Lojay: An MM Exclusive Interview

Few artists embody the spirit of Afrobeats’ evolution quite like Lojay. Since breaking through with his 2021 Sarz-produced EP LV N ATTN, the Lagos-born star has blurred the lines between Afrobeats, R&B, and experimental sounds, gifting us global anthems like Monalisa and Tonongo while steadily building a reputation as one of the genre’s most forward-thinking voices. After the acclaimed Gangster Romantic EP, collaborations with everyone from Chris Brown and Wizkid to Ayra Starr and Steel Banglez, and a GRAMMY nomination to his name, Lojay now steps into a defining moment: the release of his long-awaited debut album, XOXO, out Friday October 10th 2025.

Lojay has given fans a taste of what’s to come from the sultry, London-meets-Lagos groove of MWAH! with Odeal to the heartfelt Somebody Like You, and now his latest single Bobo.

We sat down with Lojay to talk about XOXO, creative evolution, love, vulnerability, and what this new era means for him as both an artist and performer.

C: First off, congrats in advance on the release of “XOXO”, such a bold, infectious moment. Is there a moment you loved the most when making the album? 

L: “The whole process of creating the album was extremely special and instrumental for me. The album changed so many times and so did I in reality but if I absolutely had to pick one moment it would be the period I made “change you up”.

C: You’ve worked with a wide range of artists lately from Odeal, Tyler ICU and Ayra Starr to Chris Brown and Steel Banglez to name a few – how have these cross-genre, cross-border collaborations shaped the way you see yourself as an artist? 

L: “I’ve always been a flexible artiste able to blend on different types of sounds and I believe that’s what’s afforded me the opportunity to be a part of a wide array of song and genres.“

C: Love and desire are recurring themes in your work, and you paint them with such vivid emotion. How do those feelings influence your writing, especially on a track like “Mwah”? 

L: “Mwah” was one of those songs that came about in the most fun and interesting way. Odeal and I just locked in with nothing but aligned intentions and that manifested into “Mwah” pretty seamlessly if I might add.“

C: Your sound has always lived in that space between Afrobeats, R&B, and experimental textures. When you’re making music, do you even think about genre — or is it more instinctual? 

L: “It’s very instinctive for me. I try not to stick to one genre honestly. All I really look out for is the groove and once I connect to it, I’m good to go.”

C: How have pivotal moments from the GRAMMY nomination to surprise moments onstage with Chris Brown, affected your mindset going into ‘XOXO’? 

L: “Honestly, the album was mostly done before the Grammy’s but being a part of it really did shift my mind in the sense that I saw an endless world of possibilities with my music.“

C: Vulnerability is such a key part of your artistry. Where does that emotional openness stem from, and how do you navigate the balance between sharing your truth and protecting your personal space? 

L: “I grew up feeling like I couldn’t always express myself or just finding it difficult to, so now with music as an avenue I’m able to express a lot of bottled emotions without any sense of guilt cause I can just attribute everything to the art.”

C: Your debut album ‘XOXO’ has been long-awaited, and you’ve described it as your stories, your moments, your heart. What’s been the most surprising or revealing part of creating this project? 

L: How much I changed. I feel like I went from being angry, especially at myself, to being extremely content and happy again. I came into this trying to make an album but in a lot of ways the album made me too. 

C: Beyond the studio, what’s been fuelling your creativity lately — whether it’s life experiences, visuals, travel, or something totally unexpected? 

L: “Mainly travel lately. I’ve been fortunate enough to find myself in some amazing cities where I’ve met amazing people with amazing stories to tell and that’s been extremely inspiring.“

C: You recently announced your debut ‘XOXO’ tour set for Europe and North America in November. What does this moment mean to you as you bring the show worldwide, and what can fans expect from the experience? 

L: “I’m very much a performing artiste so to be able to share my music live with fans is genuinely what I live for and having the chance to do that for my first album is even more profound and something I know I will hold in my heart forever.”

C: Finally, with ‘XOXO’ on the way, what else can fans expect next? Any features, visuals, or exclusives you can tease? 🙂 

L: “More of everything they’re already getting plus things they haven’t even thought of yet.”