Féz aiming higher with his jazz music creations

He runs the OL Music production company and has collaborated with Lucy Grimble, Pete McAllen and Jake Isaac. He has also worked with Grammy award-winning bass player Michael League of Snarky Puppy and MOBO Award nominee Femi Temowo.

Born in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria and grew up in London, Féz whose real name is Feranmi Oguns soon discovered his strong passion for music. At the age of 11, he began to play the drums, and at 16, he went on to study music at The Brit School of Performing Arts. He was later awarded a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston Massachusetts. Recently, he has worked with artists including Jorja Smith, Jake Isaac, Lily Moore, JP Cooper and Stefanie Heinzmann.

On 4 November Fez emerged as the winner and recipient of £10 000 ($11 600) in prize money awarded by the Drake YolanDa Fund in London, where he and four other producers were invited to compose and record a song in 45 minutes.

He started out as a drummer in his band The Outlanders. They were featured at shows and festivals around the UK. He has released three singles as Féz, an EP and album with the band.

The producer talks about his plans on taking his music to higher heights and what his fans should be expecting from him in an interview with Music in Africa.

Music In Africa: Who is Féz?

Féz: Féz is a songwriter, producer, musician born in Nigeria and raised in London.

For how long have you been at creating music?

I’ve been working in the music industry for just over a decade. Started off as a session musician (drummer). Prior to that I had been writing songs but was never brave enough to share them with anyone.

There's the prize money you won recently, you want to tell us about it?

Yes, I took part in the Drake/Yolanda award put together by James Drake (philanthropist) and YolanDa Brown (Artist). They started an initiative to shine a light in those who are behind the song we all sing along to.

The competition was specifically for producer/songwriters and the task was to write a verse and a chorus is 15minutes. The finalists will then go in to finish the song in half an hour and the judges crown their favourite song as the winner of which I’m so grateful to have been the first winner of the competition and to be awarded the cash prize.

What do you intend to do with the money?

I’m going to be investing in my music. Prior to the competition, I had been releasing one song a month. The money allows me to fund more co-writing sessions and put together a larger project to release at some point in 2020.

What's the one thing every song must have for it to be a masterpiece?

Authenticity. I think every song has to be authentic both in intention and lyrically too.

What do you really mean, when you say authenticity?

My definition of authenticity is that it has to come from a real place. Maybe an emotion or an experience that had an impact in some capacity. I think that always make art especially music very relatable and increasing the chances of it being a masterpiece.

Which artist do you look forward to working with and why?

I’d love to work with Chris Martin (Coldplay), I think he a phenomenal writer and I’m a huge fan of his music. I’d also love to work with ASA, I think her voice is out of this world.

What is the project you are working on currently?

I’m currently working on a song with a German/Swiss artist called Stefanie Heinzmann. She’s got such a powerful vocal and is such a lovely person.

What should your fans be expecting from you soon? Another album?

Yea I’ve got quite a bit of music coming out.

The song that won the competition ‘Complicated’ is out on the 27 Dec. And I have an instrumental project and features project out next year.

What would you tell an aspiring producer?

I’d tell an aspiring producer to collaborate as much as often as they can and to listen to as much music as possible.