Five minutes with Kizz Daniel — The Nigerian singer-songwriter is redefining afrobeats

With over four billion streams to his name, Kizz Daniel is somewhat of a mogul in the afrobeats scene. You might know him from his chart-toppers ‘Buga’ and ‘Cough’, but it’s the artist’s latest single, ‘Pano Tona’, that’s marking a new stage in his ten-year-long career. It’s the product of a fully-evolved sound for one. But it’s also an ode to Daniel’s personal journey — a celebration of overcoming challenges, with some motivational messages meshed in for his fans. Off the back of his Vado At 10 tour, the Nigerian singer-songwriter sits down with HUNGER to discuss the inspiration behind ‘Pano Tona’, reuniting with Adekunle Gold and celebrating a decade of redefining afrobeats on the global stage.

Looking back, what moments from your decade-long journey have defined you the most?

I’m grateful for how far I’ve come and how far we are going to go. Becoming a father has been a really pivotal moment for me. 

Your new single, ‘Pano Tona,’ speaks to resilience and triumph. Was there a particular moment that influenced the track?

Personally, leaving the record label I started out with, G Worldwide, with little to zero support and still cementing my name in the history books is something I’m always proud of. Not a lot of artists make it past that.

Yourself and Adekunle Gold last worked together on ‘Jore’, a fan favorite. What was it like reuniting for ‘Pano Tona’?

I keep saying it, we have a great chemistry, it’s easy to work with creatives that are brilliant and know how to navigate the intricacies of their artistry. We have both honed our sound and it’s obviously going to be better with every new track we get on together. 

‘Pano Tona’ blends afrobeats and amapiano. How intentional is that fusion of sounds?

I experiment with different sounds and I don’t just hop on a song without knowing the core theme, target region and type of sound I want to deliver. The last couple of songs I have released have been very intentional and ‘Pano Tona’ is the latest addition.

The Vado At 10 tour has been a huge celebration of your career for yourself and your fans. Did you have any particular fan interactions that stood out to you?

Every interaction with a fan is a memorable one. They’re the reason I’m here and it’s always amazing to see the love. Every fan, every stage, every city is a memorable experience. 

Afrobeats has become a global movement, and you’re at the forefront of it. How do you navigate the balance between staying true to your roots and appealing to an international audience?

With everything in life, you have to ground yourself with balance. That’s the key, as much as you want to experiment or create music that appeals to an international audience, you have to remember that they loved you for your original sound.

Your lyrics often feel deeply personal and relatable. What does your songwriting process look like?

Sometimes my music comes from personal experiences and other times, it comes from what I’m seeing or hearing. The whole beauty of music is that you can pen down these feelings to create things that move people.

From ‘Woju’ to ‘Pano Tona’, your sound has evolved significantly. How would you describe your artistic growth over the last decade, and what’s been your biggest learning curve?

I learn everyday — I’m a very curious person naturally and that seeps into my music. I just love to grow my craft the best I can. I try to experiment every now and then but still keep the core sound that is synonymous with the Kizz Daniel brand. The last decade has just been all about growth and redefining the Kizz Daniel sound. 

With billions of streams, global tours and collaborations with stars like Becky G, how do you stay grounded and maintain a sense of authenticity?

Like I mentioned earlier, you have to remember what made people love you. The sound you dished out that attracted people locally and internationally, that’s a constant reminder of what not to make a shift from. I tell myself every day that I want people to hear me and still have the same feeling — the same rush they had when they listened to my first song. 

So, what’s next for Kizz Daniel? 

There’s a lot in the works. You can expect new Kizz Daniel music — my new album drops next year and there’s a lot of exciting music there. There’s always something new with the Kizz Daniel brand.