The first time I spoke with Tim Lyre in 2022, we were seated in quiet restaurant on a Lagos side street while he told me how he got his artist name. “When at uni in Reading, I was gigging almost every night. I used to meet all these random promoters and one of them told me that I reminded him of a lyrebird,” the artist reminisced. He soon discovered that the lyrebird is known for its uncanny ability to replicate any sound.

The moment proved prophetic as he would indeed go on to become an afrofusion star for whom genre-bending is second nature. Since securing his law degree in 2016, Lyre has gone on to become a staple in the world of Lagos alté. He forms a solid piece of the Avengers-like Chop Life Crew alongside MOJO AF, Ronehi, Tena Tempo, Cubix, Code 6, Masiano and L.K. He is signed to the British-South African record label Outer South. And following a set of expansive EPs, he released the debut album ‘Worry<’ in 2022. A restorative project featuring assists from Prettyboy D-O, Lady Donli and Lex Amor, ‘Worry<’ is a masterwork grounded by intimacy and warmth.

Fast forward to 2024, and I sit down with Lyre via a video call to discuss his latest EP ‘Masta’. Departing from the tranquility we came to love with ‘Worry<’, it’s a bold work pushing forth a brashness that has brought longtime fans and fresh listeners alike to their knees. “Going into this, the aim was to make the ultimate self-confident version of my music. I've done things like this before. I just never fully focused on it in this way,” he tells me.

Across eight tracks, ‘Masta’ acts as a well-argued thesis on loving your fine self, complete with indulgently braggadocious lyricism, and at times, sly sexual innuendo. It’s still signature Lyre, soothing and smooth throughout its majority, an essence strengthened by laid-back feature artists Tay Iwar and Minz. But there is an innate swagger that makes this calm more cutting, reminding listeners that the artist they know and love is back with more bite.

The project also sees him continue to blend myriad sonics into one cohesive world. ‘Chasing Wind’, his favourite on the release, is a tender offering hinged upon soul. ‘Mood’, an amapiano number featuring South Africa’s Khanyisa, reprises an original feature of his with DJ duo TxC. Meanwhile the title track draws on UK bashment and afroswing.

Audiences have proved receptive to Lyre’s unapologetic evolution, which has made the ‘Masta’ journey a rewarding one. “I get all these messages all the time. I get videos of people playing music all the time. I can visibly tell there's an effect the music is having on people, which is enough to keep going. I think that's probably one of the best parts.”

In the wake of it all, Lyre has released a UKG remix of ‘Masta’, hosted a marvelous show in Lagos, and is busy sharing the talent he has with the world in any way that he can. “I'm already looking ahead to the next album. I've been working with some people that I’ve been wanting to work with for a while and I'm excited for people to hear the music,” he says. As he looks forward, I'm brought back to what he told me over two years ago when I asked him similar questions about his trajectory. Things have certainly changed: he has executed collaborations that before he mentioned only as dreams, and he has reached heights that felt distant.

All the while, his deep love for music, his passion for collaboration and his openness towards the future have remained constant. “That’s the thing that drives me. I want to work on a certain level, and I know if I'm able to get to that level then I'm doing something right. There’s literally so much music out there, so the possibilities are endless. Hopefully, we’ll see where music takes me.” For someone like Tim Lyre - the man who, like the bird he is named for, can create any sound - it is safe to say that just about anything is possible.