From being forced to take piano lessons while he was young, to playing with Shizzi in the same church and finally deciding to take up music full time; Multi-talented Artiste and producer SarmyFire sits with TXT to discuss his journey, career as an artiste, the music industry, influences and his future intentions. 

SarmyFire has a couple of features and collaborations up his sleeve with big names in the industry. He works so hard to make sure these collaborations come out top-notch as he sees them as a means of pushing his sound to a new audience to be heard. 

His recent release “Bad bitches” came to life from an initiative Sarmyfire started on Instagram which he tagged #DuetwithFire, this particular song caught the attention of ace musician “Dice Ailes”, which prompted him to invite SarmyFire over to his apartment where he recorded his verse and they both wrapped up the song and put it out officially.

We proceeded to have further conversations and it went as follows: 

TXT: How best do you describe who exactly Sarmyfire is?

Sarmyfire: Actually first of all I’m a songwriter; (I mean, that’s the root of the career, lol), then I’m a couple of other things; a music producer, music composer and one niche I created for myself, “a music designer”, lol.

TXT: Making music, when did it really start for you? Did you just wake up one day and say, “I think I want to be a musician” or what? 

Sarmyfire: Funny story, yeah, I used to play keyboard with Shizzi in the same church in Ibadan. So when I was growing up, my folks “forced” me to take piano lessons.

It was forced cos I wasn’t even interested in that at that point of my life, lol. After learning. I started playing in the children’s section in church while Shizzi played for the Adult service; from that, I played during assemblies in secondary school, at that point, I didn’t even realize the music was growing on me already.

I got admission into Ajayi Crowther University that period I got a laptop and somehow out of curiosity, I found a way to install FL studio software (fruity loops) on the laptop. I started playing with the software and teaching myself how to use it and I found a way around it and for every time I tried to create something new, I learnt something new and from there my room became a hub for making music and recording.

We recorded a whole lot of music covers, anthems and all that, it was just fun then. I decided to make it an official package I think around 2013/2014 cos I saw it started getting serious for me and I needed to package it properly.

TXT: wow! you have come a long way.

What could you consider your major setback in the industry since you started officially? You know, considering how rigorous and uneasy breaking into the Nigerian music industry can be.

Sarmyfire: Like any other business music business is capital intensive, it requires all forms of money you can think about, lol (ego, kudi, owo), basically cash is King in any business. Although minimal funds have restricted me a bit that notwithstanding, God, the right connections/platforms and money we’re talking about could set up your career on a blazing track.

TXT: Hypothetically, if you weren’t doing music, what would you have been doing right now?

Sarmyfire: Uhm, amongst many of my other talents, basketball is something I’m really enthusiastic about, I’m a pretty decent PG, but I’m not really sure about the remuneration here in Nigeria, I don’t think it’s that profitable. Asides from that, I have a degree in economics and I have an aptitude for mathematics, I could have easily fit into the finance sector or something, but 9-5 is not my forte at all.

TXT: we stan a multifaceted king!

How do you make new music? What’s the process like?

Sarmyfire: Of all the many times I’ve been asked this question, I’ve not really found that perfect answer people want to hear because honestly for me it’s something that just happens, I could attribute it to some level of spirituality, to be honest.

I could be paying attention to something else, maybe watching a show or playing basketball and all of a sudden a vibration might just hit me and I’m moved to either play a rhythm on the piano or create a melody with my laptop and if my laptop isn’t available at that point I’ll just record a voice note on my phone and send it to myself so I can remember it later.

TXT; What was the experience collaborating with top guys like Falz, Kizz Daniel, YCee, Dj Neptune, Mr. P and Dice Ailes? 

Sarmyfire: I just saw it as an avenue to push my sound to be heard by a new audience, definitely everyone wants to be heard you know, so it wasn’t a bad experience at all.

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TXT; “Bad bitches” your recent release with Dice Ailes, how did that collaboration come about? 

Sarmyfire: There’s this wave I started #DuetwithFire on Instagram and TikTok trying to get my sound heard by a newer audience, so on one episode Dice heard a sound I played and invite me over to his apartment, then we recorded his part and put everything together for official release.

TXT; Are there still artistes you’re looking forward to making music with?

Sarmyfire: a couple, let me try and mention the ones I can remember now—Burna Boy, Olamide, Wizkid, Davido, Rema, Omah Lay, Tiwa Savage, DJ Khaled, Brandy, Usher, Kanye, Chris breezy, Sautisol, and the ones I can’t recall now.

TXT; While growing what did you listen to? Who would you classify as your greatest musical influence? 

Sarmyfire: I listened to a lot of music across different genres while growing up, but I was more invested in R&B and soul music in the 90s. 

I honestly don’t like to say this is my greatest musical inspiration because I see myself drawing inspiration from different aspects of life. so yeah, I don’t have a “greatest musical influence” but I can say for sure Timberland and Ryan Leslie have one way or the other inspired me.

TXT; As a creative in general do you experience creative blocks? What inspires or fuels your creativity as such points? 

Sarmyfire: At such times I either change my environment or I listen to music, these two go a long way in helping me.

TXT: When you’re not making music, what does Sammyfire do? 

Sarmyfire: You can’t slip up in this profession, you have to stay top of your game at every given time, trying to improve yourself and do better, so I’m either brainstorming new melodies, business or promotion ideas or making music in my head that I’ll record later.

TXT: What’s your go-to activity to unwind after dealing with the music industry and its business considering how hectic and chaotic it can be? 

Sarmyfire: As I mentioned earlier, there’s basketball on the side, so either I’m playing basketball or I’m playing video games and whooping some people’s kids, lol or I’m watching a show or series on tv.

TXT; Do you consider yourself doing something different with the music? 

Sarmyfire: Yes, of course. There’s no duplicate of me anywhere else in the world, so nobody can actually have my exact abilities; my uniqueness is what makes my music different, just being me and doing me, that’s all.

TXT: Talking about influence and growing up, do you think your upbringing has played a part in the current position you find yourself in right now? 

Sarmyfire: Actually, yes. From being forced to take piano lessons while my friends and siblings were playing, which I didn’t like; to playing in church, school and finally teaching myself music production properly. Yes, my upbringing influenced my current position and I’m happy about it. 

TXT; What is that one thing that being has artiste has changed about you? 

Sarmyfire: This hustle has put me on my toes way too many times. Yes, it has made me grow a tough skin to a lot of things while giving me a lot of alone at times and late nights because you never really know when your opportunity can come so you have to be prepared at all times.

TXT: That’s true.

What has your entire experience in the music industry taught you? 

Sarmyfire: Firstly, you have to be prepared at all times. You never know when your major breakthrough would come and where it would come from; next is God is the greatest, God can turn all odds in your favour, and; lastly, talent is never enough so keep being innovative and don’t forget God in all your endeavours.

TXT; Pushing music as an independent artiste, how has it been for you in terms of financing?

Sarmyfire: As I said earlier, the talent is never enough, but it’s a major attribute and it’s God-given, so it’s very special, but a larger chunk of the work when it comes to promoting music is the financing and so until the big bucks begin to come—I’ll keep pushing with the little I have and keep being innovative, that’s the way forward at this point.

TXT: What other things are you really passionate about?

Sarmyfire: I’m a big fan of all forms of art, I’m huge on family, I’m a family person, lol then there’s basketball again, hahaha.

TXT; Give us an insight into what is to come from Sarmyfire, collaborations we should look out for? 

Sarmyfire; Haha, there might be something with Black Diamond (Wande Coal), definitely, a must look out for, there are other artistes though; Kizz Daniel, Seyi Shay, Skales, Nonso Amadi, Wani, Dapo Tuburna.

There are loads of underground artistes I’ve been connecting to recently and I’ll tell you for a fact that they are fire and I can’t want to unveil all of them in my series of work to come. You can stay locked to my socials {@Sarmyfire across all platforms} to get first-hand tea when it all drops.

TXT: That’s great! we look forward to that.

Which artistes are currently on your replay playlist currently? 

Sarmyfire: Davido!, the new song with Focalistic-Champion Sound. I’ve been listening to a lot of EDM lately-Tiesto, Jax Jones, etc.

TXT: Champion Sound is our tune too.

What album would you consider as the best album of all times according to your standards? 

Sarmyfire: A really tough one but yeah, I have a few in no particular order; 8701—Usher, All the Blue Print—HOV, Born to do it—Craig David, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy—Kanye, Superstar—Wizkid, Twice as Tall—Burna Boy, Less is More—Ryan Leslie.

TXT: That’s a solid list!

Say ten years from now, where do you picture yourself? 

Sarmyfire: I would love to have multiple awards under my name, including a Grammy, I also should be venturing into movie scoring in the near future too.

TXT; What’s next for you?

Sarmyfire: I should have more collaborations on singles out more then and an E.P or two in the coming year, so I’ll advice everyone to stay glued to my socials because that is where it would all be happening and always watch out for my tag cos it’s always “Fireeee!!!”

TXT: It was nice chatting with you. We will keep rooting for you!

Sarmyfire: Thank you for having me.