Embarking on his musical journey at the tender age of 16 from his childhood environment, the stifling inner city of Pen-Cinema, Agege, Lagos, Runda charged head-on against all odds. He announced his presence in 2019 with the single Fire Can’t Cool, released during his second year at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta. The track captures Runda’s soulful voice against soft yet piercing piano sounds, made rich by a layered choral effect—serving as both a soundtrack to his early passion for music and a supposed prophecy of the ever-burning drive that fuels him today, even as we discussed during our Zoom call.
In this interview, He shared his journey—the ups and downs, the origin story of his recent release Feel Good, and his remarkable ability to bare his emotions through his art. He spoke with hope and much confidence about where he’s headed, inviting me into his world.

How did your environment Agege shape your desire for making music?
“You know how you’re from Agege, you’re exposed to certain things early, seeing things differently at a young age. Music was always there from a young age; I knew it was music I was going to do. Despite my strict upbringing—my dad was a pastor and disciplinarian—I found ways to sneak out, fall in love with the lifestyle outside, and make music. I knew I was going to do music, but I had to finish my education first.”
Given that strong musical inclination, what musical influences did you grow up on?
“I grew up on a lot of Tuface—respect to 2Baba—and Wande Coal. Wande Coal, especially, is like the biggest part of my journey. Wizkid too. I feel like Wande Coal has to be an influence in your career as an artist. My dad and aunties listened to a lot of Michael Jackson, and by extension, I did too.”
Your debut single, ‘Fire Can’t Cool,’ really stood out for its raw passion and soul; it almost felt like you were prophesying. What was your mindset when you created that song?
“When I dropped Fire Can’t Cool in 2019, I was in my 200 level at FUNAAB, and at that point in my life, I could see what I was meant to do. I had the vision mapped out, I wasn’t just prophesying; it was clear to me, and I knew it was going to happen.”

With that strong sense of vision early on, how has your sound evolved since then, and what reflections of your journey are found in your newer projects?
“So, um, recently I try to infuse a lot of my street cred and experiences into my music, and my sound has evolved to reflect just that. In the past, I’ve really been connected to the love aspect of my life. Like when I dropped Beautiful Lies in 2023, it was a moment of those emotions, focusing on love and relationships, and I wanted to pass that on to listeners, but right now, I feel like with my new release Feel Good, I’m baring myself and showing a more vulnerable side. It’s about rediscovery and staying true to who I am. And as long as people connect with that, that’s good enough.”
Speaking of making connections, your covers of Wizkid’s “Ginger” and Davido’s “Jowo” went viral in 2020. How did that moment affect your growth as an artist?
“Those years I used to do a lot of covers, and it wasn’t because I hadn’t figured out my sound but because I was still in the process of trying to discover myself. And to see that people connected with my idea and execution on a song gave me so much confidence. Right now, I don’t really do a lot of covers, I just focus on my own music, and if perhaps I decide to do a cover, it’s because I genuinely like the song. Now, I’m working on my sound, and it’s been a really great experience so far.”

What’s your process like when creating music that resonates emotionally with your audience? Do you draw from personal experiences, or is it a more creative, imaginative process?
“Sometimes there’s imagination in my music, but most times, my music is from a place of personal experiences or drawn from experiences of people surrounding me. So when it gets to the point of creating and I’m in the zone, I combine all of that and channel it into the music.”
With your new single, ‘Feel Good,’ you’ve delivered a sound that lets people dance through their pain. Is there a deeper story behind the song?
“Yeah, there’s a backstory, from past experiences, actually. It comes from a tough period last year before I dropped “Beautiful Lies” in 2023. I had issues with my former label, which disrupted my life in unexpected ways. And that’s the origin story of ‘Feel Good.’ It’s a song about rediscovery and reaffirming who I am without letting that experience define me.”
How do you stay grounded and maintain your creative energy despite the challenges?
“I can’t let that hold me down. I believe that life is a process; there is a reason for everything, and I can’t let that hold me down. My beauty is in the melodies I create; it’s in the soul of my music. If I start getting bothered about those things, I’d lose my essence.”
Social media played, particularly TikTok and Instagram, has been a big part in getting your covers out there and your music generally. How do you approach these platforms as tools for growing your career, and do you see them influencing how you create music?
“Hmm. Nah. I don’t see them influencing how I create music, but at the same time, it’s a tool you have to use to connect with people, do you understand? I don’t let them influence my creative decisions, and I still don’t understand tags like ‘Tik Tok’ music. I make music based on how I feel, and if people connect, they connect. I’m not trying to please anybody when making my music, to be honest, I don’t create music just to go viral on TikTok. And I believe that should be the same for every other artist. Social media is a tool, and we as artists have to always find a way to utilise it.
Your music typically blends soulful melodies with a layered, intense energy. How would you personally define your sound?
So personally, I would say I do Afro-fusion. And the reason is because when you listen to my music, you’ll hear elements of Afro and the fusion of other elements. I have songs like ‘Next To Me’ an Afro-R&B/Trap record, ‘Damaged’ another Afro-R&B cut, ‘Beautiful Lies’ is Afropop, ‘My Fault’ which is another Afropop record, and there’s ‘Fire Can’t Cool’ that’s Afro-R&B. I have different dimensions to my music, and I really don’t like to box myself into one genre, but I believe Afro-fusion is an umbrella term for the many elements you find in my music.

Are there any exciting collaborations we should look forward to on your forthcoming project?
“I don’t really want to spill too much tea, but there are some features on my forthcoming project with artists I respect, and I can’t wait for you guys to hear it.
Would that be dropping anytime soon?
Yes, yes. Very soon. Working on it.
That sounds exciting! With your growing fanbase, where do you see yourself and your music in the next few years?
In the next few years…I believe my music, and it’s not even about “believe,” it’s from my stats and the feedback I’ve gotten. I believe my music is very global, it attracts global audiences, and very soon my music is going to take me places that are way beyond my imagination. And that is touring the world, from London to the United States, and I know for sure God is going to take me beyond that imagination.

Lastly, platforms like Afromixx are designed to uplift artists like yourself who are just beginning to get their footing in the industry. How important do you think these platforms are for artists in your position?
Yeah, no, I think it’s great! I think it’s very important. I think it’s amazing that you guys are doing this, because there’s a lot of amazing artists that are doing great and they’re not being heard or talked about. It’s just amazing that you guys are doing this, and I respect it so much. Kudos to you guys.
Stream Runda’s 2023 EP ‘Beautiful Lies‘ below.