**DIESEL** jacket, shirt, and pants and **DAVID YURMAN** earrings and necklace.
With cyan hair and blue butterfly emojis at the end of every tweet, Nigerian-born singer-songwriter WurlD knows how to craft a cohesive image. Although forever sticking to his Afrobeats roots, with upcoming release _My WurlD With You,_ self-described as his rawest to date, WurlD just may be entering his true blue period.
Born as Sadiq Onifade, WurlD began his career in Atlanta writing songs for artists such as BOB, Trinidad James, Akon, Mario, and many more. After releasing first single in 2012 “Beyond Our Dreams” and continuing on to work with artists such as Shizzi and Walshy Fire of Major Lazer, Chris Brown, and award-winning Nigerian producer Sarz, his unique style and eclectic sound have garnered him a loyal fan base. Much more than the cool hair and artsy editorial photos, WurlD is rightfully staking his claim as Africa’s newest breakout star.
Speaking with _Flaunt_ over zoom, WurlD shared tales of his decade-long journey navigating the business, upcoming releases, like “SPUNK” which is out today, eclectic influences, and how love conquers all when it comes to brand collaborations.
**DIESEL** jacket and shirt and **DAVID YURMAN** earrings and necklace.
**How did you end up in Atlanta?**
When I first moved to move to the U.S., the first city I ever lived in was Chicago. So, just imagine an African boy from the hot continent of Africa in Chicago in December. Listen, it was excruciating for me. And my uncle lived in Atlanta at the time, so he was like, “Yo, come visit Atlanta, see if you like it.” So, I came to Atlanta and never went back to Chicago.
**How did you get immersed in Atlanta’s music scene?**
Even when I was living in Nigeria as a kid, I've always wanted to do music. And living in Atlanta was the best thing ever happened to me because it’s one of the top cities for creative music—the best songwriters, best producers, best urban music scene. I just found myself surrounded by all that. I started going to studios, went to talent shows, and just really tried to network and find ways to pursue a dream.
**What do you consider as your big break?**
You know what, I never really consider anything as a big break. I think it's been a series of small events. A small little bit of success is not small, but it pushes you to the next thing. So, for me, it's been a chain of reaction in this small series of small events over the years. It’s hard to identify just one break, but Africa in 2016 was a transitional period for me. I released a song called “Show You Off.” Ever since moving to Atlanta, that was my first time being back home in Africa that people cared. I started waking up to hundreds and hundreds of messages about the song. I would say that was a turning point for me, and it brought me closer to the continent and where I’m from.
**Who were your influences growing up and how have they shifted over time?**
I would say Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men, Coldplay—I'm transitioning slowly—Kanye West, Sade, Seal, and Bon Jovi just to name a few.
**DIESEL** jacket and shirt and **DAVID YURMAN** earring.
**Why wait until now to create a U.S.-based album?**
It’s not necessarily a U.S. based album, but a world album. I started my music career in Atlanta, and over the past four years, I've been doing a lot of fusion with Afrobeats. That's the sound from where I'm from. This time around, the sound of the music ranges from Afrobeats to alternative, urban, R&B music—there are just so many different genres. But I think it reflects my name, in a way. I create world music. A lot of the top lines that you find in the records could be similar to something that people are familiar with in the U.S. This is just part of my journey; using my sound based on my experiences and the places that I've been in. Working with different artists and being a songwriter for different artists, I just learned so much. And I feel like these days, it's hard to put my sound in one little box. I feel like I'm just like an instrument of all those things that I've been blessed to experience over the years.
**What can we expect from _My WurlD With You_?**
This album is a lot rawer and more personal than my previous albums. I think a lot of the people who follow my story mature enough successful get a little sense of, ‘Oh, I know, him a little better. Oh, this is what he likes.’ I think I'm going a lot more in depth into the flaws of being human and being a man. And this particular album, a lot of people are very curious. What kind of stuff does he like? What kind of trouble is he getting into? What kind of girls does he like? How does he think? I’d say this is my first step of bringing people behind the scenes, in the bedroom in a way, too. It's fun, it's raw, it's edgy. The conversations are very, to a certain extent, toxic at some points, but this is just me being flawed.
**Talk about the new single “SPUNK.”**
This one is definitely a shocker. Anyone who has ever listened to any of my songs is definitely going to have a moment. I think it’s jaw dropping, in the sense that it's so raw. There’s a line in the record where I'm saying, “You're the best that I know, no one else comes close.” It’s so repetitive, and it's really just an affirmation to a partner, friend, or anyone that you that you work with and think are just amazing. It's like, “Yo, you’re the best I know. You got that spunk.” But really, it's just a fun, urban, sexy summer record. This is for the bedroom. This is for all the fun moments, private moments. I think people are going to enjoy this one.
**DIESEL** jacket and shirt and **DAVID YURMAN** earrings and necklace.
**What can we expect from your upcoming tour?**
We haven't announced any the tour dates yet, but we're looking at the U.S, some parts of Europe, and Africa, of course. I've released like three projects within the past 24 months, so a lot of the people that listen to my music get a chance to see the songs live. Last year, we were was supposed to go on tour before the pandemic hit. So, this time around, I'm just excited to share these moments, these memories, and vibes with people in different parts.
**What brands have you collaborated with so far, and who are you hoping to in the future?**
Tiffany's, David Yurman, Amiri, Diesel, and we have a couple other things in the works that are very exciting. But I'm open when it comes to brands. Really, I only love to go to love places—any brand that sees value in what I do. I think that's where the real success is. So, I'm usually very open. I go where the love is, always.
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Photographer: [Ace Torie](https://www.instagram.com/acetorie/?utm_medium=copy_link "https://www.instagram.com/acetorie/?utm_medium=copy_link")
Stylist: [El Lewis](https://www.instagram.com/el.lewis/ "https://www.instagram.com/el.lewis/")
Editing: [Vizuvlgvds](https://www.instagram.com/vizuvlgvds/ "https://www.instagram.com/vizuvlgvds/")
