A Pulse interview with Nigerian artist Tar1q
"Stars only come out at night."
Since the advent of Afrobeats in the late 90s, every era has brought unique talents whose art offers a refreshing sound as well as a reminder of the embarrassment of talents that abounds in the Nigerian music industry.
2022 has brought a new set of talents to the block and one of the talents that stand out for his Tar1q whose debut EP 'Son of the Moon' is a refreshing body of work.
While originality as to music can be considered an academic debate in that music in itself is a complex art of recycling. Nevertheless, it takes a special artist to engineer different sounds and present them refreshingly and distinctively.
Through his distinctive talent, Tariq has been able to carve a niche for himself as a young artist with an artistic depth that affords him the confidence to aim for the stars.
In this Pulse Interview, I spoke to Tar1q who tells me about his journey into music, debut EP, newfound success, and superstar ambitions.
'Son of the Moon' was a curious title for an EP and as expected it attracted attention just as the choice selection of 5 tracks that makes up the project. Like other listeners, I was curious to know why Tar1q choose that title for his EP and his reply was short and poetic.
"Stars only come out at night," he tells me about his decision to name his EP 'Son of the Moon'.
"I recorded 80% of the album at Night because that's the time I love to record. I made the EP when I was still in the dark on some things about myself so I made the EP from a place of self-discovery."
When Tar1q announced his presence with his EP, it was accompanied by a video posted by Blaqbonez which attracted attention on social media. The clip saw Blaqbonez take on the Big Brother role by showing Tar1q the ropes on peculiar ways to thrive in the Nigerian music industry.
"Blaqbones is always being a big brother to him and I always go to him for advice. When I told him that my tape was finally coming out, he told me to come home and that's how the video happened."
Blaqbonez also appeared on the EP alongside Ria Sean on 'Be Mine.' Tar1q tells me Blaqbonez recorded a verse for the song after he heard the song. Tar1q also tells me that his decision to have Ria on the song was his decision.
"Every decision about my music has to be mine or I'm not doing it," he says with an artistic narcissism that is common in successful artists.
His hands-on approach to his music also extends to every part of the creative process. Like some of the exceptional debut projects from Afrobeats stars, 'Son of the Moon' was produced by a single producer and the stellar result showed the synergy between the two. Tar1q tells me he made the decision to work with just one producer as it's an integral part of his artistry.
"I don't really work with a lot of people. When it comes to my creative process, I'm a very private person," he shares.
After the EP's release, 'Bad Intention' quickly became the lead single that found an audience in excited listeners whose attention was picked by its freshness. I asked Tar1q if the success came as a bit of a surprise or if he always knew he had a hit on his hands since he recorded the songs. He tells me his feeling towards the EP was the same - he had no doubts about its quality.
"I don't make songs looking for a hit but every time I make a song, I know it comes out great," he confidently replies.
The 5-track EP comprises 4 love songs in which Tar1q tells different stories of his reality and experiences as it relates to the delicate matters of the heart. With an average height, slender body, and boyishly cute looks, Tar1q has looks to match the lover boy profile his songs exude. I asked him if the art represents the true feelings of the artist or if he was only putting picturing himself in different scenarios as is common with the art. He tells me the songs were personal to him.
"I like to tell stories," he tells me. "I love to write love songs of all the different situations I have been with, and love has been the most complicated".
Tar1q reserved the EP's outro to spill some very personal emotion about his insecurities. He tells me the song was motivated by seeing his father get up daily to put food on the table for the family.
"Having to see my father work hard daily. I know at the end of the day, I'm going to be a breadwinner. 'Dear insecurity' was me admitting that there are some things I don't know about."
Insecurities aren't new to Tariq who started out rapping as a way to mask the emotions in the voice. "People used to say I sound like I'm crying when I used to sing back in the days."
However, Tar1q didn't stop working on himself and developing his sound, and it's this resilience that led him to be discovered by a Chocolate City A&R.
With the success of his debut EP, Tar1q might have new insecurities to contend with but he does not doubt that he will always find his way through. "I know there are insecurities and things I don't know about so I just pray."
Tar1q is the new kid on the block who wears his heart on his sleeve. For him, music is a medium through which he tells stories of his reality. With a fresh sound and an infectious personality, he aims for the moon. And he welcomes us all to join him on this intergalactic musical journey.
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