Mannywellz talks about joining House, relationships, and the come up

Who is Mannywellz, you may ask? He is a rising Nigerian (#YorubaTribe) singer/songwriter + producer who crafts the perfect soulful melodies for your Sunday afternoon playlist.

After having several features with prominent artists as well as releasing his very first project, SoulFro, Mannywellz has set himself up to be one unstoppable independent artist.

Recently we hopped on FaceTime and he gave me a virtual tour of House Studios, which is a Black-owned "everything you need" recording studio for artists like Mannywellz.

Shakirah: Nice! Thank you for the tour. So how long have you been with House?

Mannywellz: I came to House when it was just a regular recording studio almost four years ago. I met them when I won an artist grant program.

*then shows me upstairs*

Mannywellz: So I met them almost four years ago and we just became fam. I won an artist grant program. The artists had to fill out an application to get free studio time, and receive education on the music industry, on the business, on publishing, and it’s all free. They brought on writers and producers to help the artists, but I wrote and produced my stuff so I was able to collab with the other individuals.

Shakirah: Wow, so you write all your songs and produce them as well?

Mannywellz: Yes. I do.

Shakirah: So you told me that back in 2015 you started to get connected with House? Tell me about your background in music before that — what moment in your life made you decide to pursue your music career full time?

Mannywellz: My dad is a musician so I grew up into music and started doing things when I was super young. I started creating in 2010/2011, when I was in high school. But what made me really decide to go into music was Ryan Leslie. I saw the way he created and produced and I was like, this is exactly what I want to do. I already had the passion, the thirst, and the hunger for it, I just needed to be steered in the right direction. And he [Ryan Leslie] showed that it was possible. So I went ahead and started producing my own stuff, and in 2015, I met House, 2014/2015 was when I decided to drop out of school and just go full time with music.

Shakirah: Did anyone support you when you made that jump?

Mannywellz: Yeah people did. House was one of them. My mom was really understanding and she just kind of like let me do me. My family and my youth program at church, they’re really supportive of everything I do.

Shakirah: Have you been in the church your whole life?

Mannywellz: I’ve been in church my whole life and it’s amazing to live in this life. I’m Christian, but I love church and I love God because my dad was a preacher as well. I was able to create my own relationship with Christ. I wasn’t just serving God through my parents anymore, I got to experience and realize that he is real and this is a real thing. This is something that each and every individual in the world has to do for themselves, not worship God through somebody else.

Even in life, you don’t want a middle man. You don’t want a middle man with your boyfriend, you don’t want a middle man with your favorite artist. You don’t want to only hear about Mannywellz or even Cautious Clay through somebody else, you want to experience and listen to it on your own terms, you know.

Shakirah: So when you make your music, what kind of fan do you make your music for?

Mannywellz: I make it for people who are like-minded, very understanding people. People who like melodies. People that enjoy a wide range of different things like people that want to experiment, people that love soul, people that love r&b, hip hop, you know, people that are like me.

Shakirah: So with your background being Nigerian, what were your experiences like growing up in Maryland?

Mannywellz: Ah. It was interesting. Nothing crazy really because in Nigeria we were exposed to the American culture so moving here wasn’t a hard transition but it was interesting to see how to understand to grow and to understand the culture: The American culture, the food, fast food. Fast food here is different from fast food in Nigeria.

Shakirah: As you were talking about fast food, I was just thinking about your song Watermelon. As I was listening to it I thought, I think I need a meal after this, but then I heard the message. You were singing about your friend and how you will forgive your betrayers if they bring you watermelon or fried chicken. Is that a real life experience that you’re singing about?

Mannywellz: Yeah so, Watermelon isn’t really about food at all. When I was younger, my dad was a really smart man. He put a lot of things in place, not only for family and friends but for people to benefit from. So we just had like randoms around that we felt was for us, so things kind of went sour, everything went missing. I wrote this song saying that you guys are only around for the watermelon, and the rices, and the chickens. You guys weren’t around for the tough times. So I guess I was writing from my parents’ perspective, like we gon’ ride with you. We’ll stay with you as long as you give me that uh uh. And the second verse, I tied that situation to the Last Supper when Jesus tells his disciplines that he’s going away for some time. The connecting piece for both stories was food because every Sunday my mom would cook, fry some chicken, and we’d have a bunch of people come over and eat. A lot of those folks were no where to be found for a while when things went sour. So it’s really deeper than what people actually think it is, but I also wanted to create a fun song.

Shakirah: So if you weren’t a musician, what other career would you pursue?

Mannywellz: I know I’d be a businessman still. I know I would coach soccer. Yeah, I feel like I’d be doing those two things.

Shakirah: Sweet. So in your song Wrong Place, you sing about women looking in the wrong place for men. So where is the right place to find somebody? Spit us some relationship advice.

Mannywellz: Relationship advice, hahaha. So Wrong Place is about good people. The first verse is about looking for guys in the wrong place and the second verse is really about guys kind of looking for certain things in women. It’s just a lot of double standards and guys calling women thots because this is happening. But the whole time, we [men] are also doing the same thing. The message of the song is overall that good people exist, we just have to search for them. And the right place? I don’t know. I feel like through Christ the right person could be revealed. Or if your focus is Christ, good things will happen. Not saying life will be easy, but I feel like if your focus is Christ, if your focus is right, because a lot of people don’t believe in Jesus, which is OK, but if you’re focusing on the right things and not just temporary pleasure, temporary things and temporary affection, like anything temporary, I think that we would have less heart broken people.

Shakirah: Wow. You need to have your own platform about this.

*Manny laughs*

Shakirah: So when you were singing Wrong Place, did it stem from previous relationships that you’ve been in or women that you’ve met previously?

Manywellz: So Wrong Place started from a conversation from a friend. During that month of November 2016, I was creating a lot of content and I created this beat. Midway through the beat, I don’t remember if I called her or if she called me, but we started talking about people. Then [the conversation] led to relationships, and guys being trash, and I’m like HOLD ON LIKE women can be, you know, nasty too so like it’s on both sides. After that conversation, I wrote the song and it became a thing, so yeah.

Shakirah: I really like it. So, we’re gonna go deeper into that. We have to still unpack it. We’re just at the surface and I really want to know more about you so I can write this piece on you. I want to talk about your music and relationships as well. So what kind of qualities do you look for in a potential partner?

Mannywellz: I think, not trying to be super cliche and say I look at the heart, but rule number 1, you always have to be attracted to the person. Only in rare situations do you get to know the person before being attracted to them, if that makes sense. But [I like my women] smart. Right now, I’m getting to a place where I need a stable and prayerful and focused woman because this world is crazy and I’m in a crazy industry that’s in a crazier world. So obviously be attractive, smart, prayerful/spiritual whatever you want to call it, and understanding. You need somebody understanding because then sometimes there’s always an excuse like time but time is a thing for me right now.

Shakirah: Yeah I feel you. I’ve been seeing a very controversial tweet on social media about people making time for those who are important. So people have been arguing if that’s true on not.

Mannywellz: Yeah, that’s a thing.

Shakirah: Let’s talk about your song, Do Not Disturb. What is that song about? It sounds like you had a bad breakup? You don’t want a woman to contact you?? What’s really up?

Mannywellz: It was an ugly situation but it’s not about a lady. It’s a relationship between man and the devil. But I wanted to write it so that more people can connect to it. At the end of the day, everything in life is a relationship. Relationship with a man or a woman, relationship with a spiritual being, and a lot of times, especially Christians, we start talking about things like sin and blame it on the devil and dah dah dah dah. And at that point, I was kind of blaming things on the devil like nah, I don’t want to be in this relationship with you anymore. I wrote about the devil and just leave me alone, please.

Shakirah: Is your music played at your church? Like these songs are powerful messages.

Mannywellz: Yeah, that’s the thing about my music. It’s popping messages but it isn’t Gospel, but it’s still The Gospel. I think Soulfro is a gospel album because the only thing about what I’m talking about is Hands Up. Everything else is written metaphorically and has to do with God and man, and God and the devil and spirituality, connecting with good people.

Shakirah: So how did you even come up with the title for the EP?

Mannywellz: I was trying to find a name for the sound of the EP because the EP was kind of everywhere but semi and lowkey cohesive at the same time as far as me being able to experiment with genres. We have Hip Hop influence, we have R&B, we have the jazz, we have the semi afro. I didn’t want to call the project afro soul because afro soul is legit just soulful music and afro music but this is soulfro because it allowed me to touch different genres like, I was able to mess with genres that I wanted.

Shakirah: And could you please describe your sound to me?

Mannywellz: Yeah, I think my sound is legit soulfro, it’s music from the soul with afro elements. I’m able to touch on any genre that I want, I love r&b, I love soul, I love pop, I like punk rock, I like funk, I like jazz, like I like Nigerian music — like tradition music, I like afrobeats and music that has inspired afrobeats, People like Sunny Ade. I just love music.

Shakirah: Music can put you in a mood.

Mannywellz: Yeah! I want to be able to create whatever I want to create, whatever I’m feeling.

Shakirah: So from your song Yeoo, as you were talking about breaking free from the need of money like making it so powerful, in your song Hand of God, you talk about given accounts of when God provided for you and helped your family out of a hard place. Talk to me about that, like what did you experience?

Mannywellz: Well my family, we were in a crazy financial place and we legit had zero. And God came through, the need for money for my mom’s surgery. If that surgery didn’t happen. She might have lost her life. The church helped out a lot.

Shakirah: I’m also a Christian as well. I always love the scripture “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” So what is your favorite scripture?

Mannywellz: Jeremih 29:11 — For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

It’s one of the best scriptures ever because that just assures you that everything is always going to be OK no matter how hard it gets, no matter how weird things get, no matter what’s going on, you know that, as long as you’re focusing on God, as long as your mind is aligned with his will things will be OK. So just be strong through the tough times, be strong through everything really because this world is crazy,

Shakirah: What advice can you give to emerging artists who want to make an impact on the world?

Manny: Super cliche, do you. Be you. Jon Bellion said this before, he said, make sure your next song is better than your previous song. The music is THE most important thing. Branding is cool all that marketing is cool but you can’t market a bad product. It won’t always sell. So if you market bad music, it won’t reach far. A lot of guys come and go because their music isn’t that tight, you know? It’s just “good for now. Good for 6 months and then it’s out”

Shakirah: you’re speaking facts. Gotta be truthful when giving people advice.

Manny: yeah just make sure your next song is better than the previous, and you’re growing. The top people that I’ve been no matter how dope they are, they’re so humble, like and vice verse. I’m like yo, This guy is a genius and I want to learn from him so,. Make sure you’re passionate about this and this is something that you really want to do and it’s not just a quick money making scheme or whatever because it can be.

Shakirah: Who is your dream collab?

Mannywellz: *gets hype* ooooooooooooo, I want to do something with Asha (the Nigerian artist) It would have been dope to do a song with Bob Marley. It’s a list. Stevie Wonder, Kendrick . . .

Shakirah: So what do you have in store for us?

Mannywellz: Next year we gotta do our own headline tour. Next couple of months we are going to drop a few collabs.

Shakirah: What’s your favorite for to eat, even though the song watermelon isn’t really about food?

Mannywellz: I love my Mom’s jollof rice. But I also love this meal called Ebba. I’m really cultural. Even when I travel, I crave food from home.

Shakirah: Are there any good Nigerian spots around in Maryland?

Mannywellz: Ahh there’s one kind of close to me. *thinks* Ohh yoooo there’s this spot in DC, I had dinner with Janelle Monae on tour. We had dinner with her and people from the Grammys and the chef was Nigerian, yo it was good. Oh crap, I just remembered, I was suppose to hit him up.

Shakirah: Wow that sounds like a good meal with good people.

Mannywellz: Oh crap, yeah that was bomb.

Shakirah: My friends tell me that Nigerian jollof rice is different than Ghanian Jollof Rice.

Mannywellz: yeah it’s a bit different but honestly it depends on who’s cooking it. So it’s a whole joke about Nigerian Jollof rice being better than everybody’s. But it all depends on who makes it.

-this interview has been edited and abbreviated to meet readers' need to know-