Apartment VII is a magical and electric Trio Powerhouse. The band comprises singers, songwriters, producers, and sound engineers- Zik, Leke, and Ene. The trio that make up Apartment VII met during their university days and have been creating magic together ever since. They have released a couple of projects in the course of their career so far.
The Trio are signed to New Century Incorporated.
I am sure you are also intrigued to know the story behind this extraordinary trio. Stay glued!
I’d like to meet Apartment VII, Individually, the inspiration behind the name and when apartment vII was born.
ZIK– We all went to the same school. Me and Leke, we used to be bedroom producers. Bedroom production became a thing. The whole EDM community is largely made up of bedroom producers and that’s what we were. We were listening to EDM at the time and wanted to be a part of that community at some point, so we felt like we were bedroom producers but we were producing for different people and a lot of them already knew each other.
So it just felt like we were in the same house, so hence it’s an apartment … and we called it Apartment VII. Later we wanted to branch from just producing and I wanted to put out original music so I started writing but I didn’t put out anything original until much later. One day, I said I’ll put stuff out, I don’t care and that was when we met and made our first EP together. And we’ve been making music since then.
So Zik and Leke have been friends for a while before Apartment VII was born. I’m sure you are also curious to know how Ene came into the picture and became a part of the band,
So, Can we meet Ene as well?
ENE–Yeah. I joined in 2019, we were volunteering at our university campus radio station and I came around and there were moments where we’d sit and discuss as a group, and I struck a friendship with both of them cause we also had mutual friends and it was just a thing. We were having conversations and I just sent a voice note of me singing to Zik and he said this is really good, we should make music together and that was how I joined.
It was simple, we recorded the first song together and he was like do you want to be a part of this band and I said sure. That was my first professional experience in music and since then we’ve been making music together. We have two EPs out and a couple of singles. I don’t think I would’ve wanted my journey into music to have happened any other way because I feel very lucky to have both of them be a part of my musical journey
Wow! That’s great. Send singing voice notes to your friends. You might just be the next big star that way you know.
So Leke, what’s your story?
LEKE- I was born into the whole music thing, my mom and dad are ministers in the church, so I was in the choir for a long time. I played the drums but what really caught my attention was the makeup of the choir, seeing the whole thing come together, not just me playing the drum. I loved to organize it and get the whole thing together. Even In secondary school, I used to play the drums for the school, and there were guys who would normally rap. So on Saturdays, when we’re getting ready, we form a whole band, a whole crew.
I’m sure you were part of those guys who disturbed the class with the desk and all, [Don’t ask me how I know this lol, only real recognize real]
LEKE-No, I didn’t really like desks, it was mainly keyboards and drums
I used to use the desk then. Myself, and one of my other friends, who is a producer now. Then, we used to disturb the whole class. We got caught a couple of times.
In my defense, it was fun! But the few times we got caught were not nice at all.
So ever since apartment vii came to life what has been your greatest motivation, influences, maybe other bands or creatives you’ve heard of so far?
ZIK– Our influences are different, so I feel like “who is influencing me right now?” is a better question. There are so many influences
However, How’s the creative process like when the group is working together?
There are different patterns to it, Zik explains.
It’d be nice to know each person’s creative process
ENE– I think generally because we work together, it usually depends on who feels inspired to start or initiate the process. Sometimes it’s Zik, sometimes it’s Leke, and sometimes it’s just by sending me a beat like “yo I think this is cool, can you jump on it?” And I work on it and send it back and before you know it we’re in the studio recording the song.
Or sometimes it could just be me sitting down and- I play the guitar a little. So I could just get some chords, compose something little and send it to either one of them and the song comes from there. So it’s not really always that we sit together, It’s always different. It’s more about when we’re inspired to actually go for something. Sometimes we can stay overnight and we have recording sessions. Even when we were in school, we had to juggle a lot of things. We always tried to make it work because when you’re inspired to make something, if you don’t do it at that time you might lose it.
I totally agree with Ene’s last line. Spontaneity is the game of creativity! The best way is to utilize it as it comes because most times, that idea might not come around anymore.
Let’s imagine I’m just meeting Apartment VII for the first time. I will like to know what everyone does in the band.
ENE– I sing and write. Zik produces, sings, and writes, and he mixes, masters, and engineers.
LEKE– Leke produces and mixes and masters.
So we have singers, producers, songwriters, and mixers. Great! Now you see why they are called a powerhouse. A complete creative team. However, this has some downsides to them, they explained.
ENE– That’s why this MBA process is a bit different for us. Because we were always an in-house thing. Everything is just us
Yeah, I was about to ask, how it’s been like having to work with other people…
ENE– It has been a challenge, I’m learning…
LEKE– I’ve never had to do it.
ENE– Never!
[Laughter]
So it’s like a whole new learning process for you all.
ZIK-. I’ve never really produced stuff that we didn’t make, or written songs…
So now you’re learning to work with other people and producers and singers and songwriters.
ALL- yeah.
So is there any memorable experience you’ve had so far at the Talent Project?
ZIK– Memorable would be- this is way out of my comfort zone. I don’t socialize much. So memorable for me would be being in the company of other people, like figuring out what we’re going to eat, who will do what, and so on
I’m guessing Ene is the social one, I respond.
ENE-me?? she exclaims. Leke is the social person. I think it’s the first time for me having to experience something like this like we’re living in the same house, figuring things out together, It’s nice.
However, I believe Ene is an ambivert, which she confirms, while Zik is obviously an introvert, and Leke is the type who becomes extra-open when he becomes comfortable around you.
Zik, you mentioned food earlier. Can you cook?
LEKE– yeah Zik can cook. Zik saved my life a couple of times. I can’t cook [laughter]
So what should we be expecting from Apartment VII?
ENE– songs, but on a more ….
LEKE– Apartementy-ey vibe?
ENE– Apartmente! You know what’s coming…
LEKE– Something different.
ENE– Cause you know our songs are very alternative. Like being able to work with our music in this Nigerian or African context. So being able to make it ours, I think that whatever is coming out of us right now will be different.
LEKE– But I feel people tend to box alternative
So, Apartment VII. I’ll make sure I listen to all your songs.
LEKE –make sure you listen to Abstract Reality.
Trust me when I tell you this is my favourite project from them. I remember I wrote a poem called Abstract Reality when I was in school. It should inspire me to listen to your project.
For fun, Ene paints, cooks, learns to play the guitar, and documents pictures as a lover of photography. Zik on the other hand watches what he describes as an “unhealthy” amount of TV for fun while Leke plays video games for fun.
The trio also expresses their interest in content creation, academics, and engineering as career alternatives if they were not into music.
While you are here, enjoy the most recent project from Apartment VII- An Ode to Mortality (fanlink.to)
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