TillDayBreak: Ayodeji Balogun on Grind, Growth, and Real Music

In a fast-evolving music scene where authenticity often gets overshadowed by trends, Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as TillDayBreak, stands out as a voice grounded in purpose and persistence. With a sound rooted in storytelling, introspection, and raw emotion, he bridges the gap between hustle and hope, capturing the essence of what it means to keep going until the sun rises again.

Identity and Work Rate

Your stage name, TillDayBreak, feels quite symbolic. What does it represent for you now compared to the first time you chose it?

TillDayBreak: For me, TillDayBreak means work rate, grind, and a new beginning. Majorly, it’s about the work rate, how much I’m willing to keep going at it until I get what I want. It’s a symbol of hope and just grinding, really.

What’s the general reaction when you tell people your name? It sparks so much intrigue.

TillDayBreak: I like the intrigue around it. People always look at me funny because there are two different meanings. There’s the “smart person who reads a lot,” based on doing ’till daybreak’ studying in school. And then there’s the other one, which I will not be speaking about. But I love that it’s unique and gets people’s attention. They always do a double-take.

You mentioned another meaning you won’t speak about. Why is that?

TillDayBreak: I don’t want to associate my brand with something of that nature. When you say “TillDayBreak,” there’s a certain association people make, and I want to keep the focus on the grind and the work rate.

Finding the Sound and Surviving Doubt

You’ve built a distinct sound rapping over Afrobeats. When did you realise you weren’t just experimenting, but actually creating something unique?

TillDayBreak: I’ve always been a music head, but I was shy about making music in public. Initially, making music was just for “cruise” to be able to say I had songs on Apple Music or Spotify. That was the goal. But I don’t like being mediocre at anything.

When my first song hit over 20,000 streams, I had to do a double-take. If people are listening, we have to make it worth their while. I started tapping inspiration from Afrobeats, palm wine music, J. Cole, MI, Wizkid, and Davido. I listened to people I liked, picked one or two things from each, and fused them into my own style. That’s how we got here.

Every artist faces doubt. Can you describe a time you almost gave up on music and what kept you going?

TillDayBreak: When I made the first couple of demos, the feedback someone gave me was very unconstructive, and it almost made me think, “What am I even doing? This is a hobby at best.”

That period made me realise I do music because I enjoy it. I decided I don’t care if other people aren’t feeling it, because if I enjoy it, there’s someone out there like me who will enjoy it too. I’ve never wanted to quit since.

Your songs balance pain and hope. What personal experience made you see music as a form of survival, not just expression?

TillDayBreak: I make music about real-life experiences. My first project, which is no longer streaming, was literally about betrayal; my best friend and my partner did me dirty. I was so pissed, the only thing I could do was write. I had written it as a poem, but someone suggested I try delivering it on a rap beat.

Since then, I’ve been soaking up experiences, documenting what happens in my environment and society, and telling those stories. I find it comforting when you’re going through stuff and find a song that best expresses how you feel. I’ve had random people text me to say, “Wow, this really spoke to me.” Those things encourage me to keep telling stories.

On the Life in the Trenches Project

What inspired Life in the Trenches, and what message were you trying to share through it?

TillDayBreak: At my very core, I’m a storyteller, and I think that everything around me is a source of inspiration. I grew up observing things which I thought were unique experiences, but over time I realised that my experiences were norms in society. Life In The Trenches is my way of documenting my experiences and also letting people know they’re not alone in what they’re going through. In many ways, I’m making the soundtracks of people’s lives.

Which of the five tracks means the most to you, and why?

TillDayBreak: It’s a tough call between Shege and Black Tax, but I’ll say Shege. I grew up seeing different cases of domestic violence, and I always wondered why the victims never left and why society didn’t try to stop it. Shege is my way of lending a voice to the victims, to let them know there’s a way out. Hopefully, it becomes an anthem and we can give back to the victims to help empower them.

Now that the project is out, how do you feel about the feedback and what’s next for you?

TillDayBreak: It’s been surreal. The major feedback has been how I’m making REAL music with substance, and that’s essentially what I want to be known for, so that’s great! For what’s next? I will keep telling stories that mean something to us all. There has to be a TillDayBreak song for any mood you’re in.

On Rituals and Future Self

Take us into your studio. What’s your creative ritual?

TillDayBreak: Before I record, I listen to my old stuff, both released and unreleased. It puts me in a creative zone. Sometimes I hear my old lyrics and think “Was it me that wrote this?” and that psychs me up. If it’s something emotional, I’ll listen to other songs that evoke that emotion to get my delivery right, so it sounds like I’m exactly in that situation.

Outside of music, what grounds you? What reminds you that you are still human, not just an artist chasing hits?

TillDayBreak: I’m very big on my friends and family. I’m an ambivert, and my friends help me charge my social battery. Even when we’re just chilling, playing games, or gisting about life, I’m storing those stories in my head, thinking, “Oh, this is someone’s reality.” If there’s a single angle, I’m already painting something. My friends and family are my strong points that keep me grounded.

You speak of love and loyalty in your lyrics. Has the attention and fame ever tested what those words mean to you personally?

TillDayBreak: I don’t see myself as a celebrity; I’m like every guy’s guy. I might have almost 2 million streams, but I don’t carry my artist baggage everywhere. I do my 9-to-5 job and go home. When I have to be a musician, I wear that hat, do what I have to do, and move. So I wouldn’t say those things have been tested, really.

If your next album were a letter to someone, who would you write it to and what would you say?

TillDayBreak: I think my next album would be a letter to myself. I see music as documenting my point of view. I would be documenting my current aspirations, hoping that at some point, I can listen to them and laugh because they are in the past. I want people to be able to quote my lyrics from the past and say, “Oh, wow, he said it then, and he did it at some point.”

Is there one song that you secretly love, but you never admit to having on your playlist?

TillDayBreak: I think I’m very in touch with my emotions. If I like an artist, I’ll say I like them. I wouldn’t be in the closet about it. Even if it’s what some people call “soft boy music”—I listen to it, too. If I like an artist, I’m trying to put everyone on.

From my perspective, LITT is a short but inspiring body of work that captures both emotion and intention. As a music lover who values replay value, I found myself looping all five tracks, not just for their sound, but for the depth they hold. It’s concise, yet rich enough to stay with you long after it ends.

Closing

From documenting pain and resilience to crafting soundtracks that echo the struggles of everyday life, Ayodeji “TillDayBreak” Balogun continues to prove that his art is as much about purpose as it is about passion. With every verse, he redefines what it means to stay true to one’s story, working, creating, and evolving till daybreak.