R&B/Interview Obi Alfred - Follow Me

Obi Alfred is carrying the torch of classic R&B for a new generation. Born in New Jersey and raised in Texas, the Nigerian-American’s distinctive style pays tribute to the legends of the genre while pushing into bold, modern territory. Now, with the most compelling music of his young career, Obi is establishing himself as one of the most vital new voices in R&B.

Hello Obi Alfred. Could you share the inspiration behind 'Follow Me,' the third song in your upcoming EP 'Avalon: Part One'?

For Follow Me, I wanted to encapsulate that 2000s classic America strip culture. This kinda laid back LA vibe.

What themes or emotions were you exploring in 'Follow Me,' and how do they contribute to the overall narrative of the EP?

Confidence, confidence, confidence. The song is all about confidence and enjoying this encapsulated moment at a strip club. Taking the sensualness up to 11. Still retains this feeling of awe and admiration from Mind but in a way different tone. There’s a parallel of self-assertiveness from myself and the image of this confident dancer. A dual narrative.

Can you take us through the creative process of crafting 'Follow Me'? Any specific challenges or breakthrough moments?

I crafted Follow Me the usual way I do my songs which is to find a good beat, come up with a good flow which would consist of rhythms and humming, then I write to it. Follow Me wasn’t a particularly challenging song to write or create a flow to, I already had a set vision and intention for it early in creation.

As part of 'Avalon: Part One,' how does 'Follow Me' connect with the preceding songs and set the tone for what's to come in the rest of the EP?

Follow Me and Get It are the two songs that are the most standalone out of the whole EP. They, especially Follow Me, have their own style. What I personally like about Follow Me is the peeling back of layers of my personality. Mind was that almost innocent boy in love sounding introduction but Follow Me is that expression of that edge that is also a part of me. I hope the listener gets to experience that same progression and excitement of unveiling new layers of who I am. Follow Me brings a confidence that I believes carries into future projects.

Are there any particular influences, musical or otherwise, that played a significant role in shaping the sound and style of 'Follow Me'?

Yes, like the beat its very Pharrell. It’s heavy on the 2000’s hip hop California influence. I’m still stuck on that 2000’s era where Usher, Chris Brown were in their prime and we had a whole bunch of club bangers. I hope that era comes back.

What can listeners expect from the production and arrangement of 'Follow Me' that distinguishes it from your previous works?

There’s a higher standard in singing and production that we did our best to carry to even Mind, and Get it with their respective album version. I think the lyrical quality and jump in its cleverness and complexity from Mind and Get it is a big highlight for me personally. There’s a lot of hidden cleverness in the lyrics so I hope that will be appreciated by listeners.

How do you see 'Follow Me' fitting into the broader narrative or concept of 'Avalon: Part One'? Does it mark a turning point or carry a specific message?

It marks a distinct turning point in terms of tone. Get It had hints of that edginess and sensuality but still has a softness and almost shyness like Mind. Follow Me is very confident, out there. In terms of narrative, its very again self contained. It’s about a dancer capturing everyone attention and almost paints a conversation between me and the listener, like we’re friends chilling at the strip club.

Are there any collaborations or unique elements in 'Follow Me' that you're particularly excited about, and how did they come about?

I really enjoy the collaboration with LEGⱯCY. I was working with my engineer Jamaal (Jamaal Anderson) and he showed me a project with her on it. She literally matched the voice I envisioned to feature in the song so it was a perfect fit. I think she killed it.

Considering the title 'Avalon: Part One,' can you give us a glimpse into the overall story or concept that ties the EP together?

There’s a bit of a mystery with that one, if you listen to the EP starting with Mind, there’s a subtle narrative and psychology tying everything together. Avalon has multiple meanings. It symbolizes promised land. It can mean promised place, a promised stardom, soulmates. Upcoming content will make things more clear in time and help fans tie the content together into a satisfying narrative and conclusion. There is a subtle overarching narrative.

With 'Follow Me' being part of an EP, what do you hope listeners take away from the complete experience of 'Avalon: Part One' once they've heard the entire collection?

A return of what we enjoyed when we heard 2000s Usher, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown. R&B has evolved in ways I really enjoy especially with artists such as Snoh Aalegra and Majid Jordan but I hope Avalon will mark a return of this 2000s R&B, Hip-Hop and Pop magic I feel is missing today.