Meet The Artist: Interview with Femi Tahiru

Ever since the release of his highly anticipated debut project D.E.M.O.S EP, Alt-RnB & Soul newcomer Femi Tahiru has taken the music scene by storm! His debut EP is a combination of 7th chord guitar riffs, subtle yet busy percussion and swooning vocal melodies, resulting in soundscapes that are familiar but delicate to most. Prior to Covid-19, Femi Tahiru started to build a great reputation across iconic grassroots venues in Manchester like Gorilla and Band on the Wall! With the live music scene starting up again, Femi is getting back on stage doing what he loves most; performing! We had the incredible opportunity to chat with Femi Tahiru to talk about his musical roots, his latest single “Counting On You”, and to discuss his future plans. Here’s what came of the conversation:

Hi Femi, introduce yourself to those that don’t know?

FT: Yo! I’m Femi Tahiru, and I’m a singer-songwriter and producer from Northampton, currently living in Manchester.

How and why did you get into music?

FT: I think I got into music for the same reason a lot of young boys did haha. I learned to play the guitar to look cool. You know so people could be like “wow you play the guitar, that’s cool”! I wanted to be that guy who picks up the guitar at a house party and surprises everyone so much that they gather in a circle around me. No… But seriously, I was working full-time at around 19/20 years old alongside producing music and it got to the point where making music meant more to me than earning a decent wage. That’s when I decided to move to Manchester to study Songwriting in 2018.

When did you decide that music was something you wanted to pursue long term?

FT: As soon as I moved to Manny and saw that other people wanted the same thing I did. It was refreshing to know that all these other musicians had the same thought processes as me. It was almost comforting to me that I’m not the only one who’s crazy enough to try something like this. Also, there were people that were way more talented than me, so that created abit of healthy competition which isn’t bad at all. It made me really want to succeed with my studies and music in general.

What is the story behind your latest track “Counting on You”? What inspired you to make it?

FT: “Counting On You” is the first track I’ve released since my first project D.E.M.O.S EP, so there was going to be a different sound to the track. In terms of storytelling, nothing has really changed though. I usually try to write about my own experiences, however if nothing comes of that I try to imagine myself in certain situations and scenarios! That's what I did with “Counting On You”. I imagined experiencing the hardships of someone in a complicated relationship. I wanted to take a lighter approach in articulating my thoughts. Hence the playfulness in the way the lyrics are delivered on the track! Doing this has allowed me to become more comfortable with using my voice in ways I might have been scared to do in the past. I’m starting to enjoy over-exaggerating certain words or phrases.

How did the track come together? What was your creative process for “Counting on You”?

FT: I’m a sucker for live drums, but I don’t have the resources to record them. So I found a loop that was different but did the job. I tweaked it a little and eventually the rest of the song came together i.e. guitar chords, melodies, other instruments and finally, the vocals. I always start with drums. It’s all about the drums. If it doesn’t make your head bop, the track’s a flop in my opinion.

How would you describe the track in 3 words?

FT: Playful, mischievous, and contradicting.

I also went to university in Manchester! How did you find your experience as a student there?

FT: Sick man. The whole vibe in Manchester is very welcoming. I instantly felt settled in when I arrived. The people are nice up North too.

If you could collaborate with any UK artist, who would it be?

FT: So many I couldn’t possibly just name one…

Who are your top 5 vocalists of all time?

FT: Lianne La Havas, Nick Hakim, Yebba, Steve Lacy, & Frank Ocean.

What’s next for Femi Tahiru?

FT: HEADLINE SHOW IN LONDON ON THE 25TH! That’s all I’m looking forward to at the moment. New music as well of course.

Where can people find you (socials etc...)?

FT: You can find me everywhere under ‘Femi Tahiru’.

“Counting On You” is now available to stream on all major music platforms:

Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube | Soundcloud

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