Young Dada X: Scaling Obstacles One Genre at a Time 

Abiodun Oluwaferanmi Temitope, popularly known as YDX, is a Lagos-raised Afrofusion artist. Formerly known as Young Dada X, this young lad won the Top Naija Wards for Best HipHop with his track -Move in 2021.

However, his crisp, clean vocals, as revealed in his first body of work, YDX Vol 1 (EP), tell us he can perfectly blend different afro sounds and Genres. You can’t pin this well-rounded artiste to a box! His incredible aura and vibes made this interview one of its kind, as GRIX became the guest and he the host. Let’s get down to it! 

Grix: Can you tell us about yourself

YDX: My full name is Abiona Oluwaferanmi Temitope from Lagos State. I’m an artiste, songwriter and producer. My genre is AfroSounds, and I can switch to different sounds. I started music professionally when I was 17 and dropped my first single in 2020. Since then, I’ve been juggling things. I released my first studio project in 2021, so that’s why I changed my name from Young Dada X. I was using that before, but it’s too long, so I abbreviated it to YDX. I’m a Unilag, 300-level student, and I have new music coming out in a couple of weeks or days.

Grix: Do you want to give me a sneak peek of what to expect? 

YDX: Yeah, it’s just like an afro-swing type of sound.

Grix: I don’t know what afro-swing is

YDX: Let me just play something (proceeds to play a snippet for me) 

The Afro-swing genre of Music is defined by its melody rather than its tempo. The track he played had a happy-dark chords feel with a drum pattern that can get you in the groove from the first kick. The track was giving a 2000’s Bracket (Yori-yori) type of vibez.

Grix: With this song, how do you think your Music has evolved since your first single?

YDX: I won’t lie; it has been a struggle, but if you’ve listened to my first song, you can tell that I’ve grown more mature and I’ve mastered the style of Music.

No lies about that; going through his discography, the songs got better year after year.

Grix: I listened to some of your songs and think you talk about love a lot. Are you trying to pass a message about love? What kind of messages are you trying to pass with your Music?

YDX: With the songs I’ve dropped that are out now, I’m a preacher of love. Funny how it’s sometimes different. It’s just the songs that make it out there that make it seem like I’m a lover boy. The ones that go viral are the love songs. I do all types of songs, I diversify, and I sing about struggle, but the blown songs make it seem like I’m a loverboy.

Grix: So you are not a lover, boy?

YDX: Partially.

Grix: Can you tell me about your EP?  I stumbled upon it in your discography. 

YDX: It was all about love, too, but it was just me trying different sounds and expressing myself. It was an EP of five songs- all love songs.  I released it in 2021

Grix: But you also have a joint EP

YDX: Oh my! I seriously forgot about that. Yeah, that EP was with my friend, Fifebanks. We dropped it early this year. I enjoyed the process. Working on it was a struggle because I was living and producing in the hostel then. It was tough, but the EP came out nice. 

Grix: How have you been able to combine schooling and Music? 

YDX: My primary goal is Music, and my secondary goal is school. It’s tough, but I focus more on my Music than on school. It’s where I put my focus, and that will stress me.

Grix: So you don’t care whatever grades you come out with?

YDX: I won’t lie, I DON’T CARE! 

Grix: When it comes to your Music, how do you create it? Do you do the lyrics or the melody first? What’s your creative process like? Can you tell me about that?

YDX: The thing is that Music is all about projecting your experiences, maybe things that you’ve seen or heard or things that have happened to you.

Grix: Does that mean you’ve experienced love a lot? 

YDX: Hmm, I wouldn’t say so. That’s why I said things that you’ve seen or heard.

Grix: Is there any artiste you would like to collaborate with?

YDX: Do you mean upcoming or “blown artistes?” To be honest, I have a wide range; Tragu Lion, one of my guys, and another one, viable 5. I even have a song coming out with Tragu Lion very soon. I have a couple of crazily talented friends. I also want to work on a lot of collaborations this year.

Grix: Don’t you want to collaborate with any blown artiste? 

The term blown artiste is used majorly for A-list and B-list artistes like Wizkid, Burna, Davido, Rema, or Omah lay. YDX collaborating with an A-list or B-list artist may be possible, but he sees it as something that would come later in his career. 

YDX: Ah! Hey! No! Hey! (exclaims) I’d love to collaborate with any artist. Personally, I’m a music lover and fan, so I listen to a wide range of artists. If I start saying all the artists I want to collaborate with now, I don’t think we’ll ever leave here, but trust me, there are quite a range of artistes I want to collaborate with.

Grix: Can you tell me a fun fact about yourself we’re yet to know?

YDX: Hmm, okay. I am a nocturnal human. I always find something to do in the middle of the night, whether it be recording or producing. It reminds me of that WhatsApp meme that says, “Nobody dey sleep again for this country, you fit text your guy for 3 am make e reply.” 

Grix: Is there anything you enjoy doing apart from music? Anything you do to unwind apart from music?

YDX: Everybody does one thing or the other, and that’s extracurricular, but for me, my stuff is always all about music. I’m a producer, too. Sometimes, I just go on my laptop and do my stuff. That’s extracurricular for me. Most of the time, it’s just music, but sometimes I go out, go to parties, perform, and do everything. That’s it. I also play video games. 

Grix: Do you watch football? 

YDX: Nah

I was shocked by his answer. One would have thought that a young lad of his age would love football like every other. 

Grix: Why?

YDX: I don’t know. I just feel like they’ve spoiled football. Do you get it? I just feel like they’ve spoiled it. 

Grix: Why do you think so?

YDX: I don’t know. Football is not meant to be free and fair. I don’t know if it’s something that has to do with the 2014 World Cup, but since they brought VAR, I have stopped liking football.

Grix: But, I actually feel like VAR made things better. 

YDX: It gives suspense. Imagine somebody scoring goals, and they have to check before it’s confirmed. 

Grix: which of your songs do you like to perform? That one song that if you are woken up from sleep, it will be the first thing you’d perform.

YDX: The thing is that performing for upcoming artistes isn’t easy. You can’t just choose the song that you want to perform. You perform the song that is already blown or known to people around you, so most times I perform In My World, and my new single that I’m about to drop, girls, blessings and For Me from the Fifebanks and YDX EP. Those are the songs that I do perform lately then I perform my next single just to give them a glimpse of what’s coming.

Grix: Can you tell me about the moment you made the decision to start doing music.

YDX: To be honest, right from when I was small, I could die for music. I used to drum in the church, so I’ve always been around music. It’s something I hold dearly to my heart, something that I can actually live for. It has always been in me. I just decided to start music professionally when I found a studio and saw someone who could actually put me on. 

Grix: So, was it easy for you to start recording songs?

YDX: I won’t lie. It’s not easy recording your first song. It’s always challenging. But the person who was with me coached me and guided me in a way that I mastered the processes. Recording your first song is never easy because that’s like coming out of your shell. It’s not something you are really used to. 

Grix: What’s a typical day like in the studio for you?

YDX: I have a studio in my house, So I’m always in the studio. 

Grix: You’re always in the studio? Like 24/7?

YDX: Yeah, except I’m going out for class or doing something else. The studio is my house. That’s just it. 

Grix: So, you do everything in the studio? 

YDX: Not all the time, but I’m just in the studio. There’s inspiration, other new producers come over, and we work. I also go to other producers’ studios too. For the last song I dropped, In My World, I actually went to the producer’s house to record it. 

Grix: Can you tell me some songs you’ve produced?

YDX: I produced the first song on my EP, Many Blessings. Then I dropped a song with two of my friends, P Young and Skylar, and I produced that also. Catalog; Tonight. I also produced the third song on my EP. 

Grix: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned since you started your career? 

YDX: I feel that you should actually put yourself out there as an artist. Your brand is as important as anything as the music. And you have to network, go out and meet new people. That’s one of the most important things I will start doubling down on now.  

Grix: I know you have a single coming up. But do you have plans for a full-length album? 

YDX: Yeah, I’m sorry I forgot to tell you about this, but  I’m actually working on a project. “OluwaFeranmi“, That’s the name. That’s my actual name. It’s just all about my life, as I titled it, OluwaFeranmi. I want it to be about me, to revolve around me personally. 

Grix: I listened to your songs, and I get the Afro-Adura vibe.

“Afro-Adura” is a genre that fans on X (formerly Twitter) culled out surprisingly about songs with deep spiritual meaning and lyrics. The singer often structures the music like a prayer or request to a spiritual being, often for success and prosperity. The late Mohbad embodied this genre in his last E.P. 

YDX: Yeah, like those Late Mohbad types of songs.

Grix: Yes, did you ever try that type of sound? 

YDX: That “Many Places” is giving that vibe, though (hums tune). The first song on that Fifebanks and YDX EP. 

Grix: The song is really viral, too. What do you think? 

YDX: Yeah, it’s a good one.

Grix: Are there any artists that have inspired you to do music?  

YDX: Basically, from the onset, it has always been Wizkid. When I was small, I watched that Holla At Your Boy video, and I was like, “Damn.” It really really made an impact on me. 

Grix: Only Wizkid? 

YDX: No, not only Wizkid. But for this new generation, I feel like Rema and Asake have inspired me a lot. 

Grix: So, what was the most memorable feedback you’ve ever gotten from a fan?

YDX: To be honest, I’ve been doing this music thing professionally for about four years. I don’t think reviews move me anymore. I think it was basically when I just started that reviews actually moved me, but right now, I don’t care about it; there’s nothing I’ve not heard. 

Grix: Where do you see yourself in the next three years, both professionally and personally? 

YDX: Let me start from this year. I’m going to get out of this shell this year. I’m actually going to be out there this year.

Grix: Amen

YDX: Amen. If I can go out of the shell this year, go out of the hood, Which is Unilag, then basically, the whole world is small to me.

Grix: The first time you ever performed live. What did it feel like? How was the experience? Were you nervous? 

YDX: Yo. It was crazy, I won’t lie. The first time I actually performed was at TVC. There’s one “TVC week up” show where they invite artistes. It was a big one for my people, but I was just nervous, and it was crazy for me, I won’t lie. It was just like a new phase for me. You know it’s always tough when you start to do things you are not used to; recording your first song, performing for the first time, etc. You just need to do all those things consistently to grow into it. 

Grix: Are there some artists you consider underground artists, and do you feel they need to be known?

YDX: Yeah, there are always fire underground artistes that people are actually ready to give listening ears.

Grix: An example? 

(short pause) 

YDX: I don’t say any artiste is underground if at least one person knows you. But there are artistes that need to get more accolades, artistes like YKB and me -YDX. We really need our accolades. The thing is that I’m not really stressing it because at the end of the day, it’s eventually going to come.

Grix: Has your family had an impact on your musical journey?

YDX: Yeah. The funny thing is my Mum paid for everything on my first project, from the mixing and mastering to the photo shoot down to the distribution.

Grix: That’s surprising. You know our African parents . . . 

YDX: I feel like it depends on the kind of relationship you have with your parents. You can make them understand your own point of view. I told you I’m a producer, right? My Mum actually paid for all my studio equipment. It’s just me making her understand, “Oh, this is what I want to do, and this is what I want to focus my life on.” 

Grix: How have music streaming platforms influenced your career growth? 

YDX: That’s where branding comes in. The first time I put my songs on a streaming platform, I put them under the name “Young Dada,” when I checked, four different people were bearing that name. It was challenging for me, so I changed it to “young Dada X.” I feel like music platforms make you focus on your branding because you will want to stand out. 

Grix: Yes, that’s right. I’m not based in Lagos, but do your songs air on the radio?

YDX: The thing is that the music industry itself is crazily monetized and more profound than what we just see. Growing up in the music industry is crazy; everybody wants money. You need to spend a crazy amount even to play your song on the radio channels.

Grix: What’s the most memorable moment you’ve had on stage while performing? 

YDX: When the fans were actually chanting my song lyrics. There was a time I went to perform at Good Beach, and I met some artists like WavyTheCreaytor. The performance on the beach that day was so elevating. I felt so out of my body. That was the most memorable performance I’ve had so far. 

Grix: Are there other genres or styles of music you would like to explore? 

YDX: I’m a crazy music lover, so I want to explore my music in that style for every song I listen to. The thing is that people who don’t know what’s going on underground don’t see what I have on my hard drive. It’s just the songs out there that are known. Obviously, I want to explore other genres. 

Grix: If you could have any superpower, which would it be? 

YDX: Damn! Superspeed or time traveling. I would like to travel in time.

Grix: Why? 

YDX: It will be an excellent opportunity for me. I would know everything that goes on and the next thing that wants to happen.

Grix: Won’t you like to change some things? 

YDX: I will keep everything the same. I would like to implement other things. I would like to do things better. Traveling back in time would be in my favor in a positive way.

We have all agreed that “School na scam, right”? 

YDX: Are you still schooling? 

Grix: Yes, I am. I’m in my final year. (Blushes in final year brethren)

YDX: Which course is that? Mass Communication?

Grix: Nope. It’s a totally unrelated course. It has to do with construction. 

YDX: And you are doing something Mass Comm related.

Grix: I know, right? I love music a lot. I just love the arts. I’m a writer, do interviews, and just do anything related to socials. Sometimes I even question myself to know why I’m studying my current course, but then it’s done already.

YDX: You are in your finals again, bro! How did you feel when ASUU was doing its thing? 

(The interviewer is now being interviewed) 

Grix: I see those long breaks as an opportunity to try my hands at something else. I really see it as a good use of time. The only reason I might be moved is to play to the tune of society by chasing a certificate. I don’t really care for the breaks.

YDX: I feel like that’s what strikes and all those breaks are for. For you to actually find yourself in the real world and do what you like.

Grix: I mean, most of us made mistakes in 2020. We were just chilling, playing around. But you know, Once beaten, twice shy.

YDX: Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. Imagine you could go back in time. You will do what you were supposed to do.

Grix: True.. maybe if I had sat up in 2020, I’d be abroad with Seyi Vibez now, maybe as his manager or something (Laughs in delulu)

YDX: (laughs) Seyi Vibez. He really inspires me a lot. I like his style. He’s a dope artiste. Yeah, the first time I heard his song, I was passing by Bariga, and I asked a small boy I saw who his favorite artist was, and this boy said, “Seyi Vibez.” I was so shocked and was wondering who that person was until I checked it out 

Grix: The first time I heard Seyi Vibez too, I started calling it “Sapa” music, and I felt it sounded razz, but I guess I can’t run away from craziness (It’s in me). I realized he’s really talented, and I’ve been stuck ever since.

Grix: If you were not a musician, what other career path would you have pursued.

YDX: I won’t lie. If I wasn’t doing music, I would probably be producing. Just doing anything related to music.

Grix: You are so crazy about music? 

YDX: Yes, that’s the only thing driving me.

Grix: What advice do you have for upcoming artistes.

YDX: Don’t give up. It will be tough because you have to prove a point, but don’t give up. This goes for other creatives, too. 

Anything you are doing in life, as far as you know, is what you want to do, so don’t just give up. Just continue doing it; one day, everything will work out. And just be good at what you do. It took me time to develop myself, and nothing is too hard for a human being to do. If you are actually focused, don’t give up and keep developing yourself, and obviously, one day, things are going to change. 

Listen to YDX track below