Meet Klem, the guy behind Davido, Yemi Alade, Seyi Shay’s hit songs
The name Klem or Ikemefunna Nwanbonye does not sound like Nigerian music lovers, but songs like Davido's Sade, Seyi Shay's Yolo, Yemi Alade's Nackam, Applaudise and Iyanya's Gift are well-known songs. Meet the composer who has been behind some of your favorite Nigerian songs. Klem, as he is affectionately called in this chat, talks about writing songs in Nigeria, his winnings, problems and aspirations.
Songwriting in the Music Industry The song writing thing has not been so easy. The journey is not easy at all because the writing thing is not yet in Nigeria. Why I said it is not easy is for people to use their articles
sometimes and not give you credit. You have to do much more to get credit. It is not easy but when I started it was not easy and now by the grace of God, it is paying. Challenges faced so far The challenges I have been facing are just the credit part. You write songs of people and retain the truth that you wrote for them. Give examples of people who have done that I do not want to mention it because there are a lot of them, but some people have given me credit, people like Yemi Alade, Seyi Shay, like the Ferrari I wrote for Yemi Alade she gave me credit. He always gives me credit. Seyi Shay gave me credit for Yolo Yolo that I wrote for her.
But then, the Nigerian artist does not want fans to know that they use composers, but now, they are starting to appreciate and give credit. Who have you written so far? I wrote For my Emmy Nyra song, I wrote Nakam for Yemi Alade, Yolo Yolo for Seyi Shay, Glass House for 9ice, Sade for Davido I also wrote the 8th song on her first album, and I wrote Appludise for Iyanya and Gift for iyanya ft Don jazzy . How did you write the songs, listened to the rhythm first, or wrote first? Mine is a gift anyway. Even many people come to me sometimes to teach them to write, I really do not know how to do it because it is a gift, it is an inbuilt thing. Sometimes inspiration comes, it is spiritual. And I also write when I listen to the rhythm, but above all I write without listening to the rhythm because it comes naturally and I am going to write it. I prefer to write it
before the producer; sounds more natural without the beat. How much did you collect? I charge one million dollars for the best musicians, and I charge four hundred thousand for the next acts. As a songwriter, do you think you deserve more as royalty terms? Yes, I deserve more; I'm not even talking to myself. I'm talking about all the other song writers because when they give you credit in the song you've written, it motivates you a lot. Because you are going to write more, because selling your song is like "a mother who gives birth to a baby and that day the baby was taken from her, so when you see the baby you will be sad because the baby is not yours" again. If you write a song for someone and the person gives you credit, it gives you more customers and people sponsor you because these artists receive more than the song writers, so if you can credit us more, you will get more customers and we will grow. Who would you like to work with? I worked with Davido, Yemi Alade, Seyi Shay, 9ice, Don Jazzy, Iyanya, many of them, I think the person I would like to work with now is 2FACE (2BABA) I am working on it now, then on ASA. Those are the people that I would really like to work with because they are deep musicians like I like, they are deep thinkers, if you want to write for those people, they make you read and think before you write. Those are people I hope to work with. You're about to release your single. Do you think you will succeed as an artist? The music is there, at first I started with the music before I discovered the writing of music, I was singing, in fact, I threw some single that exploded then before God now answered my prayer and opened my eyes on the writing of songs. Therefore, I know that if I have to release a single, I will succeed. It may take a little time, but I know by the grace of God, I have written some clues that really explode. You know that the human being has his own ways and God has his own way. So, the thing is, if God has given me the opportunity to cast a single, then I really do not need anyone's acceptance or permission. And the thing is, most of these celebrities have heard me sing to be like me should I throw my clue, so they are already waiting for me. Have you signed with any record label? No, but I work for them, we work together just to create sounds. When do Nigerians wait for their singles? Thay should expect it anytime from now, maybe next month. Which is the title? It's a funny tittle, SOKOYOKOTO If it's accepted by the Nigerian music audience, how would you feel? It is normal for I'm surprised because humans are full of surprises, but if I wait, that means I'll have to work hard on my music. Nigerians appreciate good music ns. When you give them what they want and the documents are correct, they do not accept it. Many writers out there in the United States are appreciated. Do you intend to do training and courses on writing songs? Yes, I really need to go. Because, as a guy, I do not know anything. Those who now display are those that God has given me. I have to get more knowledge. I just wish to get through with all the homework I have here, then I take care of it, travel to acquire more knowledge because I'm a writer of songs, we're entitled to some things I need to know. Some benefits do not benefit now because we do not know anything about it here. Do you hire a lawyer when signing contracts with artists? Yes.
Songwriting in the Music Industry The song writing thing has not been so easy. The journey is not easy at all because the writing thing is not yet in Nigeria. Why I said it is not easy is for people to use their articles
sometimes and not give you credit. You have to do much more to get credit. It is not easy but when I started it was not easy and now by the grace of God, it is paying. Challenges faced so far The challenges I have been facing are just the credit part. You write songs of people and retain the truth that you wrote for them. Give examples of people who have done that I do not want to mention it because there are a lot of them, but some people have given me credit, people like Yemi Alade, Seyi Shay, like the Ferrari I wrote for Yemi Alade she gave me credit. He always gives me credit. Seyi Shay gave me credit for Yolo Yolo that I wrote for her.
But then, the Nigerian artist does not want fans to know that they use composers, but now, they are starting to appreciate and give credit. Who have you written so far? I wrote For my Emmy Nyra song, I wrote Nakam for Yemi Alade, Yolo Yolo for Seyi Shay, Glass House for 9ice, Sade for Davido I also wrote the 8th song on her first album, and I wrote Appludise for Iyanya and Gift for iyanya ft Don jazzy . How did you write the songs, listened to the rhythm first, or wrote first? Mine is a gift anyway. Even many people come to me sometimes to teach them to write, I really do not know how to do it because it is a gift, it is an inbuilt thing. Sometimes inspiration comes, it is spiritual. And I also write when I listen to the rhythm, but above all I write without listening to the rhythm because it comes naturally and I am going to write it. I prefer to write it
before the producer; sounds more natural without the beat. How much did you collect? I charge one million dollars for the best musicians, and I charge four hundred thousand for the next acts. As a songwriter, do you think you deserve more as royalty terms? Yes, I deserve more; I'm not even talking to myself. I'm talking about all the other song writers because when they give you credit in the song you've written, it motivates you a lot. Because you are going to write more, because selling your song is like "a mother who gives birth to a baby and that day the baby was taken from her, so when you see the baby you will be sad because the baby is not yours" again. If you write a song for someone and the person gives you credit, it gives you more customers and people sponsor you because these artists receive more than the song writers, so if you can credit us more, you will get more customers and we will grow. Who would you like to work with? I worked with Davido, Yemi Alade, Seyi Shay, 9ice, Don Jazzy, Iyanya, many of them, I think the person I would like to work with now is 2FACE (2BABA) I am working on it now, then on ASA. Those are the people that I would really like to work with because they are deep musicians like I like, they are deep thinkers, if you want to write for those people, they make you read and think before you write. Those are people I hope to work with. You're about to release your single. Do you think you will succeed as an artist? The music is there, at first I started with the music before I discovered the writing of music, I was singing, in fact, I threw some single that exploded then before God now answered my prayer and opened my eyes on the writing of songs. Therefore, I know that if I have to release a single, I will succeed. It may take a little time, but I know by the grace of God, I have written some clues that really explode. You know that the human being has his own ways and God has his own way. So, the thing is, if God has given me the opportunity to cast a single, then I really do not need anyone's acceptance or permission. And the thing is, most of these celebrities have heard me sing to be like me should I throw my clue, so they are already waiting for me. Have you signed with any record label? No, but I work for them, we work together just to create sounds. When do Nigerians wait for their singles? Thay should expect it anytime from now, maybe next month. Which is the title? It's a funny tittle, SOKOYOKOTO If it's accepted by the Nigerian music audience, how would you feel? It is normal for I'm surprised because humans are full of surprises, but if I wait, that means I'll have to work hard on my music. Nigerians appreciate good music ns. When you give them what they want and the documents are correct, they do not accept it. Many writers out there in the United States are appreciated. Do you intend to do training and courses on writing songs? Yes, I really need to go. Because, as a guy, I do not know anything. Those who now display are those that God has given me. I have to get more knowledge. I just wish to get through with all the homework I have here, then I take care of it, travel to acquire more knowledge because I'm a writer of songs, we're entitled to some things I need to know. Some benefits do not benefit now because we do not know anything about it here. Do you hire a lawyer when signing contracts with artists? Yes.
Comments
Post a Comment