Azuka Akaeze, famously known as Ay Zed is an outstanding music producer whose tenacity has been obvious over the years. He has independently produced and collaborated with a wide range of artistes, including Timaya, Davido, Kizz Daniel, and Flavour among others.
Ay Zed’s impact on the Nigerian music industry is undeniable, with numerous hits on the Official Nigeria Top 100 chart to his credit. It’s a remarkable achievement that Ay Zed produced two songs off Kizz Daniel’s EP, ‘TZA’ that made it to No. 1 on the Official Nigeria Top 100 chart.
One of his most notable productions is Kizz Daniel’s “Twe Twe”. The song initially spent four weeks at No. 1 and another six weeks upon the release of the remix featuring Nigerian superstar, Davido. “Twe Twe” was Nigeria’s biggest song for the first half of 2024. It was the most heard song on radio with 1.1 billion expressions. Lastly, it was the most streamed song for the first half of the year with 67 million streams. The chances are that if you spent more than one hour in Nigeria in 2024, you heard the music from the mind of Ay Zed.
Another standout track produced by Ay Zed is Kizz Daniel’s “Showa.” It debuted at No. 40 on the Official Nigeria Top 100, yet its infectious beat and captivating production propelled it to No. 1. These highlight Ay Zed’s ability to craft hits that resonate with audiences and dominate the airwaves.
In an exclusive interview with TurnTable Charts, Ay Zed opened up about his love for music and the journey that led him to become one of Nigeria’s most sought-after producers. His passion for music began at a young age, nurtured by his mother, who hired a piano tutor for him when he was just seven years old.
TTC: What inspired you to become a music producer, and how did you get your start in the industry?
AY ZED: I have always loved music growing up which led to my mom getting a piano tutor for me at like age 7. From there to playing keyboard in school and later churches I just always found myself around music. I won’t say the aim was to become a music producer, I just gradually gravitated to music production unknowingly while I was having fun.
TTC: Can you share your journey from your first production to working with top artistes like Kizz Daniel and Davido?
AY ZED: Started making beats for fun after secondary school. While waiting for admission, I saw a close friend using Fruity Loops, then I figured I could do this too. I just kept playing with it until my friends started singing on my beats. I didn’t take music seriously till after my first degree. When I moved to Lagos, I started making music with friends, and the journey kicked off.
TTC: What is your creative process when working with an artiste? How do you ensure that the sound reflects both your style and the artiste’s vision?
AY ZED: My creative process working with an artiste is mostly creating a friendly environment for us to express ourselves comfortably because trust is needed and once that trust is established, every other thing seems to sort itself out.
TTC: How do you approach producing for different genres and artistes like Patoranking and Flavour, who have unique styles?
AY ZED: I like to believe that every genre of music I listen to I can create. So? I try to listen to everything. It doesn’t really matter who I’m working with, as long as they trust me and they know what they want, it's the same approach.
TTC: What was it like working with high-profile artistes such as Davido and Kizz Daniel? Can you share any memorable experiences from these collaborations?
AY ZED: It's interesting just seeing how different their creative processes are. I remember the first time working with Kizz Daniel and he made me do like five versions of a song and that seemed really crazy to me then. The question in my mind was why were we doing this thing over and over instead of modifying it? In the end, we didn’t even use any of the beats again but the initial beat was what later turned out to be the song with Johnny Drille.
TTC: How do you manage creative differences when collaborating with big names in the industry?
AY ZED: They say I can be stubborn but in the end, it's just compromise and trust. I’m gradually getting my way as people are getting to trust me, but I’m also learning to be more open-minded.
TTC: What challenges have you faced in your career as a producer, and how have you overcome them?
AY ZED: The main challenge I have faced is getting artistes to see what I see. I wish artistes would experiment more and actually release them. Most artistes just want to recreate what's out already but I want to try new things.
TTC: How has your sound evolved over the years, and what do you think has been the key to your success?
AY ZED: I don't really know if and how my sound has evolved, but I always just try to stay in tune with what’s going on and stay consistent. I try not to just copy but rather infuse elements of things I hear and like.
TTC: Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you can share with us?
AY ZED: There are lots but I can't give you details right now.