EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian International footie star Alex Iwobi says music is his therapy as he drops a new EP and champions other big name footballers releasing records
The beautiful game is producing beautiful music this season, and top of the current footie pops is Fulham FC ace Alex Iwobi.
Going by the name of 17 – his club shirt number – Iwobi showcases a smooth blend of Afrobeats and UK rap music on new nine track EP, More To Life out now. Born in Lagos, raised in North London, the Nigerian International is leading a generation of talented big name footballers who moonlight in music, and it’s helping them deal with the intense scrutiny the modern game puts them under.
Alex told the Daily Star: “It’s almost like therapy for me when I go to the studio.
“A lot of the time me and my friends go to the booth and then literally we just write about what’s on our minds, what we’re going through, or the situations that we’ve been involved with. It can be about love and emotion, it let’s everyone get in touch with their feelings.”
Alex has already worked with 24AM AKA fellow Premier League footballer Amadou Onana, Don-EE (former England youth international Medy Elito) and Skoli (Ajax striker Chuba Akpom, Iwobi’s former Arsenal teammate).
Their classy tunes banish past footballing nightmares such as Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle shaking their mullets to Diamond Lights in the 1980s. Now more stars of the game want to show off what they can do too.
“Rafael Leão (AC Milan), Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Jonathan Esenga (Fulham), I’ve been to a studio with Jonathan Ikone (Paris FC). I think Noa Lang (Roma) makes music,” reveals Iwobi. “There’s even undercover ones – I know a few Chelsea youngsters that do music, but I’m not going to out them yet.”
Premier League stars may enjoy privileged lives but they also face intense backlash online and have to deal with trolls on a daily basis.
In one of his tracks, Letter Iwobi urges people to stay off social media but admits it’s hard: “I’m not off socials (completely) because it’s a way to showcase music and I know people want to see what’s going on in my life. But in terms of comments I don’t really read what’s going on. That’s been the story for me, but I can’t say the same for all other footballers, because I’m sure some may use the positive comments, or the negative comments, to fuel them; but for me I just rather not read anything at all.”
The midfield dynamo began making music as a teenager but “football was always plan A.”
Iwobi’s background influenced the type of music he makes: “Because I come from a Nigerian background, my mum and dad were always singing church and gospel songs, but then also the Nigerian Afrobeats. So I’m listening to that early Wizkid and Davido, and then in the UK there was a lot of Wretch 32 gigs, Chipmunk and the grime scene.”
From Fela Kuti to Burna Boy, Nigeria has been punching above its weight for decades in music, how come?
“With everything we do music’s a big, big part of our life,” he muses. “Like we’re always singing, always dancing, always happy. Even to the point when I’m playing football in a stadium, they’re bringing instruments. We’re not afraid to sing or dance, and that’s what I love about Nigerian culture.”
But Nigeria isn’t the only influence, on one track Alex gives a little ironic shout out to Gary Barlow, so perhaps we’ll hear him with Take That one day?
“A collab?” he laughs. “I’d be happy to do so. I do love a bit of Gary Barlow from T. All due respect to them I can appreciate what they did as a collective.”
Sadly Nigeria wont be going to the World Cup this summer so he’s supporting his mates instead.
“Of course I’d like to see England do well,” he says diplomatically. “But I feel that France has a solid chance this year.”
Perhaps Iwobi could go to the World Cup to entertain the England squad instead? He smiles: “Declan Rice has been playing a couple of my tunes, so maybe I’ll ask him to try to persuade England to let me do a gig.”
Before then there’s the small matter of Fulham playing his boyhood club Arsenal this Sunday at the Emirates. Does he have split loyalties when it comes to the Gunners?
“I’m Fulham all the way,” he responds quick as flash. “Don’t get me wrong, I would love Arsenal to win the title this year. (But) it won’t be at our expense. They should’ve beaten Bournemouth. They should have beaten (Man) City.”
Alex still has a lot of friends at Arsenal who are going for their first championship in 20 odd years, does he think they’ve got enough to get over the line?
“It’s tough, especially how (Man) City are so experienced at these times in the season. It’s hard for me to say that Arsenal are going to win, and now we’re going to play Arsenal as well.”
Speaking of Fulham, can they sneak into a European spot with four games left?
“We still believe, if we win all our games we have a solid chance, so we just have to believe. I mean, we have the players and the quality to do so, it’s just literally pushing and treating it like a cup final, but yeah, we still believe that we can achieve Europe.”
And then he gets the summer off to focus on his music, and who knows maybe we could we see him at Glastonbury one day? “I’d like to jump on the stage and see what the crowd thinks. It’ll be a new experience for me, but I’ll be down for doing so.”
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