In a recent heartfelt interview with Alexander Adelabu, popularly known as Magixx, and the host of the viral show, #WithChude, Magixx shared his personal journey through life’s challenges, his experiences after being signed in to Mavin Records, and the inspiration behind his upcoming album, ‘I Dream in Colors.’
Magixx spoke openly about the reason he did the song ‘Okay’, revealing that it was written during one of the lowest points in his life. He says, “At the time I wrote the song, I was at my lowest. It’s like, you know, there’s a part to every great person’s destiny. And in figuring out that part, I learnt that you have to go through that. I don’t want to say too much. Let me just give you a little bit. I was dealing with public acceptance, family issues, and accepting where I’m at. Like you said, Delulu. Accepting where you’re at to improve on yourself and still meet public demand. It’s a whole lot. You are still the songwriter; you will show up for a video shoot; you are the person who’s going to pick up your family call. You are still the person who has a love interest, and you fly out every weekend outside Lagos to perform and make people happy. It’s a lot. People don’t even know. They don’t know that I can’t repeat the same clothes. Like this cloth I am wearing, it’s the last time you will see it on social media. I have to think about the clothes I’m going to wear every day. Normal people don’t think about those things. It’s a lot of pressure on artistes, but people from outside don’t see that. They can’t see that.”
He explained further that the pain was actually coming from his mum’s health issues. “Most of the pain in that song is coming from my mum. I have to deal with that. It’s very tied to the pain I feel from my mom’s health. I can say that was the only person in my life who felt like nothing, like, even if I don’t get it right, this person is at my back. You know. I will say that, like, 60 per cent of that song was about her.”
Reflecting on his journey with Mavin Records, Magixx emphasized the immense pressure and expectations that come with being signed to such a prestigious label. He noted, “Obviously, I think being in Mavin means you’re expected to do your best immediately. Do you understand? That one is even a different topic. Being in Mavin is like, you are the best, and that’s why they signed you, right? So you have to show us that you are the best. Because there are many people on the street who want that opportunity. So you are definitely going to face a certain level of unfair judgment. But being signed to Mavin does not exactly, or it’s not the exact booster for instantly becoming a performing artist. Some people don’t have it instantly. Reekado Banks didn’t have it instantly, and even Korede Bello. It took them almost two years to have it on the ground. So you just have to know that. You block out the whole noise and work on yourself.”
When asked how he manages to block out the noise and maintain focus, Magixx shared his strategy for maintaining self-assurance amidst the comparisons and expectations. He explained, “It’s not easy to block out the comparison noise. Sometimes you are there, looking at it every day. But the most important part of everything is self-assurance. As long as inside you, you are going to win and you are working. I always say that when I’m working, it is the most peaceful time of my life. The moment I’m working and as long as I’m doing something, I feel like I’m winning. That’s where I’m mostly at peace. But when I’m at home and not doing anything, haa, I panic a lot. If I am not doing something that is adding to my life, I swear… Everything is still inborn for me. The only reason I got here in the first place is because I believe in myself. Even then, there was noise because the devil always finds a way to make you feel like you are not doing enough or not getting what you need to get. It may look like you are not as talented as you think. The devil whispers in your ear, you know. But it’s up to you to be smart about it. I feel like I am going to set up my own, which is bigger than whatever anybody has set up. This is not the pressure I’m even waiting for. There’s a bigger one. This is not the stage I saw myself battling; this is not the Grammys now. I haven’t started battling with Drake and Kendrick Lamar. I’m not going to let this one stop my vision. I have tweeted it: I’m going to be the biggest in the world. I genuinely feel like that. I feel it in my soul, and I know. If I keep going, keep working, and keep getting better at what I do, it’s going to come, I know.”
Magixx also shared the depth and inspiration behind his new album, ‘I Dream in Colors,’ highlighting the personal and universal struggles it addresses. He shared, “I want to talk about my new album, but on a different level. This is my first album, and it’s like me coming to the world to say that this is who I am. The pain and struggle of every young person make me feel like it’s not easy to be the firstborn. It’s not easy to carry the weight. I have three siblings, and they are all girls. I am the firstborn of my family, so I think there’s a lot of that experience in my album. It’s the story of a struggling young man who is still trying to find his foot. Who is still trying to place his foot in the right place on the journey. Pebbles are on the way. We are going to have our struggles, and we are going to have our downs. So this album is the perfect illustration of that struggle for that person. I think everybody in their life, at some point, always feels like it’s too much. That’s what this album is about. The title is ‘I Dream in Colors.’
I dream in colors because, no matter what you show me, I still dream in colors. No matter what you show me, I see everything. No matter what you want to show me, this is my reality; that is your reality, not mine. So I know where I am going. It’s like putting light in a dark room; we can all see. I think most of the time in life people have doubt restrictions for every other person, your goals, your destiny, and where you are going to get to. I dream in colors. What I’m seeing are colors; I just know that there is a full stadium in front of me. That’s what I feel. I’m not restricted to your thoughts of me or your vision of me.”
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