One morning, toward the end of November, rising Nigerian artist, Vasa, woke up to find he was trending on TikTok. A video in which he performed his latest song, Treasure, had garnered over 300k likes on the popular platform.
Vasa — coined out of “versatility” — dropped the emotive song, Treasure, on November 10, 2023, in an attempt to stretch his bright beginning. Just four months before that, he’d dropped his two-single coming-of-age debut, which showed us a glimpse of his storytelling skills.
We look into his budding music career, how it all started, the viral TikTok moment and his upcoming EP.
18-year-old Vasa, born Freedom Alli, was born in Benue State and raised in Lagos. Since age nine, he has gravitated toward the arts and creativity. He first expressed himself as a sketch artist then a creative writer whose friends paid him to tell them stories.
By age 14, he’d directed most of his creative energy into songwriting and music. In 2020, when Vasa turned 15, he started posting freestyles and covers on his Instagram page. His consistency positioned him in many people’s feeds and faces, including his dancer-friends, one of whom forwarded the posts to Ize Records in 2023. The label signed Vasa soon after.
In August, Vasa put out his official debut. The first, Bolanle, talked about young lovers who couldn’t let go of each other. The second, Teriza, had Vasa serenading listeners with an upbeat Afropop tune about his romantic desires and moments with his love interest. Next, he released a sped-up version of each song to optimise for TikTok.
Then came Treasure, a follow-up to Bolanle. Blending heartwarming vocals with moody mid-tempo R&B, Vasa’s writing abilities soar. Professing his steadfast desire for his love interest, his persona on the song showcases the sheer significance of vulnerability as a bonding tool in relationships. As he echoes her identity as his “treasure”, his gentle vocals soothe the listener’s tension and the percussion glides the song to a crescendo.
In November, Vasa gained much-needed visibility. More people are tuned into his music than ever, with his songs and music videos gaining traction on TV and radio. Treasure is currently on Apple Music’s East Africa Risers Shazam Top 200 and Viral Top 50 on Spotify.
As he progresses, Vasa maintains an unwavering commitment to his love for music, focusing on recording his first full-length project. “It’s an EP I’ve been preparing for next year (2024). I can’t wait for people to hear that I’m versatile and good”.
The release could be a significant milestone in his career if it captivates listeners and further showcases his growth as an artist.