On Spiral, Tim Lyre maps a memoir of self-rediscovery, with two sides of vulnerability and upliftment, blending African-fusion textures with cinematic storytelling across 16 tracks.
Ever since Tim Lyre broke into Nigeria’s alternative pop scene with his genre-fluid style in the late 2010s, he’s become one of the most consistent voices representing the spirit of the community.
Born Timothy Oyesanya, the singer-producer has built a catalogue of evergreen jams lush with storytelling and multi-genre influences, from early SoundCloud releases like Indigo to his latest and third studio album, Spiral.
Across his discography, Tim Lyre’s vulnerability shines in his lyricism, creating music that’s both striking and sincere. His 2022 debut album, Worry <, invited listeners to practice mindfulness, while his 2023 sophomore, Masta, celebrates the idea of mastering one’s individuality. On Spiral, Tim Lyre presents a 16-track memoir on personal re-discovery.
Released as a double-side record with eight-tracks on each part, Lyre weaves a portrait of his experiences with love, heartbreak, survival, emotional wellness, and self-development. The first part is melancholic and reflective, the second uplifting, revealing Lyre’s musical range in full view.
Collaborating with maestros including Kenya’s Joshua Baraka (Pot of Gold), Grammy-winning South African act Manana (Better4U), Gambian singer Binta (Losing My Mind), London chanteuse BINA (Storytime), and Nigerian mavericks Moelogo (Miles), DAP The Contract (Glorybound), Mojo AF (Villagio), Show Dem Camp (Economy), Joyce Olong (NYE) and Boj (Lock In), Tim Lyre plants a garden of melodies with hybrids of Highlife, RnB, Jazz, Hip Hop, Reggaeton, 3-Step, and Amapiano. The album thrives as a futuristic expression, ranking as Lyre’s most cathartic record so far.
Tim Lyre’s musical odyssey began as a teenager in his church choir, in the bustling Lagos suburb of Ebutte Metta, where he learned music theory and arrangement, as well as to play the piano and organ. He taught himself to produce and write music professionally, earning as much as he could to pursue his musical ambition. After bagging a master’s degree in Entertainment Law from the University of Westminster, UK in 2018, he decided to become a musician full-time, crafting a discography that speaks to both the soul and heart.
In this week’s edition of Guardian Music, we catch up with Tim Lyre, tracing his evolution as a musician, his creative process, muses behind Spiral, his choice of collaborations, thoughts on the disappearing Alte scene, as well as his mission to consistently create boundary-pushing music.
What inspired the album title, Spiral?
A lot of things were happening in my personal life at the time, and it felt like things were spiraling out of control. A friend said the title had a negative connotation, like ‘downward spiral.’ But in my research and belief, I felt it was a perfect name to represent all I was trying to do with the project, from the themes to the emotions I was exploring.
Personally, I feel like it’s more of a case where, despite whatever you might be going through, you are able to evolve and relearn certain things, and just grow as a person. It is about that full circle spiral of coming back to yourself, and rediscovering certain things about yourself.
How long did it take you to record the album?
About two-and-a-half years. It started right after my last project, Masta. I had a few sessions with KC Freely, one of the main producers, recording songs like Rocketship. That’s when the idea for the entire project started brewing.
What are your favourite tracks off the album?
Miles (with Moelogo) is definitely one of my favourites because it sets the tone for the project. That’s why I put it as the intro. I actually had another song as the intro, but that’s because I hadn’t finished recording Miles at the time. By the time I had finished it, I felt the subject matter of it, the journey of life, has that hopeful feeling; it reminds one that no matter what’s going on, you can still get ahead.
Working with Moelogo has always been on my bucket list, because I feel like we’re interconnected. We met four years ago, and we always talked about working together. I played Miles for him at some point, back in London, and he was really into it. He was in Nigeria for a few months, and we linked up in the studio where he recorded the hook on the song. I’m really happy with how the song ended up coming out. I wanted that message of hopefulness to set the tone for the album.
Another song would be Economy (with Show Dem Camp).
What inspired Economy?
It was one of those days when I was really having a lot of stressful experiences. I got in an accident. Someone stole my money. Things just happened. I knew that by the time I got back into the studio that night, I was going to record. Again, KC had sent me a bunch of beats, and I recorded the first verse on Economy that night.
I was sitting on the song for a while, and then I recorded my second verse as well. After listening to it, I just knew that this was the perfect Show Dem Camp jam. I sent it to Tec of Show Dem Camp, and the next day they video-called me from the studio and we gingered up to work on the song. The next day, the song came out way ‘crazier’ than I even expected it. Those verses were unbelievable! It ended up coming out way better than I even imagined.
What about Pot of Gold with Joshua Baraka?
When I was trying to separate the album into two sides, I wanted the second side to open with hope, just like Miles. I wanted it to feel different and a bit more uplifting. So when I heard the beat from Dare, it was quite easy to come up with the lyrics. I ended up recording the song when I linked with Joshua Baraka at some point, in London; my label actually set up the meeting for us, but he is someone I had already been listening to. He’s very down to earth, and a very musical guy. He plays the instruments. He had all these ideas for vocal production and even for general production on the song as well. So I was really happy to work with someone like that.
What inspires your creative process?
As artists, we have a very unique power. It is a blessing to be able to make these kinds of things (music) out of thin air. I want to tell stories about the things happening to me and the people around me, and I feel like a lot of people can relate to those stories because they’re normal life experiences. I aim to touch on these emotions and present them in a way that can be relatable to people, or to be able to make them feel something. So, it’s really about telling the stories. Music is the one thing I’ve known my whole life, and storytelling is core to my artistry.
What was the most challenging record to make on Spiral?
It was the outro, Way/2/Me, because I’d been thinking of a perfect way to end the project. I’m always very particular about outros on my projects; on my first album, Spanish Lime was also a very intentional outro. Even on Masta, the outro was very intentional. So, on Spiral, I wanted the outro to be a song that makes you reflect deeply. I only finished recording it two weeks before I submitted the whole album. So, that was definitely the hardest song to make on the album.
The funny part is when I finally had the idea for it, it was just one random morning where I just woke up and went straight into the studio. It took me an hour to get it out. I had been thinking about it for weeks, and I already knew exactly what I wanted to say, but I feel like God sent it to me in a dream or something when I eventually recorded it.
Do you have a moniker for your style?
I’m very comfortable with the African-fusion description, because it is heavily influenced by African songs.
As a voice in the alte scene, what do you think of the state of the community today?
There was a point in time when this discussion was very hot online. I always felt like it was more of a cultural movement, as opposed to a genre. There was just a set of people thinking differently, from music to fashion to music videos. At that point it was convenient to group it all into ‘Alte’, because we hadn’t necessarily seen it in Nigeria that rampant. It was important for us to have that moment. It seems quiet now, because a stigma has come onto that world, and I don’t know how that happened.
A lot of artists do not want to be called alte artistes any more. However, I genuinely feel the community created a pathway for artists like myself. Till today, there are way more artists than people realise making these different types of music in Nigeria. Luckily, the internet is so hyper-connected now, so it’s quite easy for you to put yourself on Instagram or TikTok, or even upload your songs onto streaming platforms. It has become easier for unorthodox artists to make a stand in this industry. Soon, I doubt that people will even differentiate between Alte and mainstream, because it’s all going to sound the same.
What are your favourite pastimes?
I’m a very chill person, so I just like hanging out with my friends; oftentimes, we go to the beach, we get drinks, that kind of thing. I used to play football a lot as a child, but not anymore.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Listen to music. After I am done brushing and doing everything, I start blasting music for the first three hours, to reset my brain. I could just pick one artist and play their entire catalogue.
Finally, what is the vision for Tim Lyre?
I really want to make music that can stand the test of time. I want people to be able to have songs that they can connect to 15 years from now; because it’s either you remember the feeling you had when you listened to the music, or that moment in time. Once my music can make anybody feel better about anything, that’s a win for me.
