How can Nigerian artistes benefit from your wealth of knowledge as a producer/engineer?

Ganesh: I have been working within the music industry for over 10 years now as an engineer and producer, working with Grammy award winning artistes. I have learnt from some of the best producers in the world, some of whom have worked with the Beatles, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Gwen Stefani, Black Eyed Peas, Janet Jackson and many more. There is so much talent and great music coming out of Nigeria at the moment; it is truly amazing to witness. I think with the skills and experience I have gathered over the years, I can add to this movement and bring the music to life and place upcoming Nigerian artistes on the international sound stage. I have worked with an amazing new Nigerian Record Label coming up, called 3rd World Music Entertainment. They have an amazing roster of talented artistes. We recently completed an EP together and have recorded and mixed it in one of London’s most prestigious studios.

What motivated you to go into music?

Nannio: I’ve always been a lover of music, different styles. I would find myself listening to music on the radio or on my walkman CD player at the time, remember them? What would happen to me when I heard tracks was that I would find myself completing the lyrics or adding melodies. So at a very young age, even though I was a very shy child, I would say music was my solace. My parents used to pay for music lessons for me and my siblings. My main motivation I would say, is to come in and make a mark, I really like to entertain people. I like knowing that people are having a good time, I am a very ambitious person. So my motivation is to see 3rd World Music (I mean the name itself I believe is a badge of honour) shine. If you look at it for so long, 3rd World is a name attached to negative stigma or connotation. So my idea is to use that and show the world that we from the 3rd World are great and we don’t have to rely on foreign aid but we can better ourselves using our skills and knowledge.

What is the best piece of advice you can give to an artiste heading to a recording session for the first time?

Ganesh: The best piece of advice is to be prepared. I think doing as much preparation before your session is the key. I’ve done many sessions where artistes will come in and are not quite ready. You can see it as they are still working on parts, delivery and sometimes even structure. Studios can be intimidating for the first time as you feel like you’re under a microscope – you can hear every detail, every breath, every lip smack – it can get to you. So one thing to help you get over that is being prepared and coming in and saying “let’s go!!” Be confident with what you are about to do. After that, it’s just getting used to the environment and the recording process, which is great fun.

How far have you gone with your label?

Nannio: The label itself is at its inception, we are just starting out. This is why I believe people should know and hear about us. We have a song that we did recently called about us, it is more or less about who we are. It’s not a dance or party track, it’s a track we want. It is aimed at getting the core underground of music in Nigeria to get familiar with us. The label itself is something. I want to have different sounds and I strongly believe my guys have the capabilities to deliver. As the year draws to a close, I think a lot of Nigerian music fans will start to see more visibility from us. I believe we are here to stay and we want to contribute to our great nation.

What makes a great artist/band?

Ganesh: For me what makes a good artist/band is to have something special about them, something that draws you in wanting more. This can be a combination of a great song, an amazing voice, lyrics, emotion, connection, emotional delivery, melodies, riffs, hooks and a general vibe around them. I’ve been very fortunate to work with great talents in the studio, they just come in and, for the first time, I listen to them sing/play, I leave with a great big smile, thinking WOW!! That’s what music is all about! They probably look at me thinking this guy is a little crazy, what’s he smiling at? But in the end, music is all about moments, you hear a song and it invokes a feeling.

You are doing well in the UK, why the desire to break into the Nigerian market?

Nannio: My label is at its inception. Nigeria is at the heart of where my label’s success lies. It is my bread and butter so to speak and it is very much home. So without Nigeria, 3rd World Music can never be a success. We need the people and not the other way round; I am a great believer in Nigeria. The talents, the potentials and the resources alone in Nigeria are endless. We as a people just need to realise that, I believe a lot of Nigerians in the Diaspora are starting to realise this after what happened in the elections, people like myself, and to quote my father believe ‘the best is still possible’. Nigeria is vital to my label’s success and will always be, so we have to break into that market.

Do you think you can connect with the people of Nigeria easily, as you’ve lived almost all your life in the UK?

Nannio: In a word, yes, I am Nigerian blood so why not? We as a people connect. I speak Hausa, Pidgin and I still move in Nigerian circles. I still have friends in and out of Nigeria. I may not have lived in Nigeria for so long but mum and dad are based there, Jos, Plateau State. I will shuttle and when we get going, I will predominantly be based in Nigeria. I believe we Nigerians speak a common language and I don’t just mean verbally. There is something about us that always brings us together. Okay, we have hundreds of tribes and languages and sometimes there are regional, cultural, and religious divides but we are all one Nigeria. This election just gone is proof that Nigerians can always come together and it is no different for me who has been away so long. No doubt there will be challenges but I believe we shall connect.

What should we be expecting from you?

Nannio: By God’s grace, good music and we hope to make a difference, not just musically. There are so many other things that I am looking to venture into alongside the music. In time, all shall be revealed, like my mother always says ‘God’s time, best time’. So by the special grace of God, you shall see big things from 3rd World music.

Which artistes have you signed to 3rd World Music?

Nannio: At present I am working with 3 guys, Kid Pro aka Nwa Cheto, JayO aka the lover boy and the Incredible UY. I would like to add a female to the collection. So we are still looking for someone who will complement the styles. Expect to hear myself, Nannio, on some features as well.

What songs are you working on?

Nannio: My guys and I have already done songs which are complete and ready to go. I, being the perfectionist, have decided that I need to find the right moment to get these songs out mainstream. So far, we’ve released a song called about us. We’ve got a track called Tangada Riddim which is a party club track and we are looking to shoot a video for it. We are currently looking for a hot Nigerian dance group to help us create a dance to go with the sound. My cousin, Kid Pro and the Incredible UY have a track out. It’s called suicidal and he’s just done a Hausa track called san komei. We have a lot more materials that we are working on which will be coming out soon.

Expect different styles from us.

What makes a track a ‘hit’ to you?

Ganesh: For me it’s all about connection. When you listen to a song, what does it bring out of you – does it make you feel good (happy), sad, energized and so forth. The key parts of a hit song draws upon certain aspects like the lyrics, melody, song structure, the key of the song, tempo and overall feel of the track. Great hits make you want to press rewind to go back and hear it again. Make them want to hear it again and again. Having the right people behind you is another big key aspect!

What is the difference among an engineer, mixer and producer?

Ganesh: You may think this is weird but I always use this analogy when telling people what we do, as I think most people can relate to it in one way or another. Making a record is a lot like cooking and involves many steps and processes to give you a good result.

A recording engineer is the person who will get all the ingredients together and is crucial on capturing the sound, performance and emotion of your song. It’s ultimately the sounds cape of what your song will be. A producer is the person saying how much or little of something to add, when or not to add it and how it should be added. This person is the direct connection between an artist and engineer on how their song should be represented. A Mixing engineer will put all these ingredients together and give you your final representation of how your song will be. This process is very crucial alongside every other step as the way these ingredients are put together can make or break all the work that has happened before it. It’s like adding too much or not enough salt and pepper to a dish, which can make it tasting bland or full of flavour. Another thing about this process is it is an art to make a song that’s mixed on expensive speakers sound great and translate well to a club, laptop speakers or a Smartphone. The last step is mastering, which is like putting the dish in the oven to finish it off. Putting it into an oven too high or low in temperature, for too long or not long enough will impact on the final result of the whole record making process. This stage is crucial as it will fix up any problems with the overall tonal shape of the record, help the translation process onto various listening environments, plus making the record as loud as commercially released songs. The thing with all these steps is, if I give ten people the same ingredients and ask them to make a dish, every dish will be completely different. You go to a particular person for recording, producing, mixing and mastering because of their flavours and what they can add or do to your records.

What should we be expecting from you?

Nannio: By God’s grace ‘good music’ and we hope to make a difference, not just musically. There are so many other things that I am looking to venture into alongside the music. In time all shall be revealed, like my mother always says ‘God’s time, best time’. So by the special grace of God you shall see big things from 3rd World music.

How do I choose the right producer?

Ganesh: A good producer is someone that can understand and relate to your music, which will in turn help push it over the line for you. They are responsible for liaising with the engineers and yourself to help make your dream a reality. Choosing a right producer can be a process, when you create something like music it can be very personal. You may have been working on it for years… Or the songs have a very special emotional connection to you. You need to find someone who understands that, who is easy to work with and you can have open communications with… But the big thing is trust! You need to trust that person to create your record properly. You may have good and bad times, but as long as they get it to a spot that makes the music better, that’s all that matters! It’s a lot like a relationship.

Which artistes have you signed to 3rd World Music?

Nannio: At present I am working with 3 guys, Kid Pro aka Nwa Cheto, JayO aka the lover boy and the Incredible UY. I would like to add a female to the collective. So we are still looking for someone who will complement the styles. Expect to hear myself, Nannio, on some features as well.

How does one choose the right studio for a good production?

Ganesh: Choosing the right studio is all about vibe. Having somewhere that you can feel comfortable in to be creative, somewhere with great engineers who will help get the ball across the line, as well as somewhere that has cool toys to get some amazing sounds with. You notice the difference when you hear it, so why not experience the potentials out there for your music!

 What songs are you working on?

Nannio: My guys and I have already done songs which are complete and ready to go. I, being the perfectionist, have decided that I need to find the right moment to get these songs out mainstream. So far, we’ve realised a song called ‘about us’. We’ve got a track called ‘Tangada Riddim’ which is a party club track and we are looking to shoot a video for it. We are currently looking for a hot Nigerian dance group to help us create a dance to go with the sound. My cousin, Kid Pro and the Incredible UY have a track out called ‘suicidal’ and he’s just done a Hausa track called ‘san komei’. We have a lot more material that we are working on which will be coming out. Expect different styles from us.

What makes a track a ‘hit’ to you?

Ganesh: For me it’s all about connection. When you listen to a song, what does it bring out of you – does it make you feel good (happy), sad, energized and so forth. The key parts of a hit song draws upon certain aspects like the lyrics, melody, song structure, the key of the song, tempo and overall feel of the track. Great hits make you want to press rewind to go back and hear it again. Make them want to hear it again and again. Having the right people behind you is another big key aspect!

Tell us about yourself and where you are from?

Nannio: Well, I am a down to earth person, humble, God fearing and very ambitious. I was raised by good parents, my mother always thought me the value of prayer. My father is very forward thinking and business minded. I’ve got an entrepreneurial spirit, I worked for big companies in the UK but all through my time, I’ll be honest enough to say I did not have my heart totally committed into working for someone else. I always wanted to do my own thing. I am the second of four siblings, a great fan of Manchester United. Don’t laugh but my parents are great Arsenal fans. I’ve spent the majority of my life in the UK but my parents always made sure we were connected with home. I very much consider myself a ‘Jay-town boy’. At 15, I started rapping with an old school friend, we would joke around at first, we always used to ‘freestyle’ together. I took a back seat but my friend continued. I saw how good he was getting so I said to myself, you know what? This is my dream … ‘Music is my dream’. Of course my parents had their own ideas so I never shared that dream with them until a year ago. Can you believe that? And I am 32 (laughs). As you can see now, Nigerian music is really coming to the forefront, we have so many talented guys and I found some myself. About a year ago, I initiated my plan 3rd World Music. So here we are still building and we are coming.

What would you say is the average cost for recording an EP from start to finish?

Ganesh: If you’re looking to record a five track EP, and you are unsigned, you could put an all-in deal in place with an engineer to record and mix all the tracks. Even with an all-in deal, you’d still be looking at £2000 minimum to cover the studio cost, the engineer fee and the mastering. You could do it cheaper if you tried to get all the recording done in a day and didn’t get the tracks mastered, but to have it done right, I’d say minimum £2000