Pheelz: From behind the mixer to Afrobeats spotlight

From crafting beats to producing global hits, Pheelz’s journey in the Nigerian music scene shows his evolution from a behind-the-scenes producer to a leading voice in Afrobeats. In this interview with CHINONSO IHEKIRE, Pheelz shares insights into his transformation, his latest EP, collaborations with global stars, and his mission to blend originality with African culture in his music.

Pheelz’s evolution from a producer to a singer has been nothing short of remarkable, especially since his 2022 opus. The young musician, born Phillip Moses, continued to soar on popular streaming charts, netting over a billion listens across streaming services to date.

Following the release of his debut Pheelz Good EP series in 2022, the former YBNL hitmaker shone for his impressive vocal performance, fusion-leaning production, and silky songwriting skills. Global hits like Stand By You, Electricity (with Davido) and Finesse (with BNXN) helped push his catalogue to a more diverse audience. His penchant for feel-good vibes continues to reflect in his releases, including his latest Pheelz Good II record, which shines with just enough depth and replay value to stand out as a remarkable drop.

READ ALSO: Pheelz spins back on top with Stand By You 

Life around the mic

Pheelz’s fame as a musician has soared since 2013 when he produced Olamide’s third studio album, Baddest Guy Ever Liveth.

Although his earliest production hits are on Olamide’s sophomore album, YBNL, with songs like Jale, First of All, and Fucking With The Devil, his biggest breakout moment happened on Baddest Guy Ever Liveth.

The album, which won The Best Rap Album award at The 2014 Headies, showcased Pheelz’s production range and depth with standout tracks like Durosoke, Anifowose, Eleda Mi O, and Yemi My Lover.

Pheelz’s success with hip-hop spotlighted him the most around that time, as seen on his records with Olamide, Vector Tha Viper on Popular, MI Abaga on Human Being, Lil Kesh on Shoki, and Olamide’s iconic 2 Kings duet with Phyno. Yet, the young musician was also building a versatile catalogue, producing other genres for artists like Runtown, Seyi Shay, Spinall, and Mr Eazi.

Before his production took off, Pheelz had already set his sights on a life around the mic. His 2015 RnB ballad, Hustle, introduced Nigerians to his singing and songwriting abilities.

Over the years, he continued to release singles while producing for some of the country’s biggest acts.

After popularising his identity with his production tags—“Pheelz, Mr Producer!” and “Ridimakulayo”—he fully embraced his role as a singer in 2021 with his debut Hear Me Out EP.

“Hear Me Out was my first introduction to being perceived fully as an artist… [but] I have always been a singer. My first placement actually was as a singer; it was a track on Olamide’s second album. I have always sung on my beats; even when I was making music for church, I would always make the beats, and then write and sing the songs. I used to make a lot of music for the church back then when they had programmes, crusades, and all that. That led me to meet ID Cabasa, Olamide, and Coded Tunez.”

Pheelz Standing out

After Nigerians listened and heard Pheelz out, in 2021, he returned to the limelight the next year with his global hit, Finesse, featuring BNXN.

With the song’s undeniable chart success, Pheelz went on to create three remixes for it that same year, one with Moroccan-American rapper French Montana, another with Burundian singer Theecember and Tanzanian bard Rayvanny, as well as one with Jamaican reggae-dancehall maverick Bounty Killer.

Finesse soared with its catchy melody, lighthearted feel and lyrics, all helping it spread across age brackets globally.

The same thing happened with Electricity, featuring Davido, the same year, helping to build on his success as a revered singer and also laying up for his debut album, Pheelz Good, which dropped the following year.

Pheelz Good was a very impressive project for the young musician. It housed his earlier-released hits, Finesse and Electricity, while introducing Afrobeats lovers to the pop fusions of Pheelz. Before 2023 ended, he returned with the second instalment in the Pheelz Good series, with a four-track Pheelz Good (Triibe Tape). On the tape, he locked in with longtime pals and colleagues Young Jonn on Jelo, and Olamide on Joy, still, arguably, raising the bar for himself on every drop.

Now, with his Pheelz Good II, he concludes the Pheelz Good series, a trifecta of pop-fusion releases that showcase the vulnerable and optimistic feel of his musicianship.

“That’s how I wanted it from the jump. It took a year to drop the second half, but we’re here now and I’m grateful. It is time for the album after this,” Pheelz explained.

Fuji, EDM Revolution

Since the mainstream Fuji popularity began to wane at the end of the 2000s, Nigerian pop stars have sought to revive the genre on the global stage.

Musicians like 9ice, Terry Apala, Barry Jhay, Bella Shmurda, and others have infused their street pop and hip-hop releases with Fuji accents, proverbs, and song samples.

While Asake and Seyi Vibez have been among the few to achieve the most popular Fuji-fusion releases, recently, Pheelz is another noteworthy contributor to the neo-Fuji wave sweeping across Afrobeats.

On Pheelz Good II, Pheelz embraces the warmth of Fuji, Amapiano, Electronic Dance Music, Afro-Pop and RnB. Songs like Majo feature samples Adewale Ayuba’s 2004 Fuji hit, Ijo Fuji, into the Amapiano-heavy electronic dance record.

On other productions with Olamide, including their latest Synchro System (featuring Pheelz, Lil Kesh and Young Jonn), and even earlier songs like Fuji House, off Olamide’s YBNL album, Pheelz explores the rigorous pace of Nigerian Fuji, alongside the fast-paced percussion of Amapiano and Electronic Dance Music.

“I’m always true to my soil and its culture, and to my background as well because I am Yoruba. Yoruba culture, and Nigerian culture in general, is one of the most beautiful cultures to ever exist. There are things that we can showcase and teach the world. And that’s what I try to do with a song like Majo,” Pheelz said.

“I was on a FaceTime call with my best friend, and she just sang the idea and said that it sounded nice and I should add that sample to the song. And that was the inspiration for adding that Fuji sample to it.

“I had always loved Fuji from listening to it with my dad during road trips. Fuji music is one of the best songs for road trips when travelling interstate. I inherited my love for Saheed Osupa from my elder brother, as well. I grew up listening to Kwam 1, Adewale Ayuba, and a lot of others.”

Bringing the energy

Before the electronic dance music wave began its renaissance in Nigerian music, Pheelz has also been a core fan of the energetic bass-thumping, percussive genre.

“I have also loved electronic music since I was a child, and I listened to Swedish House Mafia, Avicii, Deadmau5, and even the Dubstep genre. I have always been interested in electronic music, but since it is an acquired taste, I try to use it as sparingly as possible in my production. Not everybody vibrates with that sound. So I try to just find a way to inspire some elements in my production from it, and find a way to make it obvious without overcrowding the vibe of the music.”

Back in February, his collaboration with Usher—a seven-track EP dubbed Ruin—also explored this EDM wave a bit further. Despite the original duet between Pheelz and Usher being an Afrobeats (specifically, pop-RnB) song, the other six songs are EDM remixes from South African musicians Soa Mattrix, Mörda, Junior Taurus, and Major League DJz, respectively.

“I had the song, Ruin, with me a year before Usher heard it. It was one of those songs I made after being served breakfast. I was trying to navigate through those feelings. I made it with my friend Manana, in South Africa. And I was going to put it on my forthcoming first album. But I linked up with Usher, and we were talking about his album that he’s trying to drop. We had already made Coming Home, the track with Burna Boy. So, I told him that I wrote and produced a song. And it is all about the story and everything. I played the song for him, and he and his team loved it. Then, he went to record it. So, that was how it happened.”

Full circle

From growing up listening to their catalogues, to making (yet-to-be-released) music with Dr Dre, Pharell Williams, and Timbaland, and a lot more icons of his, Pheelz’s odyssey as a musician has come full circle. “Those are my idols,” he announced. “Having to make music  and learn from them, and also teach them is unforgettable.”

Now, Pheelz believes that, despite the commercial success of his catalogue, his most profound fulfilment as an artist continues to rest in his didacticism and originality.

“I wish more musicians started embracing their originality and selling out less—embracing the culture, the fashion, the indigenous spirit of Africa and Nigeria, and showcasing that fearlessness in the music. Yes, Amapiano is beautiful, but I think we can be more original with how we make music as well.

“I think the future is going to be more original, more human with the topics that we talk about, [and] more educational. Yes, it’s fine to talk about girls and money and clubbing and all that. But the music has to be more educational than that for the next generation. Music is the best way to teach people.”

With over a decade of experience in the Nigerian music scene, the music maestro, the self-acclaimed ‘tech geek’ who also nurses skills as a visual artist and 3-D designer, believes that his music is a stepping stone in his mission to positively radicalise society.

“I’m trying to teach the world. I’m trying to change the world in my own little way and also leave a legacy behind,” he said. “Music is not really a hustle for me. It’s my life. I’m trying to tell a beautiful story with it, and I’m just trying to inspire people and make people feel better, and just give hope to the human race.”