INTERVIEW:KIZZ DANIEL

INTERVIEW BY: AMRIT KAMBO

Few artists can claim a legacy as rich, resilient, and joy-filled as Kizz Daniel’s. With over a decade in the game, he’s become one of Afrobeat’s most consistent hitmakers. With the release of his latest project Uncle K: Lemon Chase, he’s doubling down on the genre he believes the world needs more of - classic Afropop. The album, which he describes as a return to form, is packed with the kind of bright, emotional, and unapologetically Nigerian music that first made fans fall in love with him.

In our conversation, Kizz opens up about creative freedom, grief, the pressure of fame, and his role within the future of afrobeats. He also shares the story behind one of his proudest moments - an experience that could have broken him but instead became a turning point in his career.

‘Hi Kizz, how are you?’


‘Absolutely amazing, thanks for asking. A little bit stressful - getting ready to go on tour, so prepping for that, but happy to be here.’


‘Congratulations on Uncle K: Lemon Chase! Talk to us about the album.’


‘With this album, I’m returning to making Afropop songs - which is a sound that I feel has been abandoned recently by African artists. Recently, it feels like recently everyone has been focusing on actual afrobeats, or merging afrobeats with amapiano - or creating other types of fusion, but I want to bring back real Naija pop.


What made you make that decision?

Afropop is so joyful and so unique. It needs more chances to be heard globally, and I feel like I’m the best at making afropop in the continent. I’ve always had the confidence to put out the music I want to make; I love Naija pop, and reaching success over the years has just made me more confident.

Do you have a favourite song on Uncle K: Lemon Chase?

Al-Jannah featuring Odomodublvck and Bella Shmurda. Odomodublvck is one of the best rappers in the world, in my opinion. The song is about wanting to fly to heaven to be reunited with those you have lost over the years. You just want to break through the barrier of the atmosphere to be close to them and see their faces once again. I've lost a couple of close people to me - my dad in 2025, my son Jamal in 2021; there are more to name but those two are the most important. I've had my fair share of pain , and I feel comfortable to share my emotions through my songs.

Thank you for sharing - it’s always refreshing to see male afrobeats artists feel comfortable talking about their emotions. 


So you’ve been feeling creative!

Yes - I just want to be doing weird stuff! I want to try anything and everything, and make music fun again for myself. This is my 12th year of being in this industry, and along the way I’ve realised that I just want music to be fun. I've seen a lot of artists come and go - I've seen artists try to leave the industry and return - you name it, I’ve seen it all. I've come to realise that music comes to you when you least expect it. There's no point stressing and panicking about the next release, or the next project - my best advice would be to just live freely and kindly, and inspiration will follow.


You've mentioned ODOMODUBLVCK as someone you’re a fan of - who else are you enjoying right now?


Joeboy is one of my all-time favourite artists. His vocals are something else! 3 years ago, I started a camp in my studio (Asgard) for all the artists within the Afrobeats industry. For example, Joeboy, Tiwa Savage, Davido, Yemi Alade, Flavour, D’Banj and so many more - they all visited at some point. It was a beautiful experience and we made some beautiful music. Gwagwalada, Cough, No Wahala and Buga were all made in that camp! Following COVID, I just wanted to get everyone together so we could reunite and make music. I’m so happy and proud of all the artists from my country and I love making music and exploring sounds together.

As someone who’s been in the game for a while, what role do you think you’ll play in the future of afrobeats?

The role of great Uncle K! I want to be there for the next generation; I want to see everyone win. All of our wins collectively are one giant win for the whole of Africa. It feels so great to have the world listen to us, and get to know us and our culture. Every time a song blows up globally, I feel like this energy surge within me to do more. It’s not pressure - it’s excitement and desire to be better and reach more places.

What does success look like to you now?

Self-satisfaction. When I'm happy with what I've achieved - without pressure, and with a lot of love. It doesn't matter the scale of the win, or the size achievement, as long as I'm happy, that is success.


It's interesting - I’ve spoken to a lot of artists who say their main goal is to just be happy and free without any pressure. 


I’ll be very honest with you - the pressure of the music industry is something that is unavoidable. You can be the most calm, measured person, but the pressure will always be great. Not everyone is equipped to handle that level of intensity. I’m proud to have navigated the journey so far, because it has not been without immense struggle.



Proudest moment of your career so far?


I've really never thought about this before! This isn’t necessarily aligned to music but it’s a personal win. In 2022, there was an incident in Tanzania where I was arrested and thrown behind bars for missing a show. I met with the promoters to explain the scenario and volunteered my time to replan the show, offered to pay for damages incurred by fans throwing bottles and destroying the venue - even though my lateness was due to flights and out of my control. The promoter assured me it was fine, and told me to rest.


 I woke up to policemen outside my door, ready to throw me behind bars. The hotel and local media conspired against me to let the police in and record the whole ordeal, knowing it would do so much damage to my career. At that time, Buga was so big globally - this was the worst thing that could have happened, at the worst time. At this point, I wasn't the media’s favourite guy - so they jumped on this opportunity to slander me further. I truly thought this was the end of my career. My team continued to support me and told me that we would rise through this collectively. We ended up doing the show a few days later - to my surprise, people flocked in thousands. The energy was unlike anything I've ever experienced. Shortly after, I dropped Cough, which again, went viral globally.


In that moment, it felt like the world tried to ruin me, but instead I was just lifted higher. My show in Lagos following the experience was sold out. It's been my best show to date.

This experience changed me for the better - as a person, and as an artist. 

That’s a crazy testimony. Life always finds a way of humbling you before success! Speaking of shows, how do you feel about the return to touring?

I enjoy performing so much when it’s my own audience, my own headline show. I'm talking to the people that love me; I love receiving their energy and creating a vibe. As much as I love winning new hearts through festivals - I love being in and amongst my community so I can be myself. I can wear comfortable clothes, I can make a personal set that isn’t tailored to anyone or anything other than my fans, and I can give them a show they can deserve. 

What's your advice for upcoming musicians?

Talk to God.