Okeowo Oladotun Alani, in a recent interview with ROTIMI IGE, talks about his forthcoming album, ‘Cocoa Hue’, his sonic revolution and why his new body of work is a whole new experience..

You’ve moved through jazz, soul, gospel, Yoruba folk and contemporary African sounds without allowing yourself to be boxed into one genre. At what point did you stop trying to define your sound and simply decide to let DOTTi be DOTTi?

I think it was in 2020, when I clocked what Lagbaja was really doing with Music, making people enjoy Jazz and other genres without realising it. I thought that was some superpower. I wanted that power for myself and so I’ve been doing it.

Looking back at your journey from your early days to winning MTN Y’ello Star and later The Future Awards Africa Prize for Music, what do you think those milestones changed about your perception of yourself as an artiste?

These milestones are personal time markers for me. They will be reminding me of where I was in seasons. As regards my perception of who I am as an artiste, it was already formed. The milestones and achievements are only helping people catch up.

Your music often feels deeply rooted in Nigerian culture while still sounding contemporary. How deliberate is that balance, and what parts of your upbringing continue to show up in your music?

My upbringing is what has shaped everything to be honest. We primarily spoke Yoruba at home but I was exposed to knowledge that is both global and local as well. Books, the radio and Television really helped. A big shout-out to my grandparents. 

You are known not just as a recording artiste but as a musician and performer. What do you believe you bring to a live stage that listeners cannot necessarily get from streaming your records?

It’s definitely spontaneity. There are things we do when we’re in the moment. It will never happen again. It can never be the same if we try to recreate it. You have to be there. That’s the magic. I live for these moments.

There is a growing expectation for artistes to be entertainers, content creators, influencers and entrepreneurs all at once. How do you protect the musician in you from getting lost in all the other demands of being an artiste today?

I take care of the artiste first. He is the most important. With the rest, I do my best. I put most of my effort on what is my strength while I figure out the rest.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: ‘Forever Sweet’ was initially written for a client — DOTTi The Deity

You’ve now entered a new chapter with a new management structure. What did you feel was missing in the previous phase of your career that you believe this new team can help you unlock?

I will focus on what I get with my new management. I get the right proportion of passion and experience. I am now working with a management that understands why an artist like me exists. I like when I don’t have to over-explain myself because I’m dealing with people that get it. It’s also a balance of what I want and what I need. I already have that relationship with Lanre Lawal and Clockwyce. I’m super excited for the things to come. 

Your forthcoming album, ‘Cocoa Hue’, arrives as your sophomore album. How different is the DOTTi making this album from the artiste who made your earlier projects?

The DOTTi that was in Madam Dearest pt1 is a storyteller majorly. This time, I’m a showoff. I’m showing off possibilities in the iRUNMS soundscape. You can tell in the fusions and writing and performance that I’m showing off. I’m a storyteller at heart so that always shines through.

The title ‘Cocoa Hue’ immediately evokes colour, flavour, texture and identity. What does ‘Cocoa Hue’ mean to you personally, and why did it become the right title for this body of work?

I have been influenced by many things African both locally and in the diaspora. They come in different flavours and shades but the root remains black. Its sweet, its class, its unpredictable, Its surprising. ‘Cocoa Hue’ has been created to engage all of your senses.

You’ve described ‘Cocoa Hue’ as an expression of different flavours born from your influences and experiences. What are some of the ‘flavours’ listeners should expect to encounter on the album?

Sonically, everything is possible. Come with an open mind.

Was there a particular moment, song or experience that became the creative spark for ‘Cocoa Hue’, or did the album evolve organically over time?

Originally, I only wanted to make a blues project. It morphed into a broader scope eventually. I think I have only one song from the original idea left in the project.

You have worked with artistes and musicians from very different musical worlds. How did collaboration influence the sound and identity of ‘Cocoa Hue’?

Well, these collaborations added to the richness of the project. Their different experiences and expertise made the project flavourful.

A song like ‘Jaiye’, with Adewale Ayuba, brings together generations and different musical traditions. What did working with someone like Ayuba teach you about Nigerian music and your own place within that continuum?

The session with Adewale Ayuba was a songwriting masterclass to be very honest. The way he carved his melody and lyrics was with grace and years of fine-tuning. I as a student of the culture, there was so much to take away. The music came out fine and my heart is full. It feels like a mantle being passed on to me to continue promoting culture in a progressive manner.

You’re not simply releasing ‘Cocoa Hue’; you’re building an experience around it through the Cocoa Circuit listening experiences. Why was it important for you to take the album directly into different spaces and let people experience it before or around its release?

I am very big on human connections. I wanted to experience people experiencing my music for the first time. Their reactions, be it love or dislike for the songs is feedback I wanted. It wasn’t seeking validation but wanted to see them discover gold and chocolatey goodness in real-time.