Emerging from South London with a sound shaped by migration, movement, and constant change, Strandz is an artist who makes music from experience. Raised on a wide palette of influences and driven by a need for creative challenge, his work reflects a deep connection to rhythm, dance, and self-expression. For Strandz, the art is about creating space to move, feel, and grow - acting as a continuous reflection of where he stands at the time. 

Strandz enters the industry at a time when the UK music scene is increasingly shaped by independence, fluid genres, and direct artist-to-audience connection. As more artists move away from rigid industry pathways, his work sits comfortably alongside a wave of musicians prioritising creative autonomy and live performance as central parts of their practice. In this context, Strandz’s music feels less like a product and more like a continuation of the scene’s ongoing shift toward freedom and self-definition.

Against this backdrop, we sat down with Strandz to talk about his place within the UK’s independent music landscape, his creative process, and the thinking behind his approach to sound and performance.

So, as we wrap up the year, how has your 2025 been? 

It's been good man, I think it's been a lot of learning this year for me. I went through a lot of turbulence over the last three years because I kind of got thrown into this industry. I've been dealing with stuff that I haven't really been prepared for in a way.

There was a long time where I was just reacting rather than thinking and being able to plan stuff out. But this year, because I'm going independent now and I'm in control of what I'm doing, I think I've had a lot more clarity, and I've been working on myself pretty much.

How would you describe yourself as an artist?

I guess I'd say I'm selfish. I do it all for myself pretty much, first and foremost. As much as I want to make a career out of it and all of that stuff, my priority is always to enjoy the process.

I really like to challenge myself and push myself, so I'm never content just making a product or making the same kind of music for a certain type of fanbase. I’m into experimentation and trying new things and always pushing the boundaries.

I guess those are the people that my music is for, but first and foremost, this is for me.

You spoke about being ushered into the industry quite quickly - I feel like I have to ask you about ‘Us Against the World’, did you know that song was going to do what it did when you made it? 

I didn't know it was gonna do what it did because at that time there wasn't really any blueprint for what I was doing. So it was kind of one of those things where I made it, it had a big sample on it already, so business-wise it wasn't really a great move at the time, you know what I'm saying.

I just wanted to drop it kind of for the streets. When I was listening to it, it felt like the streets were gonna get this- this is for the people I would have grown up with, for the people that would appreciate that sound.

I never really saw it as a commercial record. So when it ended up gaining traction and stuff, it surprised me in a way. But at the same time, I knew that was the sound I was working on, and eventually I had to do something with it.

You mentioned it being a turbulent time over the last few years- what keeps you grounded?

I think it's changed. I had unhealthy habits to escape from stuff rather than actually figuring out what it was that was overwhelming me. Before, I would have been drinking, smoking, spending money- the kind of stuff that when you're in your adolescence, it’s just the default. Especially where I'm coming from, that’s just what people do. If life gets too much, you just do that.

But over time, I realised there was a lot of friction between my vices and me trying to escape, and what I wanted to do business-wise and the life I wanted. It didn’t align well. That created a lot of friction in my life- the highs were high, but the lows were really low as well. Everything felt very extreme.

Over time, I learned I needed to balance that out. Even though there was a transition phase where it felt pointless and weird, now I’m more focused on the little things-  building a routine, going to the gym, eating healthy, spending time with my girl, learning.

Those things help build the lifestyle I actually want. Before, I was getting short-term relief, but in the back of my mind I knew it was taking me further away from where I wanted to be. Now it’s a slower pace of life, I’m not chasing extreme highs. That even comes from not going on TikTok, not watching movies every night-  just cutting out the stuff that fries us and rebalancing myself so I can enjoy the little things that used to feel boring.

Do you feel like this new lifestyle reflects in your music?

I think it’s nuanced. Life is something you can never really figure out. There are extreme ups and extreme downs, and life always throws stuff at you that makes you have to sit back and learn again.

So with the music, I try to keep it nuanced. I don’t want to paint life as this thing where once you figure it out, you’re happy. There are always external factors and battles with yourself. You might slip back into bad habits and have to figure it out again.

I like to reflect on what I’ve learned, but also talk about things in my past from my perspective now. I want people to see that I’m the same person they might be or might have been.

So when I talk about growth or healthier habits, it doesn’t feel alien- like I’m some different guy. I’m the same as everyone else, just trying to figure it out along the way.

Your background spans between different cultures. How do you feel your identity has shaped your music?

It’s had a big impact. It links back to me being adventurous and needing a lot of challenge creatively. Being in so many different environments and adapting to them made me able to handle stress and change with ease. Moving around when you’re young, especially between completely different cultures, it opens your mind.

We have this fear that too much change is bad, but often all it takes is just doing it-going and doing the wildest thing and realising it wasn’t even that crazy.

When I came here, I didn’t speak English, so I had to figure that out in primary school. All those trials and tribulations definitely impacted how ambitious I am now and how much I like to push myself creatively.

Who were your musical inspirations growing up? What were you listening to?

I grew up at the end of the CD era, before phones and Blackberries. We couldn’t really afford CDs, so we had burnt CDs and mixtapes- whatever my parents had.

A lot of Afrobeats, funk, and rock. Amy Winehouse, Sade. There was one CD that was hip-hop - a New York compilation. At the time, I thought it was one artist or a project, but later I realised it was loads of different New York rappers.

I didn’t discover rap through branding or visuals- it was purely the sound and the message before I even knew what they looked like.

Let’s talk about Diaspora Dance Music. How did that project come together?

I was confused about where I wanted to go with it because I never really consumed music as projects-I just have songs I like and put them together.

So I decided to focus on a theme that was important to me: reconnecting people with the joy of dancing and self-expression. Dancing for yourself, not for the camera- almost like meditation. I broke it down into moments I experienced growing up: dancing in Nigeria at New Year’s, dancehall parties in London, dancing at home with my family at Christmas.

The thread of it all is dancing. That’s why the live show was so important - that’s how the project is meant to be experienced.

Is collaboration important to you? What do you look for in a collaborator?

I look for suitability. If there’s something on a song I can’t do myself, I’ll find someone who can. That’s why I work with female singers- I can’t be a female singer. I never go in thinking I need a certain person for clout.

I think forced collaborations are obvious. For me, it has to enhance the song. If I can do it myself, I’ll do it myself.

How important is live performance to you?

For this project, it was everything. My measure of success wasn’t streams or accolades- it was how many people I could make dance. I wanted people to leave feeling like they discovered something about themselves. A lot of the time, we overcomplicate happiness.

What advice would you give to young artists?

Don’t let people beat you down with their opinions- especially people with no track record. Music isn’t science. You need confidence and some stubbornness in your vision.

You have to be a bit delusional because what you’re trying to do is statistically impossible. That’s the challenge. You have to really love the process- going to the studio, being creative- even if nothing comes from it.