Michael Ovie Hunter, better known as LONDON, is a Nigerian music record producer and DJ leading the Afrobeats wave. Renowned for his daring and unconventional sound, he has produced for notable artists including Wizkid, Rema, Ayra Starr, Selena Gomez, 6lack, Yseult, Crayon, and Ladipoe
At just 24 years old, LONDON has distinguished himself as a Grammy-nominated superstar producer, consistently delivering chart-topping bangers with his trademark flair. From his breakout hit "Calm Down" with Rema and Selena Gomez to his Grammy-nominated work on Wizkid’s "Made in Lagos," LONDON's portfolio speaks volumes of his unparalleled talent and dedication to his craft.
We had a chat with this musical genius in the latest edition of Culture Unwrapped.
Deeds Magazine: Do you think the Grammys snubbed Rema, particularly the Calm Down record?
LONDON: Yes and no. Yes in the sense of obviously it was the biggest Afrobeat or is the biggest Afrobeat song ever, but the timing might not have aligned with the Grammys' calendar.
Deeds Magazine: When should we be expecting more Arya Starr and LONDON Records on her forthcoming new album?
LONDON: Very soon. Got a lot of stuff cooking up. She's been working on her sophomore album, and yeah, we've been going in.
Deeds Magazine: Can you dive into your upcoming project, Rouge? And are we about to experience your transition into an artist?
LONDON: Rouge is my story. In the sense of me going rogue with my family, not wanting me to do music and everything. To me, Rogue is a movement. It's being different, changing the normal ways of how things are supposed to be. With this project, I'm trying to just show a different side of myself as a producer. We're having collaborations with artists people would never expect to be on Afrobeats. That's why I call it Rogue because it's different from every other thing that has come out.
Deeds Magazine: Can you discuss the creative process behind Rouge? What genres are you fusing into your sound?
LONDON: The whole creative process for this album, like I said, is being experimental, trying different things. Going rogue in general, doing what is not expected. So, probably have a song with house drums and Afrobeat melodies. Or have a song with trap melodies and Afrobeat drums. Pretty much the thing that I already do, but taking it up another level by getting certain artists who have never done sound like that before and putting them out of their comfort zone.
Deeds Magazine: That sounds exciting. What do you want listeners to take away from Rouge?
LONDON: I want people to see that Afrobeat is not just one thing. You can produce and you can sing Afrobeat. You can release Afrobeat. But Afrobeat does not have to be a certain way. There's no formula for it to be this type of way. You could have fun with it and go big with it. You could go crazy with it. It's music. You're supposed to enjoy it. Do you feel me? So, that's what I'm trying to prove. That's what I'm trying to say with this project. It's like, this is how I think Afrobeat should be. This is my view of Afrobeat.
Deeds: Can you give us a timestamp of when to expect this project to be done?
LONDON: That's the hardest thing ever, man. Because I've been working on this project for a long time. Like, the longest time. And it's because I'm a perfectionist. I'll have tracks done and then I listen and listen and I'm like, hmm, it's not there yet. It's not what I want. But probably late this year or early January next year.
Deeds: So, what challenges have you faced in your journey? And how have you overcome them?
LONDON: Hmm. There's been a lot of challenges. And I feel that just staying positive, and being patient has been the biggest thing for me. Patience is key. I'm calm. I'm a patient person. I don't care how long something's going to take, but I know it's going to happen at the end of the day. So, I'm just, whenevershit goes bad, I'm just like, all right, cool. It was meant to happen. So, let's move on to the next, type shit. But patience and staying positive have really helped me a lot in this journey as a producer.
Deeds: Can you share a moment in your career that you considered a turning point or a significant milestone?
LONDON: The song with Rema and Selena Gomez. I remember Rema texting me and he's like, so LONDON, I want to send you Selena Gomez's vocals for you to chop up the song. I'm like, sorry, wait, what? Who? He's like, Selena Gomez. She did a verse on Calm Down.
Like, yo, that's crazy. So, that moment right there is, you know, was a turning point. Greatest moment in my career.
Deeds Magazine: What are your aspirations for the future, both in terms of your brand and the impact you want to make in the industry?
LONDON: I want to be remembered as one of the people who took Afrobeats to the global stage, I want to be named as one of the people who took Afrobeats to where it is right now. I want to be a lot of things, to be honest, but I really want to build the whole Afrobeat name, and also coming from a producer's point of view, there hasn't been a producer who has taken Afrobeats to a certain level. And I'm trying to achieve that, especially starting with this project that I'm about to drop. I'm about to show like, look, the artists can do their thing, but the producers could also fuck shit up, you know? Yeah. So I want to show that with my project and everything.
And personal goals for me, I'm interested in fashion as well. At some point in my career, I would love to be a creative director for a brand. I'm very interested in doing a lot of things. So first of all, do the project, that's one thing, and then also venture into other things like fashion and photography, videography, video directing, and just crazier stuff. Yeah. I mean, the world is your oyster and there's just so much to do in the music industry that you can take part in.
Deeds Magazine: Are there any specific projects or collaborations you dream of pursuing, you know?
LONDON: A project with Drake would be a dream come true—a full-on Afrobeat EP.
Deeds Magazine: Is there anything else you would like to share with us and the readers of Deeds Magazine?
LONDON: Well, just stay true to yourself, man. Don't let anyone or anything derail you from the goal. Know what you want, and when you know what you want, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You could take other people's opinions, but take it with a pinch of salt. You don't have to always do what everyone tells you to do. Trust yourself more than anyone else. That's what I would say.
Deeds Magazine: How do you hope your story and this editorial will inspire others like you out there?
LONDON: I hope it inspires the young guys thinking about whether I should do this production thing long-term. Is it worth it?
Like if you have those dreams and you feel you're interested in making beats or interested in being an artist, there's nothing wrong with trying. No one is going to kill you for trying to be honest. So just try. I mean, you know, give it your all. You’ve only got one life, right? So you got to chase it. Give it a chance. Give it your hundred and grind. Enjoy the grind.
Deeds Magazine: Wise Words, LONDON. Thank you for sharing your journey with us today.
LONDON: My pleasure. Thanks for having me.
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