In the interview with Nandy Madiba, BNXN reveals that his album name was inspired by Nigerian Grammy-winning megastar Burna Boy who advised him to find a way to incorporate the name into his album after he made the name change from Buju to BNXN (Benson).
“I went out with Burna Boy. We were talking – this is around the period where I’d just changed the name – and he’s like ‘yo, now you need to personalise that name, you need to make an emphasis on that name. This name? That has to be your album name. It has to be part of your album itself, you need to sell it with you.’
He told me that and it stuck to me so bad, but it was crazy because months after that he drops ‘Love, Damini’. You know, his real name! I was like ‘Ahhh my guy, I feel you!’… so yeah, that was one of the reasons that really inspired the name, the need to personalise and make an emphasis on the name, so people really identify me for what it is.”
BNXN is one of the Nigerian artists whose music draws from his emotions and in the interview, he shared that his debut LP ‘Sincerely, Benson’ was inspired by a heartbreak he experienced.
“True story: I was in love when I was in this project. I was so heartbroken when I made this project because I had just left a relationship. I know that I was the one that really caused it, [that] made that happen, but it’s like… how do you really tell someone you’re sorry if you can’t own up to it and accept it? That was one of the themes that inspired the project.”
On the content in the album, BNXN says that the songs are crafted to offer different songs that connect with the sensitivities of different listeners.
“This album itself encompasses so much emotion, especially if you can relate or you understand. Also in there, there is still a need for you to feel good and dance and vibe. It’s why songs like ‘GWAGWALADA’, ‘Mukulu’, and ‘Right Energy’ are on there. It kind of gives you this sense where yeah, we’re about to sink into a project full of emotions, but I also want you people to feel good, you know? I feel like this is such a perfect project, it has everything.”
Following his release, BNXN is gearing up for his North America tour where he would be performing songs from his new album.