Afrobeats Legend Wande Coal Talks New Music, Dream Collaborations & Future Aspirations [Interview]

Multi-award-winning musician Wande Coal is one of the biggest excerpts to come out of Nigeria, first rising to worldwide fame with hits like ‘Iskaba', which earned him Song of the Year at MTV Africa Music Awards in 2016, ‘My Woman’, ‘Kiss Your Hand’ and more. With such an influential sound the singer, producer, and songwriter has seen his career go from strength to strength working with some of the biggest names in music including producers like Kel-P and Juls, alongside musicians like Fireboy DML, Wizkid and T-Pain who have featured on his latest album ‘Legend or No Legend’. After racking up an abundance of well acclaimed awards, releasing four highly successful studio albums, 2023 has seen the return of a true Afrobeats artist with the release of ‘Legend or No Legend’, an album that proves Wande Coal’s rightful position in the music industry. Perfectly curated with his signature sound, each track glides from one to the other, we sat down with Wande to talk about all things music, collaborations and his future aspirations.

You have been deemed a pioneer of Afrobeats, how does that make you feel?

I feel blessed, I am very happy to have influenced this present generation of Afrobeats, to be able to be a good influence to people, to have contributed something meaningful to my society, and I am here to see it all, I feel truly blessed.

You’ve been in the music game for many years now, working with some of the biggest artists in the world including Wizkid, Juls, and Fireboy DML, who would you like to work with next?

I have a saying that goes “Music Never Ends”, and if you understand this concept like me, you will know there are still a lot of great artists to work with, both the ones here and the ones yet to come. That being said, I would like to work with artists like Omah Lay, Rema, Ruger, Bloody Civilian …the list goes on. In the international scenes as well, the likes of Dave, Stormzy, Steff London, Cat Burns, and Central Cee

What is your favourite track from your latest album Legend or No Legend?

To be honest, I am in different moods with different tracks. I feel like as I keep listening to the album, I keep falling in love with the work. When the album was first released my favourite track was ‘Kpe Paso’ featuring Olamide. At the moment I have two favourites, ‘Ebelebe’ featuring Wizkid and ‘Dues’.

What inspires your music?

Trust me, from anything to everything. I can be inspired by my experiences, and your experiences if I know them. I am also inspired by the people around me, my society, my environment, love, pain, and my lifestyle.

What’s next for you? Do you have any live shows or surprise collaborations in the works?

Well I’m dropping more videos from the album, I am also excited for the new artist signed under Black Diamond that will be unveiled soon, and more music is lined up for the fans and world.