Things have only gotten better for the 19-year-old over the past few months. Nominated for this year’s BRITs Rising Star, Sekou became the youngest ever nominee in the category while recent singles “Crying” and “let go of my slowly” and a support slot for Renee Rapp’s “Snow Hard Feelings Tour” have kept his fan base growing at a steady pace. 

As he continues to build his profile and prepares for world domination, Principle gets to know Sekou a little better in an exclusive interview. 

Let’s talk about your latest single, “let go of me slowly.” What inspired you to write this song?

I was in LA and I was writing a bunch of songs. It was the last day before I went to the airport and we were just talking about this experience that was happening in my life at that time when I was coming out of a relationship. We wrote the song in half an hour and it was a breath of fresh air, to be honest. It was me letting go of something that meant so much to you and just moving on.

Beanie Baddest / Cardigan Obey / T-shirt Uniqlo / Loafers GH Bass  

Now that it has been out for several weeks, how have you felt about the reception? Are you someone who likes to see what people are saying with each release?

I feel like with every artist, that’s the most important thing. You wanna hear how people react to a song and how they’re reacting to your lyrics and your music. I think I’ll always do that no matter what happens. But yeah, I was definitely intrigued to see how people felt about this song, probably more than others because it means so much to me and I wanted to see if they felt the way that I feel about it. I think they definitely did. It’s definitely one of the best receptions I’ve had so far.

You recently embarked on a tour with Renee Rapp. How was supporting someone with such a loyal fanbase?

It was so good. I feel we have similar fan bases. When you go on tour with someone, it’s great for the experience, but to actually leave with new fans who are supporting me is really cool. It’s really nice. They’re very crazy fans, but that’s what you want really. That’s the kind of fan base I want for myself. 

Beanie Baddest / Top BDG Jeans / Shorts Asos / Loafers GH Bass

Your first ever live experience was at Glastonbury, which is huge. What can you tell me about booking that gig and how it went down?

It was kind of really random, to be honest. I’m really close to this one radio guy who’s from my local area and he has a really cute little show, and he was like, “You have to play Glastonbury!” You know when people tell you things and they never sometimes happen? He was so serious about it! And he actually played Arlo Parks for the very first time and she and him were picking an artist for the festival and they both picked me. I had no music at the time but it’s an opportunity you can’t really turn down. It was such a great experience and I loved every second of it, to be honest. 

You’ve got more live shows booked, including a headline show at Omeara and festivals such as Cross The Tracks. Now that you have more live experience under your belt, how are you with performances? Can it still be nerve-wracking?

That’s probably the thing that I was most scared of. I got so nervous. Like, I feel sick to the point where I don’t wanna go on. I almost wanna run away. But, I love it now. You get to build such confidence when people actually come to see you. You have to remember that they’re there for you, they are there to cheer you on, no matter what happens. It’s such a great experience to keep doing it. It’s only been one year, even though it feels like such a long time since I did my first proper-ticketed show. You learn so much!

You were nominated for this year’s BRITs Rising Star. Where were you when you found that out?

I was actually asleep. I was in bed. I think I had just come back from somewhere and I was completely exhausted. I just remember seeing the message and I literally screamed. I was manifesting that for such a long time and I think it was the right moment for it to happen.

Beanie Asos / Polo shirt ATIKA / Trousers Jaded 

Are you a quiet manifester or are you quite vocal with your goals?

I think it has to be both. If you tell people things, I think that sometimes ruins it, so I keep a lot of things to myself. I tend to write things down in a notebook or whatever. I’m definitely loud in the sense that I want people to know what I want, but then I don’t tell people things that I’m working towards.

Because of these accolades you’ve achieved so early on, has that added any extra pressure?

Oh, yeah, 100 percent! I think it’s really difficult and hard to understand the pressure when you can’t pick out what it is. But I definitely think you feel the pressure, that’s a good thing. It kinda makes you want it more and you wanna work harder so you can try and find that thing. It fires you up, to be fair.

Your song “Better Man” introduced your music to many listeners. What do you think it was about that song that captured people’s attention?

The honesty and storytelling. It’s very simple but very different. And I think, in my opinion, it’s very in a weird box of not being straight down the line. It has a cool root about it. It’s very honest and not getting along with your parents is a topic a lot of people can relate to. I think that’s the beauty of songwriting, it’s that everyone can find their own story.

Beanie Asos / T-shirt Urban Outfitters 

I was reading your Rolling Stone interview where you said you want to wait a couple more years before you release your debut studio album. Why is it important for you to wait?

I wanna be the biggest artist in the world. I think if you release a body of work very early on in your career, it kind of pegs away that moment of that first debut album without maybe people knowing who you are. But, obviously, everyone works in different ways. For me, I think I wanna hit the ground with an album when I’m starting to get established and people know the name. I want to come out with an incredible album where it’s like, “BAM! This is my moment!” I am definitely writing for it now, but I know it won’t be ready for at least a good year, I think. 

So you’re writing songs and purposely saving special ones for an album while actively releasing new singles?

Oh, yes. 100 percent. And creating the sound for what I want people to know you for. I think the first album cements you to what you are and who you are, I think. I’m definitely writing and developing my sound and saving songs. 

A lot of people know you for your ballads, but one of my personal favourites is “Forgiving Myself,” which is more uptempo. Can we expect more bops like that?

100 percent. There are so many things that I’m gonna be working on. I’ve got so much writing being done over the next three months. This is the part where I think I’m gonna step into the sound and find the synths and the tempos while mixing it with the lyrical ballads and the melodies without going completely crazy and not boxing myself into a genre, which I think is really important in this day and age. 

Top BDG Jeans

I also read that you have a Queen-inspired song with Labrinth. What can you tell me about this song?

It’s a song I was meant to release after “Better Man,” but because of the big voice and the big melodies, I knew it wasn’t the right time to put it out. I think it is an incredible song and one of the best songs that I’ve ever worked on, but it has a very distinctive sound. Once people get to know me and my story, I think they will understand it more.

Lastly, what else do you have in store for the rest of the year?

I think it’s gonna still be busy and I know that I’m definitely gonna keep writing lots more. That’s kind of what I’m focusing on, the writing. I think that the most important thing is getting the music because if you don’t have the music, nothing can move. I’m doing loads and loads of festivals. There is a really exciting one that I’m looking forward to but we’re still in talks. If I get that, that’ll be a dream. There are loads of little things that are happening, but I think by the end of this year or early next year will be the moment when I arrive properly with a body of work.

Hat N/A Vintage / Jacket Reclaimed Vintage / Shorts Collusion

Sekou headlines Omeara on Monday, 13th May.

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