Samuel ‘Faze’ Ukpo aka ‘SammieFaze’ is a Nigerian singer, rapper, songwriter and performer based in Boston, Massachusetts. His fusion of Afrobeats and pop music has positioned him as one of the fast rising afrobeats artists in Boston. With his single ‘Boston Giant’ and his EP ‘Taken Over’ he cemented his place as one of the upcoming artists to watch in 2022. He speaks with Segun Adebayo about his career in this interview
Why music, what made you decide to pursue music as a career?
Music is my addiction. I have always been addicted to the performing arts, music especially. It is a way for me to express my feelings easily. Music found me and after school, I decided it was time to pursue it seriously as a career. Also seeing the way Afrobeats and African music is presently making waves worldwide, I feel it’s the right time to be doing this.
You released an EP titled ‘TAKEN OVER’ last year. What was the inspiration behind it?
Yes, I dropped my debut EP last year. My inspiration is the title “Taken Over”. I was barely 6 months in the industry and other Afrobeats artists in Boston felt threatened, they formed a clique against me, some of them even confronted me physically. The confrontation made me realize there was something really about my style and my kind of music. “Taken Over” means I have taken over the musical scene in Boston and I am telling the competition that I am here to stay.
You featured EX Big Brother housemate Trikytee on your single ‘Do Me Jeje’. What prompted the feature?
TrikyTee and I go way back, I have known him for a while well before he went on Big Brother reality show and found fame. In fact I actually did a Sisqo cover with him months before he went to Big Brother Naija house. So featuring him on ‘Do Me Jeje’ was just a continuation of our friendship and working together.
What’s your take on the rising global profile of Afrobeats and Nigerian artists? Do you think it will last long?
It’s no news that Afrobeat has come to stay, here in Boston it is impossible to go to any lounge or club or joint and not hear the DJ play Afrobeats. The attention Nigerian artists are enjoying right now has been long coming and I am glad it’s happening in my age, where Nigerian music is being accepted globally by everyone. I am certain this is just the beginning of great things to come and it’s here to stay for a long long time.
We all know there are a lot of upcoming artists in Nigeria. What are some of the challenges you face as an upcoming artist who lives in the diaspora?
Being an upcoming artist can be very challenging, but things have gotten better with the help of social media and the internet. It’s difficult to break into the mainstream because people rarely give upcomers a chance to be heard. People tend to listen to known Afrobeats Artists more and they don’t really pay attention to the new ones especially those in the Diaspora. But the pandemic changed that a bit because people were forced to explore and discover new sounds and artists. That’s one good thing that came out of the pandemic lockdown, we were all forced to try new ways of doing things, streaming of music soared, several new acts were discovered and that has helped upcomers like myself.
You are an unsigned independent artist. How do you cope with the financial implications of the music industry?
It’s not easy but I thank God I’m a hard-working guy. I’m an IT Auditor by day and a musician by night. I use the money I get from my job to invest in my music career. Not being signed to any label, and not having a sponsor makes it more difficult but not impossible. I have had to drive Uber to raise money for my music project. And all these are stepping stones on which I am building my career and one day I know it will pay off big time.
Who are your musical influences?
It’s a combination of a lot of artists both local and international, like Tuface or 2Baba, BurnaBoy, Chris brown and a whole lot of them
Which Nigerian artist(s) do you look up to as your motivation?
Oh boy to be honest, I am my own motivation, but I would give Davido full credit. Homeboy has really tried for himself, he works twice as hard like he has nothing.
You just came back from the UK, where you had your first ever performance outside the US. How did it feel performing for the first time in the UK? Do you have any more upcoming gigs or tours coming up?
The UK performance was awesome. It was actually at a friend’s birthday party. It went great, it feels good to perform for your friends and even those you don’t know, and to have them singing and dancing along to your songs is a great feeling. I can’t wait to share the video when it’s ready. Yes, I’m currently working on some gigs. I am planning a promotional tour for my EP ‘Taken Over’, and will share details as soon as possible.
When are you planning to release your next single? How soon should your fans expect it?
My next single is tentatively dropping April 15th.
If you have the opportunity, which Nigerian or Western artist would you love to collaborate with or feature?
I will definitely love to collaborate with Davido, Kizz Daniel and Tiwa savage.
How did the name Sammie Faze come about?
I’m originally from the Eastern part of Nigeria, Ohafia in Abia state, but I was born in Ondo State, in the western part of Nigeria. I speak igbo and yoruba fluently. But I currently reside in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
What prompted your relocation to the US?
I had the opportunity to relocate in search of the Golden fleece, so in 2018 I moved to the US to do so. And afterwards, with the way things were going back home, I opted to settle here.