Thomas鈥� music makes us want to travel to an island somewhere, relax by the beach and just be taken care of. One of the OGs of the alt茅 movement, his ability to creatively mix Nigerian and Island influences is something that should be studied in schools. No one is doing it like Tomi Thomas and we鈥檙e obsessed. 

Searching – Lady Donli聽

One minute she鈥檚 asking you to enjoy your life and the next 鈥� and without skipping a beat 鈥� she鈥檚 forcing you to examine all the life decisions you鈥檝e been making as you embark on a journey of self-discovery. This, right here, is the power of Lady Donli and also why Searching was one of the few songs that really moved us this year. 

The Tree 鈥� Dwin, the Stoic and TiwaDara

鈥淐os I came too far to let these naysayers get their laughs. They鈥檙e fine with the fruits, but I鈥檓 taking the tree鈥�. On this song, we are serenaded by Dwin鈥檚 vocals as he takes us on a journey of understanding self worth, as we reclaim our time and give our haters the middle finger (but with panach茅 and class). This was our anthem in 2021 and there鈥檚 a strong possibility that we鈥檙e carrying it over into the new year. 

Deeper – Ogranya and Brum3h

Remember when R&B men used to profess their love while break dancing under the rain? Good ole days. While Ogranya and Brum3h haven鈥檛 dropped the visuals for this song, their vocals remind us of those classic baby making music we shouldn鈥檛 have been listening to when we were young. These men can sing sha. 

Crazy Tings – Tems聽

It鈥檚 Tem鈥檚 world and we鈥檙e all just living in it. Taking over the charts and scoring a feature on Drake鈥檚 album, 2021 was the year of Tems and she honestly didn鈥檛 need no other body. The first single from her latest EP, Crazy Tings wasn鈥檛 love at first listen for us, but now we can鈥檛 stop listening to this earworm. By the way, we are still judging all of you that sing 鈥渉appening鈥� instead of 鈥渁ppuning鈥�. Tems said what she said. 

Peaking – Tay Iwar

If there鈥檚 one thing Tay Iwar does well, it鈥檚 getting us deep in our feels. He could literally sing the phonebook and we鈥檇 lay down, stair into space, thinking about love and life. The Love and Isolation EP is Tay Iwar at his best 鈥� subtle, vulnerable and beautifully honest. Closing out the EP, Peaking might have inspired us to call our exes, but then again, YOLO. 

Gone Girl 鈥� Obongjayar and Sarz

Obongjayar appeared on our radar right before the pandemic thanks to his incredible EP Which Way is Forward? After providing a soulful soundtrack for the lockdown, Obongjayar teamed up with superstar producer Sarz for a record that helped soundtrack our nights back on the streets in 2021. Sweetness, the EP is a fun ride, but Gone Girl is the song that gets us to our destination. 

Civil War – Isah the Prince featuring Efe Oraka, Nvthy and Kabasii

2020 was a tough year for young Nigerians. Following the events of the #EndSARS protests and the serious gaslighting that followed, there was an undeniable feeling of hopelessness and confusion in the air. And while it’s still hard to be gingered about Nigeria at the moment, something about this song seems to have activated our last two brain cells to fight not just for our country, but our lives as well. With a diverse group of talents, this is one song that helped us deal with the gbas gbos Nigeria kept throwing our way. 

Tycoon – Show Dem Camp

No one is touching Show Dem Camp when it comes to this rap thing. This song is just four minutes of Ghost, Tec and their guest stars flexing on us and to be honest, they鈥檝e earned the rights. While we love their palmwine love music, we all know Show Dem Camp truly shines when they鈥檙e being disrespectful AF with hard truths and confidence on their Clone Wars series. 

Jaded – Yinka Bernie聽

In a time where beats seem to be the driving force of most of the songs we consume, Yinka Bernie stands out with a voice that seduces and questions you at the same time. After a long hiatus, he makes a grand return with Jaded and trust us, it was all worth the wait. 

Today鈥檚 Man Like is , a singer, producer and all-around creative whose work has been a crucial part of Nigeria鈥檚 alt茅 scene since its SoundCloud days. He is also the producer behind the viral Amaarae song, Sad Girlz Luv Money. Over the years, he has also worked with other artists Lady Donli and Ogranya. 

In this episode of Man Like, he talks about being a problem child, pivoting from music to tech, the relationship that changed his life and whether or not he鈥檇 ever consider coming back to music full time. 

When would you say you had your 鈥渕an now鈥� moment? 

I鈥檒l say about two years ago when I turned 22 and started paying my brother鈥檚 allowance. 

You started paying someone鈥檚 allowance at 22? 

Yes. LOL. So I had just started to work and earn money when my parents got on my case to start taking financial responsibilities. After thinking about it for a while, I decided I鈥檇 start paying my younger brother鈥檚 allowance. Although it wasn鈥檛 life-changing money, my parents knew I was making a lot of money for my age and I could afford it. 

You told your parents how much you were earning? Can never be me. 

I didn鈥檛 tell them, they could see it. I switched up my lifestyle and they could tell I was making money. I was buying a lot of stuff, leaving the house a lot and I wasn鈥檛 asking them for allowance. 

Not asking for money is where you messed up.

Right? But I also remember they had stopped sending me allowance in university too. After I sold my first beat and told my father how much I made, the next thing I knew, my allowance started coming late and over time it just stopped completely. I was about 20 years old at the time. 

Did you ask them or did you just chest it? 

I asked, but they were like, 鈥淵ou’re making money. What do you need our money for?鈥� This didn鈥檛 mean that they didn鈥檛 give me money when I was very broke. But yes, they stopped the allowance because they knew I was making money. 

All this money talk has me thinking you might be the first child. 

You鈥檙e very correct. 

Ah. Now I get it. So what were you like as the leader of the pack? 

Mehn, being the first, I don鈥檛 think I was a good example to my siblings when we were growing up. I鈥檝e grown and unlearnt some things and now I鈥檓 decent, but if we check two or three years ago, it wasn鈥檛 the same. 

How?

I was doing random shit like fighting my parents a lot, not coming back home, etc. And even growing up, I was the problem child spoiling everything in my path. I remember the time I just jumped on the center table in our living room and broke it. All my siblings were jumping on the cushion but I chose that table and broke it. I chopped beating that day and rightfully so. 

You clearly chose violence. What鈥檚 your relationship with your parents like? 

As you can imagine, it wasn鈥檛 good back then because I was very mischievous. However, as I鈥檝e gotten older, we鈥檝e become really cool. They鈥檙e like my guys now. 

Mad!

But I had to change it for them and set clear boundaries before they could finally understand and accept me as a grown adult. It took a lot of conflict and arguments to get to this point. I don鈥檛 think people realise the importance of setting boundaries with your parents. It鈥檚 always parents setting rules we should follow. I had to be firm and now they know not to call me at certain times or ask me really personal questions. 

But how did you enforce these boundaries? 

We had a lot of back and forth. They鈥檇 raise their voices and I鈥檇 raise mine too. In the end, everyone will calm down and look at the situation. Other parents might have thrown their kids out, but my parents knew that threat wouldn鈥檛 work on me because I could afford a place if I wanted to. Somehow, we reached a meeting point after I got them to understand that our generations are different and things have changed. 

With some parents still being sceptical about music as a career choice, I鈥檓 curious as to whether that came up in your many conversations? 

Obviously! So I studied Computer Technology in university and they wanted me to pursue it career-wise because the music wouldn鈥檛 be sustainable. I got where they were coming from because I had gauged the situation myself and chasing music alone wouldn鈥檛 have worked out well financially. Although my heart was still in music, I took a break in 2018, learnt how to code and started exploring other options. I eventually got a tech job in July 2019 and I liked it. 

What was it like switching to tech? 

It was seamless and fun for me. I didn鈥檛 have to dress 鈥渃orporate鈥�. Plus, it was a creative design job so it wasn鈥檛 boring at all. 

Are you still there? 

Oh it was an internship, but now I鈥檓 with Flutterwave.

Unicorn status? You鈥檙e a proper tech bro o

LOL 

I know you鈥檝e started making music again, how do you combine it with your job? 

I started producing when I was about 16 or 17 so I can confidently say I鈥檝e mastered how to work well and fast. It鈥檚 not difficult for me. I just open my laptop; make a beat or record vocals depending on what I鈥檓 working on. Taking out time away from music in 2018, I was able to find my footing and now I can afford to do music properly. 

Found your footing how? 

During the period I was away, I found a system that works for me. This time around, I鈥檝e learnt how to delegate. I know I can do everything myself, but I don鈥檛 have to. I鈥檓 delegating so I don鈥檛 start to stress out. 

Will you ever do music full-time again? 

Yes. I plan on retiring from nine to five soon. It鈥檚 been great gaining experience from these cool tech companies, but in time, I鈥檒l pick something less time-consuming so I can go back to music. Music has brought me this far and I know it鈥檒l take me farther. I鈥檓 still young, so I have time to explore anything I want to do. 

Talking about your music, a lot of it revolves around navigating relationships. Can you tell me about one relationship that left a major impression on you? 

I haven鈥檛 really dated that much. 

Okay, maybe I have. LOL. So I was in this relationship with some babe who was so dishonest, the relationship left me scarred. What started as me trying to empathise with a situation she was going through, ended up with us being in a relationship. There was a lot of manipulation and I just felt stuck most of the time. That relationship changed my perception of love and how it manifests. It taught me that you could love someone and still be in an unhealthy relationship. It was hard for me to trust any girl after that. When they talk, I assume they鈥檙e lying. But I鈥檓 working on my trust issues so I can allow my other relationships to flourish. 

Wow. But how are you working on the trust thing? 

The first step for me was acknowledging that I had a problem. I鈥檓 also trying to be optimistic in my relationships by giving people the benefit of a doubt when they speak. But last last, people are funny. I鈥檒l just do my best to trust the process and let the relationship go in whatever direction it wants to go. I鈥檓 also conscious about being with someone who understands that it鈥檚 not about them, it鈥檚 just something I have to work on. 

I feel you. Still on the music, your song It鈥檚 Ok to Cry reminded us about the importance of connecting to our feelings. What inspired the song and when was the last time you cried? 

The ironic thing is I don鈥檛 express myself that much, so I don鈥檛 cry often. 

So you scammed us? 

LOL. No. I鈥檓 still trying to figure out how to connect to my emotions on that level, but I understand the concept sha. Whether or not I cry, I still feel like I鈥檓 just a medium sharing messages from a greater source (I don鈥檛 know who or what). I鈥檓 happy people can relate to the song. When I think about it, making the song was random. Although I was in a really happy place in my life mentally, I was still able to reflect on the darkness of the previous year (2019) where I was stuck while all my friends were making progress. 

Stuck how? 

It was when I took a break from music to focus on getting a job. Most of my friends who had left university with me were doing jobs they liked and being great at it. I was just there in one place, trying to figure my life out. It was really hard for me. 

Damn. So since you鈥檙e not a crier, I鈥檓 curious to know how you handle these dark days?

I talk to people a lot. I express my emotions by sharing what I鈥檓 going through. I talk to my sister and most of my friends. It鈥檚 just about talking to the people I trust. 

Talking about dark places, what are some of the challenges you鈥檝e observed when it comes to navigating masculinity in Nigeria? 

There鈥檚 an information gap. We don鈥檛 really groom male children in Nigeria. There isn鈥檛 a lot of focus on developing men mentally and socially and that鈥檚 why we have so much violence. There isn鈥檛 a lot of information and people don鈥檛 know better. Our parents didn鈥檛 teach us a lot and now we have to rely on the internet. 

What is something you鈥檝e had to unlearn with the presence of new information?

Over time, I鈥檝e come to understand equality more. Growing up, I didn鈥檛 really notice the disparities in how men and women were treated by society. I鈥檝e come to understand this gap better as I鈥檝e gotten older. 

Nice. So looking at your life now, what brings you joy? 

My babe. Lol 

Single people in the mud. 

She gives me joy. 

Congratulations o!

Come watch Yinka Bernie perform at on the 26th of November 2022.

To most superfans and cultural commentators, AYL脴 has been one of the unsung heroes of Nigeria’s alte scene for far too long. His 2016 EP, Honest Conversations and the follow-up, Insert Project Name showed off his incisive songwriting and taste for soulful production.

In the past few months, AYL脴 has gradually emerged from his reclusive state to tease his 2019 project, DNT DLT. “Sassy”, the second single from the project, shows off the singer’s strengths – his impressive vocal range, an ear for melody and his modern R&B-influenced approach to soul music.

“Sassy” starts off as a moody celebration of an alluring, confident female. The song champions AYL脴’s love interest and women everywhere against a backdrop of neo-R&B that is smooth and consistent from start to finish. The subject matter is typical of much of his work – ambient music made from the perspective of a lover boy who genuinely appreciates femininity.

Speaking on the release, AYL脴 told Complex Magazine, “It is sort of an ode to feminine sass. The chase they make you chase. Knowing fully well that this is 2019 and we no longer condone intimacy, relationships, or the idea of marriage as a concept that renders a woman subservient and, in essence, a slave. God is a woman 鈥� in all her excesses.“

Alte rappers, Psycho YP and Fasina deliver a more lustful appreciation of the love interest, but rather than distract from AYL脴’s more shrewd take, their verses give the song more vigour.

DNT DLT can’t come soon enough.