As Nigeria’s alte movement was causing a seismic shift in the zeitgeist through pioneers such as Cruel Santino and Odunsi (The Engine), Yinka Bernie emerged with his 2017 debut EP, ‘19 & Over’, exploring coming-of-age themes around tempestuous adolescence. “I started on SoundCloud. I just put out music because my friends were like, ‘Bro, this is dope.’ I didn’t overthink it,” Bernie tells me from his London home. Several singles followed including collaborations with the likes of Lady Donli, Aylo, and Mafeni. He also produced Amaarae’s platinum-certified single, ‘Sad Girls Luv Money’. But he hit his landmark moment with his Joyce Olong-assisted 2020 track ‘It’s Okay To Cry’, which epitomises the intimate resonance of his art with lyrics such as “Sometimes I want to be alone/I cry myself to sleep.” And since then, he’s set out his stall as a vulnerable and valuable voice.

Born Yinka Onaduja in Ibadan to Ijebu-bred parents, he was raised in the close-knit embrace of an extended family. “Ibadan is very community-driven. My uncle had this big house that everyone hung out at. I was quiet but very communal,” Bernie recalls. “I’ve always been around that so I’m still a very community-driven person. I might appear independent but I like having my people.” With plenty of good folk all around him, he hopes to keep building on this approach to creation. “The dream I have of making music is when the Chicago scene popped up, when Chance The Rapper, No Name, and Saba all came up. Or, like back then, imagine Kanye and J Dilla chilling with Questlove and Erykah Badu. I imagine just having your gang that you enjoy making music with. I don't think I've had that yet.”

Design has always inspired Bernie. In another life, he would have remained a designer at one of Nigeria's fastest-growing tech companies instead of quitting to pursue his sonic desires. So, it isn’t surprising that Bernie found unbridled delight in sound design as an overarching bridge between his love for music and design. “For me, sound design is just a mode of expression. I'm an expert in sound and producing, so I can insert that into anything and make it an experience,” he explains. “And it’s an area that’s not explored enough in Nigeria. I feel like we have talents that can make international-level stuff.

So far, Bernie has engineered the sound design for the solo exhibitions of Nigerian visual artists Anthony Azekwoh and Ayanfe. Additionally, he collaborated with fashion brands Adidas and Dye Lab before landing a spot as sound designer for Dave’s tour intro during his We’re All Alone in This Together 2022 tour. “They just reached out randomly. I couldn't even tell my manager at first because it was just unreal. The turnaround time for that was crazy – the quickest I've done anything.”

In 2022, Bernie released his second EP ‘Something New’ with five songs highlighting familial themes over luscious chords and distinct African percussion. “I'm a big people watcher. I like psychology and human behaviour, so my brain has always just observed the little details. I feel like my music just extends that because most of my music is about authenticity.” That simplicity shines through on this release, especially on songs such as ‘Smile Before You Sleep’ and ‘Who Do You Call’, which capture deep-rooted fears and hard-hitting truths with true tenderness.

Along the way, this multi-talented artist has also held two sold-out headline shows in Lagos and collaborated on a merchandise line with the ground-breaking skate brand Waf and features in This Is Us’s upcoming short fashion film. Still independent, he remains fuelled by togetherness. “I believe a lot more people should share and not hoard the knowledge that they have. My core is sharing, because that's how I improve. It's just like having a hard drive; if you keep collecting files on that drive, one day it'll be full, and you can't collect more until you take out.”

Fresh off a recent collaboration with renowned producer Melvitto, and powering an urban archive of vinyl and physical media through Egwu Records, I wonder what the horizon holds for this musician who is taking global strides at his own pace. “The album, man. The album's coming, finally. Expect unbelievable stuff. I just like to do crazy things.”