Ekene is a 24-year-old Canadian-based Nigerian singer and songwriter, and she comes into the music industry with her take on RnB/Soul, Afrofushion, Gospel, and Neo-soul. "Callin' Me" channels the emotional and spiritual with multiple classic 90"s RnB sounds and subtle traps.
As Ekene continues pursuing her dreams, she found her passion for music by singing in choirs since primary/ elementary school. After nurturing an online presence by uploading covers on Youtube over the past few years, Ekene has pushed the boundaries regardless! The musical range of her debut single is a poetic representation of her style - classic with a dynamically urban twist. "Callin' Me" started as a freestyle when a friend of Ekene's, Ibro, sent her the beat in 2019. Since then, the record has been in the works with several versions to get it to where it is now.
"Callin' Me" introduces us to its soft, serene instrumental as her angelic follows shortly after. Ekene sings so freely about her feelings and how she felt hurt during certain situations she had no control over in lyrics like "You walked right past me like you didn't know me yeah" and, "I told you I loved you, but you did not care." It's such a beautiful story as the drums beat, and the bass hits just like an RNB song should!
Ekene describes her emotions so well while her celestial, strong voice pulls together all the aspects which make it stand out even more. "Callin' Me" brings relatable words and motivation for any woman who has been treated wrongly or has ever felt they weren't good enough. She mentions how the person she met changed and broke so many promises, Akene shows how vulnerable she is but wants us to know that we shouldn't be stuck on the past and take the hurt and turn it into greatness, much as she's doing in this record.
Let's not forget Ekene brought authentic RNB/Soul vibes with "Callin' Me" with her continuous vibrato and drum and bass, which compliments her voice so well. This record can reflect that true passion shows even while going through a hard time due to personal situations, she ends off by saying things like "you're a liar, you're a criminal," telling us that she isn't afraid to say what she needs to, and I'm sure we all have felt this way before.
Now available on all digital platforms, let's wrap up all our emotions with Ekene Anoyai and her hit single "Callin' Me," now available on all digital platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic Ekene. We are so happy to have you here with us today. We adore "Callin' Me" as the vibes are impeccable. How did this song come about, and what was the creative process?
Hi BuzzMusic, thank you so much for having me and loving the record! The song itself started off as a freestyle when a friend, Ibro, sent me the beat in 2019, and since then, it's been recorded and re-recorded with several versions just to get it to where it is now. I am just really excited for everyone to hear it and relate to it!
" Callin' Me" is a relatable record with massive potential. What did you want your listeners to take away from this record?
Thank you so much again; I genuinely hope people do relate to it. The record is about being in love with someone who no longer feels the same way. Eventually, the person wants you back after seeing you thriving out of the relationship. The line ‘I told you I loved you, but you did not care’ is a bit of an exaggeration, but what I want my listeners to take away from this is that anyone that makes you feel this way is not worth going back to; no matter how many times they call or seem to have changed - for the better.
As a female artist, what would you say was the most challenging moment in your career and why?
Honestly, the most challenging moment in my career as a female artist involved unwanted intimate advances made toward me by someone who was meant to be producing a record for me. It was challenging because I had to maneuver the situation in a way that I could return home safely that day without also agreeing to those advances. At the end of the day, all I wanted to do and still want to do was to make music. Hopefully, more female artists can occupy these spaces and still feel safe.
What advice would you give any young woman regarding situations you've been through, as you mentioned in "Callin' Me?”
For any young women out there, don’t be with people who don’t deserve you. Especially people who have already shown you sides to them that aren’t pleasant. If you need to start asking the lines in the song “Who did? Where did this you come from?” then I don’t think it is worth it.
What's next for you?
There is a lot to do, there is a lot that is ‘next for me!' This is my first song ever that is being released to the public on streaming platforms, and I am just so grateful to God. I also cannot wait to see what is next, but more music is definitely at the top of that list for me. I cannot wait for everyone to hear what I have to offer!
