On Our Radar: “I Want My Music to Reach People Beyond My Immediate Community” – Firstklaz

As part of BellaNaija’s effort to build on the two-decade legacy of supporting and spotlighting creatives, BellaNaija Features launched the “BN On Our Radar” series to spotlight a few emerging Nigerian artists who are believed to be the future of Nigerian music. More than introducing and spotlighting future or rising stars, On Our Radar is about documenting a generation of artists creating the future of Nigerian music.

Today, we are spotlighting Firstklaz. Firstklaz’s music is one of the distinctive sounds coming out of Nigeria in recent times. He combines his Hausa influence with modern Afrobeats to create soulful songs that are both emotive and groovy. In this feature, Firstklaz shares how he discovered his passion for music, where he currently is in his journey, and his ultimate dream for his music.

Hi Firstklaz. How are you feeling?

Hello. I feel good. I feel blessed.

Congratulations on your Headies nomination! What first made you believe music was something you wanted to pursue seriously?

Thank you. Music was always around me growing up, but I didn’t immediately see it as a career. That changed when I started making songs and saw how people genuinely connected with them. Seeing people sing my lyrics back to me and relate to my stories made me realise music could be bigger than just a hobby. From that point, I decided to give it everything I had because I knew this was what I was meant to do.

Do you still remember your earliest memories of making music, like the first song you ever recorded?

My earliest memories are simply creating with whatever I had. I wasn’t thinking about streams or numbers; I just wanted to make music that felt honest. I still remember recording my first songs with very limited equipment, learning through trial and error, and improving with every session. Those…