The Rilwan Effect: How One Producer Is Shaping A New Era Of Music

15th August, 2024

The new age of music producers is transforming how we listen to and experience music, inventing new and addictive rhythms, tapping into culture, and amplifying emotions through their work. Leading this movement is Rilwan, a young genius producer whose creative talent helps him to create unique sounds that makes every song a hit from start to finish. He’s one producer who artists go for when they want music that doesn’t just sound good but carries a vital message.

As a producer, his catalogue speaks for itself; with songs that span from bold refixes of classics to original collaborations that cement themselves in your playlists. There is a truly Nigerian pulse to Rilwan’s music, one that echoes the memories and feelings of childhood memories, street anthems, traditional instruments, and Nigerian parties. With each song release, we are reminded of Rilwan’s impressive talents and star quality and truly believe that he’s slowly taking over the music production industry.
Rilwan’s foundation as a producer and creative is rooted in Nigeria’s rich musical traditions, which he’s been immersed in since childhood. His career is the product of a deep curiosity about how sound and rhythm come together, and how they can weave in unspoken feelings and experiences. Though he is versatile across genres, Rilwan easily shines brightest when he’s working with Nigerian music traditions, using elements like Fuji rhythms, highlife melodies, street rhythms, and Yoruba proverbs and chants.
Across the many songs Rilwan has worked on, there is one comment element; that the songs are experiences, not mere words and a beat. Every element, from drums and whistles to adlibs and basslines, is extremely intentional and comes together seamlessly to frame the mood of the song. In this way, Rilwan has set himself apart as a producer that knows how to translate cultural influences into music that is modern and appeals to young listeners.

Rilwan’s excellence as a producer is evident in songs like “RaVage (Warcry)” where he sets the mood of the song with a spoken-word intro that captures your attention immediately. He then infuses layers of instruments into the song, with drums, clapping and intense vocals, which all create the illusion of a crowd chanting in unison in tune with the song. The production creates a song that feels communal, like an anthem for hustlers grinding towards success despite life’s hurdles.

His signature style as a producer is also clear in “Tinkerbell” where he takes his layered vocals and instruments approach in a different emotional direction. His production choices mirror the theme of the song, an expression of anger and disappointment towards the lies and tension of a relationship. He uses soft clap-like percussion, muted drums and background vocals from Ena to create a floating mood that draws the listener in and amplifies the message of the lyrics while creating a fun vibe that you can still enjoy.

One of Rilwan’s strongest talents as a producer is how he beautifully reimagines older Nigerian hit songs while retaining their depth and cultural significance. Many artistes make refixes but very few are able to maintain the soul of the original and pay proper homage in their versions. One of the best refixes from Rilwan is easily “Gaga,” where he transforms the iconic “E dey pain me Gaga” from the early 2000s by Stereoman Ekwe.

In “Gaga,” Rilwan elevates the sound of the original with a bouncy whistle-like beat, incorporating traditional instruments like the ogene to tie in the cultural elements of the song. This way, he transforms the song into a shorter, more danceable track, perfect for night and family parties and casual listening alone or with friends. This is a talent that is rare amongst younger producers, but Rilwan has perfected it in his skill set as a creative.

Rilwan brings the same magic to “Soyoyo,” which is a refix of the fuji classic by Musiliu Haruna Ishola. Here he curates a shorter section of the original song, transforming it into a new vibe; complete with layered vocals, new beats, and a seamless call-and-response structure. The song is reminiscent of a choir-led Fuji live performance, moving you to stand up from your seat and dance along to the beat. His refixes find a way to ground and transform these classics into a form that is trendy enough for younger listeners yet tied to the original enough to make older Fuji fans smile.

Rilwan’s fluidity ensures that he can transition his production and creativity seamlessly across genres, whether its Fuji, Afrobeats, hip-hop, alternative pop, or street anthems. This versatility is incredibly rare amongst young producers, but Rilwan does it on a level and with skill that rivals seasoned producers with years of experience.

As one of the hottest, rising producers in Nigeria, Rilwan is redefining the boundaries of modern Afrobeats and fusion music. His work is clear evidence that Nigerian producers can be cultural bridges between old and new music and between local and global music industries. The way Rilwan strips classics to their foundation and rebuilds them on his own sound system, all while maintaining the essence of the original, clearly sets him as a producer to watch out for in the future.

Rilwan is also exceptionally talented at capturing emotions in his sound design, knowing how to place the right elements to build the song’s mood, no matter the range of the artist’s message and emotions. He has built an extensive catalogue of music with emerging artists like Darse and Ena, with whom he’s created magic in the form of music. And in each song, you can clearly see how he’s attuned to each artist’s vibe, a skill that is invaluable as a producer.

Rilwan is going to be a great producer, one of the best out of Nigeria, and this is clear not from his work now, but from what he is clearly building. His range and versatility are elements of a producer who will shine on larger stages, of someone with the potential to create full-length music projects, performance scoring, and shine at cross-cultural fusion albums. He was born with the ear for storytelling and music and has honed his technical skill as a producer and creative to a global level.

As Nigerian music continues to dominate the music industry worldwide, it is producers like Rilwan who will be the future of music production. His intuitive understanding of rhythm and collaborative spirit has already given him an edge, one that draws artists to him like flies. His catalogue is already full of hit after hit, showing not just his talent but the image and career he’s building as a producer who always delivers. As a producer, Rilwan is constantly building on his previous work, so expect even more experiments from him and be assured that every song will be a work of art.