For Kolo, making music has become an exercise in looking both inward and outward. The Nigerian-American artist has lived across the world, from being born in Japan to spending time in Belgium, Nigeria, Atlanta and now New York. That global upbringing naturally finds its way into his music. Even if creating a distinctly international sound was never part of some carefully mapped-out plan.
“I think it’s kind of cool that the music is kind of taking the shape of kind of like or mirrored my my life to an extent, but not not it wasn’t planned,” Kolo (@kolo.24) told Remixd Magazine during an interview.
That perspective is especially present on his latest single, “Lonely Dreams,” created in partnership with licensed sampling and record discovery platform Tracklib. The record reimagines “My Love” by Peruvian psychedelic rock band Laghonia while exploring a personal, yet relatable topic: The isolation that can come with betting on yourself.
“There are multiple times in your life where you look at yourself and you’re like, ‘OK I gotta take it to the next level.'”
How ‘Lonely Dreams’ Was Born
Kolo says he wrote “Lonely Dreams,” during one of the final stretches of making music from his uncle’s basement, where he had been creating for years. At the time, he was also preparing for a major transition from Georgia to New York.
“That song came out of kind of a moment of reflecting on that journey,” he explained. “How kind of lonely it can be when you’re trying to chase something or become something. Whether you’re a musician, whether you’re a doctor, anything that you’re doing that takes an intense amount of focus that kind of tunnel visions you. That’s what the song is about.”
But “Lonely Dreams” isn’t meant to romanticize struggle or ask listeners to feel sorry for him. Instead, Kolo sees sacrifice as part of becoming the person you believe you can be.
“This is the sacrifice that comes with it, and this is the dedication that’s required to to reach like the fullest level of yourself.”
Sampling has become another way Kolo expands that journey. His curiosity has led him toward records from countries around the world, something he says began naturally before becoming more intentional as he realized how much those sounds strengthened his own music.
For Kolo, however, exploring another culture’s music also comes with one important responsibility.
“The only responsibility I feel is to like do it justice,” he said.
Sampling Rooted In Curiosity
Kolo says that sampling is an approach rooted in curiosity rather than trying to define a culture for listeners. He sees the entire world as a source of inspiration, while allowing audiences to form their own connections with what they hear.
“I’m using the whole world as a source of inspiration,” he explained. “The responsibility is to do it right, and hopefully people can take value from that. Sometimes people just think it’s cool. Sometimes people identify with the artists I sampled, and it provides a different connection that’s cultural but also historical for them because it’s their grandfather’s favorite record or whatever.”
As far as what he wants listeners to take from his music, Kolo says that different people might take different things.
“Whatever they take from it is the listener’s choice,” Kolo said. “I think my job is to reflect my life and and life in general as accurately and as truly as possible from an emotional perspective.”
With a new project expected later this year, Kolo says listeners can expect more personal music, collaborations and a version of himself that feels increasingly confident.
“I think I’m rapping at the highest level I’ve rapped ever really.”
If “Lonely Dreams” is any indication, his next chapter will continue to find its strength in that intersection between personal experience and a much bigger world.
Check it out below.
