‘I don’t need a soprano voice to make great music’ — Swayvee

Swayvee’s scramble from Port Harcourt wrestle rap arenas to Afropop virality was as unexpected because it was intentional. Along side his laid-aid yet accurate shipping, the singer, producer and humorous nerd speaks to Guardian Tune about finding his command, his TikTok hit Us, his upcoming Persuasion EP, and why he doesn’t want a high-pitched command to construct enormous music.

One evening, when Swayvee,precise establish Ezekiel Georgewill, had a inventive spark to attain a tune: his buddy, who was with him, recorded the melodies that followed.

“I didn’t even are attempting to total the tune; on story of it was a YouTube beat. Nonetheless, my producer Zarrthemaker encouraged me and transformed the beat to suit the vocals,” he tells Guardian Tune. The fruit of that labour dubbed, Us, has risen to become one among the breakout songs of 2025, with nearly three million tune performs on Spotify by myself, in addition to prompt TikTok virality.

From foundation his music occupation as a wrestle rapper to bagging a document deal as a singer after a viral freestyle he posted to buy his crush’s affection, the Port Harcourt native has loved a swish come-up contained within the Afrobeats topic since he debuted in 2020.

With a depart of singles at the side of fan-favourites enjoy Fall For You, Para, and the Yarden-owned So Frigid, in addition to his 2021 extended play Lost Files, Swayvee has persevered to gash his musical identity with a breezy soul-leaning pop sound. Interestingly, the tenacious musician also wears more than one hats as a document producer and mixing/mastering engineer, co-engineering rather a great deal of his data at the side of Us.

Catching up with Guardian Tune, the singer breaks down his inventive artistry, detailing his job within the aid of Us; his lifestyles as a music and computer nerd; in addition to his come-up scramble, influences; impending venture; and his enormous mission to become a fiery world hit and impression maker, amongst others.

How’s the music coming within the period in-between?
Wisely, we thank God. All the things goes smartly.

When was your last recording?
I had a recording session last evening.

Give an explanation for us the plot in which you coined your establish, Swayvee.
So many things led to that remark establish and it has been enjoy the household establish for my occupation. I’ve had so many journeys the set I changed names.

I started my occupation as a avenue rap battler. I ragged to head by the alias Fatal MC. It was strictly wrestle rap; it was nothing relating to the singing. I had no idea I was going to attain music. For me, it was all relating to the wrestle rap tradition. Then I got a likelihood, in 2018, the set I moved to Lagos and determined to rob music professionally. I was going by the establish Swayzee, which was a combination of my form of music, Swayve and Z to indicate my precise establish, Ezekiel.

Nonetheless, alongside the line, I was facing copyright concerns on story of there was one other Swayzee available that was affecting my releases; at any time once I launched music, my music repeatedly appeared under his profile, and I repeatedly had to plow through so many aid and forths obliging to salvage that sorted out. So, I obliging had to head for a establish substitute. Then, I made up my strategies to construct a establish to obliging showcase my form of music—Swayve, and so I got Swayvee. It aloof rhymed with my former establish. I cherished it.

What does Swayve as a form of music imply?
Swayve was a term formed by US musician Tory Lanez, whom I no doubt search for to in terms of music. He defined Swayve artists as of us who rap and declare; now we ranking the likes of Bryson Tiller, Drake, and so on. My dangle fashion is writing rap lyrics, after which singing it.

How did you come to a resolution up an ardour in music?
Wisely, it was no doubt from a cherish ardour. If truth be told, I wished to worth this person, so I made a tune as a birthday reward to her and I posted the freestyle on Fb. A worth manager observed the freestyle and that is how I got a document deal. So the document deal was the principal reason I picked a official ardour in music on story of it gave the impression enjoy I could presumably per chance no doubt attain this full-time. Factual enjoy that, I started your total pursuit of music.

Are you proceed to alongside with the girl?
No, I’m not all all over again.

Hope she is collecting royalties.
Haha. No, she doesn't deserve it no doubt.

Jokes aside, did you no doubt gatecrash into the singing scene professionally or did you ranking prior suspicion you'll want to presumably per chance presumably attain this in some unspecified time in the future?

Earlier than now, I failed to no doubt know how one can declare; so, it was more of rap. I had to be taught to attain it once I got the document deal on story of it was required of me. On the loads of hand, upon making an strive it I loved singing. I started to note singing more. So right here I am this day as a singer.

Give an explanation for us relating to the inventive job within the aid of your fresh hit, Us.
It was more of a no doubt laid-aid job on story of I was normally vibing once we made that tune. I was on a video call with a friend of mine. What I attain is that I repeatedly obliging randomly play YouTube beats at any time once I’m within the mood to construct music; I salvage my inspiration there.

So, whereas on this video call with this person and I was taking half within the YouTube beat, the melodies obliging got right here: “It’s You, Me, Us” and that was how it obliging took home. Then, one other person, a friend of mine, who was also beside me was enjoy, “Bro, I'm hoping you'll want to presumably per chance presumably smartly be recording this thing.” I was enjoy, “Oh, I'm not recording it.” So, he grew to become on his recorder and he started recording it for me. And that was how the tune, US, got right here about.

After he made that recording on his phone, I was getting pressured to document it professionally. I kept evading it announcing, “It’s a YouTube beat. I'm capable of’t construct this tune. I'm capable of’t spend every other person’s beats.” Then, my producer Zarrthemaker encouraged me announcing, “Don’t distress, we are capable of construct a unusual idea, and we are capable of aloof care for the vibe and vocals of the tune.” So, he made a unusual beat, and that’s how the tune was created.

Are you going within the headspace of writing music now?
If I mutter I are attempting to jot down music, I repeatedly uncover it hard to make. So, I’m more of a freestyle person. Every document you hear on my discography is basically obliging freestyles. I’m the form of person that after I hear a beat, I obliging drop the melodies down. Then once I’m recording, I obliging initiate striking phrases on the set. Till this day, once I’m recording, I don’t crawl to my notepad to test out to jot down. That’s how I obliging bask in making music.

Who are a number of of your earliest music influences?
Tory Lanez, principal. Then, Runtown, Mr Eazi, and Burna Boy; the three of them influenced my sound. They made me judge that you don’t want a candy soprano command to construct true music. When I started doing music freshly, I realized that these guys had one thing equivalent to my vocal form. I listen to them to coin my dangle vibe.

So, what fragment of your musicality attain you'll want to presumably per chance presumably smartly be feeling is your power?
It’s basically my float and rhyme sample. I ranking a core sample that is essential in all my songs. So it’s not relating to the lyrics for me. I ranking this form of rhyme sample that is multisyllabic, the set there’s a rhyme internal of the rhyme; enjoy a line in a line; a line could presumably per chance well ranking more than one rhymes internal to head with the subsequent line that also has more than one rhymes that fits with the first line. It’s rather hard to point out, but must you listen it’s easy to interact. It makes my music memorable; it also makes it unpredictable, must you’re listening for the first time. So, that’s my power. I repeatedly grab to call it the Swayvee bounce; on story of it comes enjoy a wave and at the same time, it will sweep you off your toes must you’re not careful.

What piques your interests in terms of collaborations?
I judge one among my favourite of us who I no doubt enjoy working with is Yarden. We've so many data together on story of we normally found our sound together. So, with him it’s more of a bread-and-butter form of thing. No matter tune we are on feels so lawful. And confidently, we salvage to attain a joint venture together. Then SNE from South Africa. We've very true sync. We've a document coming, even supposing. We've other collaborations, as smartly. Then, I would cherish to work with Ajebo Hustlers. I no doubt feel enjoy we'll connect on a no doubt true plane and never finest on story of of the PH-to-the-world agenda but on story of the fashion obliging fits. Then, Omah Lay, Victony and Wizard Chan. Internationally, I would grab to work with Don Toliver, Tory Lanez, Jorja Smith, Drake.

If you didn’t accumulate the document deal, what else would you ranking ventured into?
I was no doubt a pc science pupil. I am a core nerd. I was deep into programming, coding and all of that. So, now I no doubt feel enjoy that’s the set I would had been if I failed to attain music. I aloof ranking that keenness in me, and because of this I address most of my inventive route by myself; on story of I obliging enjoy doing nerdy stuff. Usually, of us look me with my dreadlocks and judge that I’m obliging cool. Nonetheless, internal me, I’m no doubt also a nerd.

What is next for Swayvee?
I ranking got a number of remixes coming for the tune US. The principle remix to drop could presumably per chance be the one with Younger Stunna from South Africa. Then, after that, I would work on releasing my EP titled, Persuasion. I’ve been singing my gospel since last 365 days.

What are we to request from Persuasion, and when?
I repeatedly don’t enjoy speaking on my timeline for any principal projects, so I'm capable of’t no doubt verbalize if it’s coming this 365 days or early next 365 days, however the Persuasion venture is a six-computer screen EP with out a doubt true aspects and it's obliging more about my dangle thing. I’m persuading of us; on story of the music enterprise is repeatedly relating to the plot in which it be necessary to give the of us what they wish, but that doesn't work for me. I’m about giving the of us what I no doubt are attempting to give them. So, they must always enjoy what I desire. They must always be persuaded by what I desire. That’s normally what the Persuasion EP is set.

What are your favourite pastimes?
I bask in taking half in video games and staring at anime. I also cherish writing comics. I’m a no doubt substantial humorous fan. I also ranking my dangle humorous e book popping out quickly titled, The Bandage Bandits. I also cherish to paddle as smartly.

What is the very first thing you attain after making a tune?
I listen to the tune; on story of as I construct the music I’m mixing and mastering it on the set and exporting it to my phone. Then, I play the tune in some unspecified time in the future of the day. Once I salvage drained of being attentive to the tune, then I switch to the subsequent tune.

At last, what's the imaginative and prescient to your occupation?
It's miles world domination, and never obliging that form of world domination the set all people is hearing my songs in each home; I are attempting to construct an impression. I verbalize all people, especially my management, that I are attempting to be lit. I enjoy the spend of the notice ‘lit’, on story of I no doubt feel enjoy of us who're lit can salvage away with one thing. If I suck at acting motion photographs or I’m a terrible actor, I could presumably per chance moreover just aloof aloof salvage featured in a blockbuster movie obliging on story of I’m lit, or if I are attempting to work on substantial fashion presentations, it could presumably per chance moreover just aloof not be finest on story of I’m an precise model; I would ranking a no doubt awkward step or one thing, but on story of I’m lit, I will also be invited to shuffle on runway presentations. That is the form of success that I’m attempting to search out.