By Damilola Grey
Dami: What was y’all first introduction to music?
Oluwadoe: My first introduction to music was my father. He was the first person who introduced old school music and different types of music to me when I was a little girl. He used to sell vinyls and CDs and I’d always be there with him during the day- he was always playing music.
lucidjason: I first discovered rap when I heard “Breathe” by Fabolous. My mum didn’t like the track cause of what he was talking about but I didn’t really know what he was talking about. I also really liked Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, and Linkin Park when I was little. I also discovered music from watching AMVs.
Dami: What inspired y’all to start making music?
Oluwadoe: Writing music was like therapy in a way to me, and also a way to express myself since I was very shy. It was a way for me to get my voice cause I felt comfortable and safe singing. Watching artists like Beyoncé, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill also inspired me as a woman to start my own career. I was inspired to not only become a singer but also write music for other people.
lucidjason: I started making music in 2017 and my music then wasn’t good so I wanted to start producing my songs. This was around the time Brockhampton started getting big and seeing artists like them, Tyler the Creator, Frank Ocean, and Earl Sweatshirt inspired me to make music more.
Dami: What’s y’all creative process like?
Oluwadoe: My creative process is very non-structured. I come up with the most random things in my head. Since I was little, I used to come up with melodies in my mind (like I was mentally producing songs in my head). My creative processes come from a lot of impulses as well as life experiences I’ve been through.
lucidjason: It depends on how I’m approaching it. Whenever I’m sampling, I find different genres to sample. Sometimes, I might study music for a while. I’ll look up chords and transcribe them, and then build upon that. When I’m rapping, I want to say something real and be true to myself.
Dami: How would y’all describe your sound?
Oluwadoe: I want to say my sound is of RnB and soul but I can’t really say for now because the EP I’m working on with lucidjason is very much pop/electronic. I will say RnB/soul right now though but I want to explore different sounds individually as well.
lucidjason: Personally, there’s definitely a sound for me but I’m working on expanding on that. I made a rock song the other day but for the most part, my sound is more of an alternative boom-bap style. Something that you’ll hear from Earl Sweatshirt and The Alchemist.
Dami: Y’all recently dropped a collab titled “I Will”. Can y’all tell us more about it?
Oluwadoe: “I Will” is a song that we started working on last year when me and lucid started working together very consistently and it came from a normal session where he was showing me different types of beats that he produced and we came across this one that was an old
school type of sample and it automatically gave me this energy of being out with your friends. I end up writing to the beat right away and it ends up being this really upbeat, old school, 80s inspired love song.
lucidjason: I made the beat after quitting my job. I went to my old co-worker’s house and I was going through some samples that I saved, and I made the beat around August. Oluwadoe and I worked on the song in November. I showed her the beat and she started writing, and I was humming melodies trying to figure out what would stick and what wouldn’t. We wrote the song rather fast. It took like 2 sessions to get the main thing down.
Dami: What’s next for y’all after “I Will”?
Oluwadoe: We’re planning on working on a joint EP together. The name of the EP is ‘Shut Up and Kiss Me’. Lucid randomly came up with the name but it actually makes sense because a lot of the songs I’ve written to the instrumentals he’s produced are love songs. I think it also suits it because this EP is very upbeat and full of energy. We’re also planning on dropping another song in March titled “Come Over”, and it’s actually the very first song we worked on together last year.
lucidjason: As Doe said, we have a project in the works. I feel like Doe and I are gonna be the RnB/pop version of Freddie Gibbs and Madlib one day. Individually, I got a DJ gig on the 23 rd of February. I’m also working on some stuff with the band, and also some solo work allegedly.
Dami: What has been the most stressful thing y’all have experienced or are still experiencing as artists?
Oluwadoe: I would say the most stressful thing, which I’m also guilty of, is money. Everything costs money unless you know how to do everything on your own- from producing your beats, to mixing and mastering. It just costs more money outside of that, and it has been a challenge for me because I’ve had to pay money for everything except for writing or singing, which is the only free thing I have. Other than that, I think the most stressful thing is how hard we are on ourselves as artists.
lucidjason: Personally, I cannot work with people who I can’t stand. I actually get along with Doe a lot, and I think that’s why our music sounds so good. If I can’t vibe with you as a person, I don’t want to make music with you, and a lot of people don’t get that. Also balancing personal life with music. Balancing your craft and your personal life is a very difficult thing to do.
Dami: What has been y’all most memorable experiences as artists?
Oluwadoe: That’s a good question. There’s so many memorable moments I’ve had in these couple years but I’ll say the most memorable one for me was when I finally got my first short film done by actual film directors. That was really memorable for me because I felt like I was finally an artist. Other memorable moments include the artists I’ve met, the shows I’ve been able to do, being in a group, and also being solo. It’s been amazing. Another one was the first time I ever headlined an open mic show.
lucidjason: From getting on my first article to my first playlist. A few months ago, I was working on this compilation album. I produced one of the songs and also did the second verse, and I rapped it in front of a bunch of people at a show. After rapping it, I got all types of love. That was a very liberated feeling, and I loved the energy there. Another one was when a person I went to school with sent a video of them and their friends listening to my song.
Dami: What are y’all hoping to achieve at the end of the year (both individually and collaboratively)?
Oluwadoe: Individually, I plan on putting out more music this year. I plan on putting out more EP’s because I really want to build my discography as an artist. I want to collab with more people because I really enjoy the process. I hope to do more shows because I haven’t performed in so long. I also want to build my name in the Atlanta scene and beyond. As a collab though, I plan on putting out more music with lucid. I want us to grow together- as individuals and artists.
lucidjason: The goal for me is to be able to live off my music and put other people on. I want to headline my first show also. I want to put out my solo work and group work too. I want to do a short film and keep on doing photography. I also want to believe in myself.
Listen to “I Will” by Oluwadoe & lucidjason now here.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 