Get to Know: Tim Lyre

Tim Lyre is steadily reshaping the African music space with his distinct style, his latest project the MASTA EP, is a diverse body of work inspired by the diaspora and a follow-up to his debut album Worry <.

Finding the time to talk to New Wave Magazine, we discuss confronting familial expectations, the importance of genuine connection, his pure love for music and expression, and also why the future of African music is exciting – the best is yet to come.

“I’m excited”, he admits as we begin our discussion talking about his new EP. “I released an album last year in March, so I’ve been itching to put something new out.”

This time round “I think it was a lot to create this one. A lot of the music and themes of the project are kind of inspired by the aftermath of my last album.”

After its release “I felt that there was a weight off of my shoulders because before that I released tiny projects here and there and it got some reception but I never felt like I was fully committed to it as I am now.”

The EP, named MASTA, felt “like a moment of self-actualisation, and, the sense that I’m here, let’s do this, lets go. Everything I recorded after that point had that energy.”

Going into the project with good intentions, there is an emphasis on wellbeing. “I want people to take these feelings of self-confidence and self-assurance”, Tim says that he’s trying to emit from the project to make people feel better directly from his music, “I make music to make people feel better about their life and life is short but the same time you have so much time to do whatever you want to do.”

“It all came together quite easily,” when questioned on the closeness in time between the two projects, Tim credits being a studio writer and his relentless work enough when it comes to making music.

One thing is clear as we get started is the important role that Tim’s parents have in his life. The lead single ‘Chasing Wind’ was inspired by a conversation between Tim and his mum, which happened when he was in the studio working on a song.

“We were talking most about how things were going with my music and how it’s been a bit of a struggle. And she just told me a bunch of stories about her and my dad growing up and it just gave me a different perspective on things.”

Continuing he says “The song itself was just me writing to myself not to give up on my dream and it was the first song I wrote on the project, so I feel that it was the catalyst for this entire feeling.”

It really gives you perspective because I feel that I really butted heads with my parents growing up for so long but I never really saw their point of view. I mean, they lived a whole entire life!

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, he has drawn influences from a well of diverse sounds that include Alt R&B, Afro-beats, Amapiano and Dancehall explored through different metronomes. “People who have been listening to my music for a long time, I feel a lot more confident calling it afro-fusion” rather than mainstream afro beats.

“I’m such a fan of music, I listen to every single type of music there is”, Tim adds.

“I’ve always been a sponge. The consistent thing throughout all of it is my voice and melody no matter what beat I’m singing on.”

However, embracing individuality rather than accepting conformity comes with a pressure that Tim has only learned to deal with.

“I don’t think anyone from here doesn’t feel that pressure, but I think that luckily for me since I grew up in a SoundCloud era it was easier for me to connect with my peers and people who thought like me. Making us the confidence to explore.”

Nigerian music feels like”, pausing slightly, “I don’t even know what’s happening. If you told me five years ago that what’s happening with Nigerian music is happening now I would never have expected it to be this crazy.

And I also believe that the world is such a smaller place now because of the internet so it’s easier to put yourself out there now.

Returning back to the EP “I started recording and writing most of it in Lagos,” but spent three months in London, where “I mainly finalised the features, shoot a few videos as well. It was good to be in between both places.”

Tim found it “cool” to work with the artists who featured on the project, especially south London rapper Jords.

“Bro, he’s so cool man”, Tim repeats. “He’s literally one of the coolest people I’ve met from doing this music ting, even when he came for his session; it took him maybe 15-20 minutes to start catching these flows.”

“It’s good to be able to just be able to connect with artists on a professional, and even a personal level”, Tim explains. The track is at the "center piece of this whole project, It’s about believing in yourself absolutely, no one better to do this with than Jords, I’m glad we’ve got the video to match the energy.” He also went on to work with Tay Iwar on the project’s opener ‘Why Evils’.

As our conversation draws to a close Tim reveals that he is also a classically trained pianist, he started at eight with his brothers and sisters and went on to do his grade music exams at the Music Society of Nigeria. He credits his dad as a driving force in pushing him to learn but reveals that when he it came to pursuing a music career professionally, he was hesitant.

“Me and dad butted heads initially because he wanted me to be a lawyer”, Tim says laughing. I think he sort of still hopes I will be”, he adds jokingly, “but I love him that’s my dad.”

Explaining further, he says “I guess it just comes down to you being strong-willed willed I guess and believing that there is a purpose to what you’re doing. I think all my dad wanted to see that music was a tangible option for me.”

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