Following the release of Victony’s highly anticipated debut album ‘Stubborn’, virtual streets were devoid of the pandemonium that typically accompanies critical afrobeats releases. In the place of squabbling and frenzied criticism was a quiet consensus: Victony had released a gorgeous body of work, perhaps one of the best afrobeats projects to come out of Nigeria in 2024. Accustomed to chaos, consumers rushed to blame the lull on Victony himself, complaining, funnily enough, that he didn’t have enough detractors, which were essential in producing the uproar that follows any afrobeats release worth its salt. Victony, however, is quick to wave away the criticism. “We weren’t certain that the reception would be slow or fast, but we just knew that it was good music,” he tells me calmly. “Good music always wins. Speed is left to God.”

Generally speaking, Victony doesn’t seem to be the sort of guy who is ever in much of a rush. That much is clear from our interview, where he strolls into the cozy recording studio housed within Plug Entertainment’s headquarters in Lagos. Clad in a football jersey, leather slides and black sunglasses, he looks every bit like the sort of person who lets things happen as God intended them to. This, in a way, was how ‘Stubborn’ found life in the first place. Indeed, it was originally intended to be an EP before Victony had a fateful conversation with veteran rapper Olamide. “I was prepared for an era shift but my mind was just stuck on an EP because that was the plan since last year,” Victony explains. “Sometimes, you can’t even see what everything looks like when you’re really in it. And speaking to Olamide, once he mentioned the album, it felt possible. I was like, ‘Why am I not even thinking about an album?’”

That question was one of immense gravity, considering the weight that debut albums carry. It wasn’t as though we didn’t know Victony, after all. He’s been on the scene since 2019, starting off as a melodic rapper skating over transcendental trap beats. The madness of covid prompted him to shift gears, and in 2020 his debut EP ‘Saturn’ saw him embrace a spacey brand of afrobeats that audiences would come to identify as his unique sound. Even with previous co-signs and features from the likes of Falz, his proper breakout came in 2021 with his unforgettable hook on Mayorkun’s ‘Holy Father’. The following year came the ‘Outlaw’ EP, solidifying the young singer's affinity for blue aliens, ethereal harmonies and generally being a misfit. Amidst many standouts from the EP, ‘Soweto’ emerged triumphant, becoming the artist’s biggest single to date and prompting a mega-viral remix with Don Toliver and Rema.

Despite all of this weighty context however, Victony maintains that we couldn’t really understand him until the album dropped. “‘Stubborn’ has my story,” he tells me. “It’s where I get to properly introduce myself. ‘Outlaw’ is like, ‘Yeah, this guy can sing, he knows all this afrobeats stuff. Let’s put a good body of work together for people to enjoy.’ But ‘Stubborn’ is saying ‘This is Victony. This is where he’s from. This is what he is about.’”

With songwriting so potent the imagery almost feels tangible, the album tells the story of Victony’s life, complete with rich anecdotes about his childhood in Ojo, Lagos (see: ‘History’) and overcoming adversity (see: ‘Oshaprapra’ and ‘Stubborn’). “Resilience is the boldest statement that the project has,” Victony declares of the many threads that run through the record. “We presented the ‘Outlaw’ view as a childlike brand with playful colours. But that's not what it’s been like getting to this point. We had to fight at different stages.”

Even in the midst of all the heaviness, Victony still leaves ample room for love. The album’s fourth track ‘Anita’ is a danceable afropop love song fit for any Lagos club, while ‘Pier 46’ takes on love in a deeply intimate and haunting way. When I ask him why the matters of his heart feature in such a self-defining project, he offers: “At every point of my life, there’s always this one girl that I’m loving or fighting,” he laughs. “I mean, I love women, so...”

With many conceits running through the project, and star collaborators such as Asake, Saint JHN, Shallipoppi, and Teezo Touchdown, it was essential for Victony to pool together a star team of producers to make these elements cohere. Amongst these heavy hitters are Nigeria’s Sarz, Blaisebeatz and Westen; the UK’s P2J; America’s One Mind; Germany’s TWOFIFTYFIVE, and at the helm, Victony’s longtime collaborators KTIZO. With this hyper-talented bunch, Victony has crafted a stellar album that has marked him as an afrobeats visionary not only in Nigeria, but also all over the world. Indeed, Victony has made the ‘Stubborn’ story global, performing at intimate shows in Nigeria before embarking upon a debut US tour. It’s a thrilling move that’s indicative of just how far not only Victony has come, but also the newest generation of afrobeats stars at large.

“I’m proud to be part of this whole new thing that afrobeats is about right now. I like what’s going on,” he shares. “Before now, what people will tell you is that afrobeats artists all share one fanbase. But everything is about to change because of the volume of music coming out. People just have to choose - ‘What do I want to feel?’ I want to work out - ‘I'm going to play Rema.’ I know I'm going on a long drive - ‘I'm going to play Victony’s album.’ That's what the next year is going to do. It’s going to really push structure with the fans.”

It’s an astute observation from a critical insider, one that makes me wonder how artists navigate the ups and downs of the afrobeats ecosystem, the rapid changes that, no matter how positive, force them to play catch up. I’m almost encouraged to ask Victony how he manages the constant uncertainty that accompanies being an artist, until I remember that uncertainty - and triumphing over it - is at the core of the ‘Stubborn’ project.

The album even ends in a way that many might not anticipate, with ‘Street Affair’, a heartfelt and heartbreaking song about betrayal. Even after several listens, it sounds like such an open-ended and raw closing for a project about unwavering self-will. Why chose to wrap up in such a vulnerable way? “Because it has that reminder that, E no go spoil. That’s what the song is saying. Regardless of all the betrayal, the main point is that, it’s well. It’s like assuring myself that God is there for me, regardless of everything.”

I hum in accordance. E no go spoil, a Nigerian pidgin phrase that can loosely be put in English as, everything will be alright, or literally, it will not spoil. It’s a particularly fitting bow with which to tie up the story of a boy who has been through incredible hardship and emerged victorious. Looking at Victony, an artist who has achieved so much in so little time and still has so much to offer, the phrase becomes both an assessment and a promise. Certainly, it has not spoiled. And clearly, it never will.