“I Was Born And Bred To Be An Artist” – Interview With Unique Creation

East London-based lyricist and rising artist Unique Creation unveils his latest music video ‘Inner Battles’ which is the third visual taken from his inspiring ‘Dark Season’ EP. Honest spoken word is enhanced by the acoustic guitar creating a mellow and thought-provoking track.

‘Inner Battles’ is aimed at people working to fulfill their dreams whilst dealing with insecurities and fighting to believe in their own potential.

“My righteous intent was never pure
No such thing as innocent, we’re tainted there’s one cure
Only a lifeline for a lifestyle with no flaw
Welcome to the abyss of our heart’s states we go for
All the things that will make us look good on the outside
Self-improvement on our own terms, no best is that right?
Forget the long road I need a quick fix, quick mix of the fast highs”

Unique Creation delivers his thoughts with gentle distinction. His spoken word is consciousness-raising and atmospheric. And above all, it’s engaging and leaves the listener lost in thought and wanting more. His music is indeed a unique creation.

Neon Music caught up with Unique Creation to find out more:

Tell me about your new track/video ‘Inner Battles’ and what message you are hoping to convey to the listener/viewer?
I want to bring the listener closer to my thoughts and feelings. We all deal with doubts and insecurities but sometimes we don’t talk enough about what those doubts do to us over time. I had huge doubts about my situation which was a gateway to anxiety and frustration. I started to lash out at people when it became too much to deal with. I had no patience for anyone who even remotely irritated me. At one point I felt overwhelmed by the stress I was under and did not want to be around anyone.

I am trying to relate to the listener to remind them that they are not alone and it’s normal to have internal conflict but we do not have to work it all out by ourselves. It feels good to hear from someone going through something similar so that’s what I’m doing with this song.

Who/what are some of your musical inspirations or influences?
I am inspired by people like my dad who is a musician before me. Even now he is an influential musician in Nigeria. His name is Tunji Oyelana. He always spoke his mind in his music and that can take courage especially if you have controversial views. At one point he was on the run because his life was in danger for speaking out against the Nigerian president at the time. He taught me to stay true to myself and never censor my music because it takes away from what makes the art genuine.

l am also inspired by life. I go through ups and downs, I’ve had good and bad experiences and I’m still going through it. This gives me a lot to talk about. As long as I have a life to live, I will always have something to talk about. Music is a conversation and I like expressing my experiences through music.

Walk me through the creative process when writing your music or recording a song?
My best songs come to me in the most random places and often when I’m having a shower. I could see a sign or say something in a conversation and that can really set me off. ‘Inner Battles’ came from me going through a tough time so I just wrote down my thoughts.

When I am in the studio I become very distant and almost reclusive. It is usually only me and the engineer or anyone else that actually needs to be there. The studio is a very sensitive place for me and I am careful about who I allow in that space. I am willing to take advice from people and feedback about my music but once I am in the studio.. everything I say goes!!

Do your childhood experiences influence your music and as your father is a well-known musician, is this something you always wanted to do?
I grew up around music so it is a huge part of my life but I did not want to pursue music as a career until my teens. That is when I really started writing lyrics. I started off as a battle MC and all I wanted to write was the worst things I could think of to make sure that I slaughtered any opponent. As time went on I wanted to share more of myself through music so my art grew with me.

My childhood plays a huge part in my love for music, I grew up surrounded by singers, instrumentalists, writers, actors, and the list goes on!! I was born and bred to be an artist, it’s in my blood and my psyche.

What do you think about the UK rap/spoken word landscape at the moment and where do you think you fit in?
The UK rap/spoken word scene is still growing and is gaining more of the respect it deserves but it still has a long way to go. There is still so much to explore and so much ground to cover. I’m not sure I really fit in anywhere so I’m making my own space. I’m trying to do something different, the difference I am talking about will become more and more apparent as I release more music in the near future.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Just getting to know me is surprising to a lot of people. I’ve lost count of how many times I have been called weird, strange, odd and much more. This even came up at a job interview I had some years back…I didn’t get the job!!

I don’t think I’m weird but people think I am. You be the judge.

The up-and-coming artist you love the most is…?
Right now I’ve got my eyes on InderPaul Sandhu & Feed’em. I really like the genuine love and dedication they have for their craft. InderPaul recently released “The Bloom Tape” and Feed’em recently released “Murder the Flesh” EP. Listening to them is pure indulgence for me.

What do you find are the biggest challenges of being in the music industry in this day and age?
I find that music is not as valued as it should be. From my point of view, I have noticed that people do not appreciate the hours that goes behind a 3 – 4minute song. One song takes a lot of time from writing the song to recording, mixing, mastering especially if a music video is involved, not to mention the business side of things.

The music industry is packed with mass production and it can seem like a 3-minute song only takes 3 minutes to make. I know a lot of musicians that put their soul into the songs they make, only for it to be disregarded. This can be a hard truth to accept.

Top 5 tracks from 2018
WOW!!… It’s hard to select a top 5 from this year but these come to mind because I left them on replay for days:

Andy Mineo – …There
Jackie Hill Perry – Fall Away
Lecrae – Holy Water
InderPaul Sandhu – Deep
Feed’em – JCOE

Tell me about Black Fingerprint Association (B.F.A)?
B.F.A is a company run by artists for artists. It is also the label I am signed to. All my music production, management, and marketing come from BFA. It is not just a company but also a community of creatives who can look to each other for work.

Guilty pleasure?
I am a serious foodie, when I am in an emotionally dark place I tend to eat a lot more than usual. I lack discipline when it comes to food and I can spend way too much on just eating for no reason. Luckily for me, I am always on the move which helps with the weight gain, but my eating habits are not very safe or healthy by normal standards… SERIOUSLY!!! I eat the worst things!!.

What’s next for Unique Creation?
I have a new project in the works which will be coming out next year, no dates for now. I will be going on my third consecutive Festival tour after 2 very successful ones. Check out my website for updates on what I am up to.