Musician 8figurez chats about making music and how his BSc in Maths helps him in the industry

South Africa-based Nigerian cinematographer turned musician Jackson Irorere, otherwise known as 8figurez, has expressed himself in music, something he says everyone around him knew was long overdue.

Having been known as the numbers guy in his circle of friends and after having conquered the word of cinematography, Jackson decided to give his musical side a chance.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, 8figurez said he feels free to be himself in the space and to make music that “actually says something worthwhile”.

“I love music and I’ve always embraced my creativity. My close friends have always said I look the part, it just took me while to take up music. The decision to make music came after I listened to some people and I was, like ‘what are they saying?’ Some of them, you really can’t hear what they saying and I thought, ‘I can do better’.

“I love music, so when I listen I would be nit-picking, you know, saying the beat is good but the lyrics can be better. So that’s what I wanted to bring to the table. Songs that sound great, say something and go straight to the point.”

His single By Force featuring Gemini Major is about living a liberated life and knowing that in life one doesn’t need to force anything.

If the vibes are off, don’t force it, says the musician.

“The song I have with Gemini says ‘it no be by force’ which speaks to the individual’s ability to say yes or no and to own their decisions. People shouldn’t live life feeling like they [are] constantly forced into things, hence 'nothing should be forced' is the message in the song.”

Though he has a BSc in Mathematics, Jackson is in-tune with his artistic side. The name 8figurez comes from him being a numbers guy.

“I’ve always loved numbers, even as a child ... I was always the one saving money and finding ways to multiply it. But [the] arts have always been a part of my life, even later with my degree in mathematics. I’m a person who pushes the envelope and I decided a while ago that just because I am good at one thing, like maths, doesn’t mean the door is closed for me to things like cinematography or music.”

Jackson said he found his background in math to be an advantage when he decided to venture into music.

“Being a mathematician, you think very fast and are able to solve problems as they arise. Your brain is always looking for solutions and you are a critical thinker. It also helps you calculate your moves like ‘how do we take this forward? how do we multiple this money?  these YouTube views, these resources. All these skills are important in the music industry.”

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