Victony: The journey of a Stubborn bard

Victony is one of Nigeria’s most compelling music talents, known for his resilience and genre-blending sound.

From overcoming a life-altering accident to becoming a rising star in the Afrobeats scene, Victony’s journey is one of tenacity and artistic evolution.

In this interview with Guardian Music, he opens up about his latest album Stubborn, his creative process, and his mission to inspire the next generation of artists.

Three years ago, life took a sharp turn for Victony, born Anthony Victor, when a car accident left him temporarily confined to a wheelchair. This life-altering event became the muse for his next single that year, titled Pray, which equally signalled huge strides in his recovery. By year’s end, he was standing on his two feet again, performing his hit duet Holy Father with Mayorkun on stage.

READ ALSO: Victony taps 13 others to make Afrobeats history on Ohema

The successes of Holy Father and Pray served as steady ladders for Victony, amplifying the impact of his pandemic-era debut, Saturn, and introducing Nigerians to his textured vocals and party-ready choruses. He steadied his ascent with the follow-up extended play, Outlaw, in 2022, housing hits like Jolene, All Power, Kolomental, and the magnum opus Soweto. That same year, he also featured on Burna Boy’s Different Size from the Grammy-nominated album Love, Damini.

Victony’s latest 14-tracker album, Stubborn, showcases the 23-year-old’s progression in his lyricism and sound direction. On songs like Tiny Apartment with American rapper Saint JHN, we find solace in his softest octaves, before switching from ballad to a dance craze in Stubborn with Asake. A cohesive body of work, with fan favourites like Risk and Bastard, Don’t Be Silly, among others, Stubborn glimmers for its melodic fusions and delivery style.

After training as a petroleum engineer and starting a music career as a rapper, Victony has always leaned into his creative yearnings, exploring new facets of himself with every release. In this Guardian Music edition, he talks to us about Stubborn, exploring his muses and creative processes; his thoughts on the neo-highlife evolution, and his mission to inspire the next generation of musicians.

How does it feel to release this body of work at this time?
It’s exciting. I don’t think I’ve ever spent this long on a project before. So, it’s the beginning of a new phase for me.

What was the timeline for creating it?
It was a few months out from the release date when we knew it was going to be an album. Initially, we were planning for an EP, but the plans kept changing. Due to that indecision, we decided we couldn’t keep shuffling the songs. Sometime in April, Olamide gave me the idea of combining songs from different periods I’ve been recording. It also includes songs I made when I first broke out, songs that really represent where I am sonically. We wanted something that would strongly introduce my sound and personality, something to guide people’s minds onto who Victony is. That’s how we put that album together.

What inspired the title?
When I recorded the song Stubborn, I realised I had something special. The song itself opened my mind to so many things. Rarely do I sit down to reflect on everything. This album made me think about my life, how much I can afford to be here, and the resilience I’ve shown over the years. It’s just remembering vivid memories, how they have all the opportunities that would necessarily make me believe this was possible. But I still stayed true to the craft. It’s a reflection on my career, just gathering everything and all the bits of experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today.

What inspired your feature with American star Saint JHN?
Saint JHN is one of the artists I looked up to before I even started professionally. I listen to all kinds of genres, and I love what he does with his artistry, from his writing to his imagery. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I always knew I wanted to make music with him. So, being in a space where I could reach out to so many people, I used my connections to get to him. Surprisingly, he was rocking with me as well. So that’s one feature that I cannot forget because going from looking up to somebody to getting to work with them is a big deal. It’s experiences like these that remind me I’m one step closer to achieving my dreams.

Which recording session stood out for you during the album’s creation?
I don’t have any templates for how I record. This is how I make music because my music is my easiest form of expression. It just depends on how I’m feeling.

Sometimes, I’m in the studio and want the lights to be bright. Sometimes, I want the lights turned off. Sometimes, I want it moody.

Sometimes, I hear a beat and want to go at it immediately, or I tell the producer to send it to me. It just depends on how I’m feeling. Sometimes I don’t record for a long time; other times, I randomly feel like doing studio time.

READ ALSO: Victony… Confident vibes of a musical outlaw 

How did you hone your style?
Honestly, we just keep trying to figure out what’s next. I keep my ears on the ground, watching TikToks, scrolling on Instagram, or exploring new music on digital streaming platforms. We combine it with the sounds we loved growing up, realising this is a moment. It’s just constantly wanting to create something new. There’s nobody we binge on heavily or use as a yardstick, except that person is just as creative.

My voice, at the end of the day, makes my music recognisable. There’s a certain feeling that comes with my songs. I have a style that I’m recognised with, but I’ve done so many different songs. People tend to call my most popular songs my style. But we just keep trying out new things. I never want to be stuck.

You recently dropped a highlife song, Angelus. What are your thoughts on making more neo-highlife music?
That was a whole era. Back in 2021, Houdini, one of the producers I worked with, and I birthed the idea of revisiting older songs and making something new out of them. I think indigenous music is one of the most authentic styles of music in the past 10 or 20 years.

When people make indigenous music, they sing about all they know, not what they see, and they’re not trying to imitate anybody. That’s why they sing their native languages. The same goes for instrumentalists; the feeling is authentic, and that’s something I like to draw inspiration from. That’s that level of authenticity that is worth exploring. So, that’s why I love indigenous music and what they do, right from the east, west, north or south. When I hear something indigenous, I automatically love it, even if I don’t know what they are saying sometimes.

What’s next for you?
I’m currently in the US. My US tour is starting next week, so that’s my focus for now. The album is out, and people are streaming. Risk is going crazy right now. I would probably put out a video for it and see what happens from there.

What would you say is the vision for your artistry?
At the end of the day, I want to be a template for other creators and artists not just in the music space, but in visual arts, fashion, and everything else. I want people to see the whole package and be able to take something away that helps them create something that represents them. I looked up to some people to get here, and seeing them do what they love inspired me heavily. I want to inspire people the same way.