Growing up in the bustling city of Lagos, resilience and hard work were values that Tega Ahweyevu Ovbagbedia, better known as Inart, learnt. The vibrant streets and the unyielding spirit of Lagos were his earliest teachers, molding him into the artist he is today. “Growing up in Lagos as a child helped inculcate the quality of resilience and hardwork in me” he says, reflecting on the foundation of his artistry. But it wasn’t just Lagos that shaped him. His time spent in the UK expanded his horizon, introducing him to a new culture, one that would eventually influence the sound that sets him apart. “Spending time in the UK exposed me to that culture which is an obvious influence in the style of music I make.”
When Inart talks about his music, it’s clear where the inspiration comes from. “The basic inspiration behind my work is my life. My immediate reality is what I relay in my music, the experiences that shape my life stories which I deliver in diverse ways through the music.” His delivery is personal, raw and unfiltered. But there’s also a clear direction, heavily influenced by artists who’ve shaped his journey. “While the major direct influence on my music is Saint JHn, who strongly shaped my recent musical approach, mindset and delivery. Also, artists like Burna Boy, J Hus, Koffee, J Cole & Tory Lanez influenced it a lot, especially earlier in my career. “
The genre fusing artist, has 2 mixtapes and an EP with numerous singles in his catalogue. His latest single “For The Record” is a calculated move, a shift toward something more intentional. “What I had in mind for my recent single “For The Record”, and extensively with the forthcoming project, was an offering specially for my female audience. I wanted to present something less masculine in terms of the musicality, storyline and lyricism, something for the ladies, so to say. I think it is serving its purpose to balance the male and female demographic in my listenership.”
Part of what allows Inart to make that shift so smoothly is the synergy with his producer, Daniel Bliss. “I think my production helps me a lot with that. Mainly, the relationship I have with my producer Daniel Bliss, in addition to my strong ability to tell engaging, real life stories, balancing that variance isn’t so much of a problem for me.”
But it’s not just about what happens in the studio. Headlining 3 concerts and opening for prolific artists—Fireboy and Wande Coal— Inart recalls his first major performance, one that stands out not just because of the scale but because of the lessons he took from it. “Honestly, that was quite a new experience for me at the time because I hadn’t been on lots of stages, especially a stage that huge. I did a one song set which was quite a humbling experience that I learnt from and added those lessons to other performances and events I did afterwards.”
Beyond music, Inart has another passion: fashion. To him, the two are inseparable, flowing together like water. “The affinity I have for both Music & Fashion is strong and natural, really. They’re things that don’t feel like work whenever I engage with them, they’re exciting to me, to an extent where I style myself for most of my shoots and outings. Even when I’m not in the spotlight, I style, photograph and art direct for some of my friends and other indie artist.”
There’s a mantra Inart lives by, one that echoes in every move he makes: “There’s no such thing as too many times to do what you’re meant to, you just have to put in the work over and over again and at one point it all comes full circle.”
To his fans, the versatile artist offers a promise. “I’m actively working on a delivering the best standard of my artistry into a lively experience of community.”
Inart is undeniably talented. He’s a sonic polymath, weaving together pop, R&B, Afro swing, and hip-hop, with unfiltered honesty. And as he continues to rise, his journey poses to be one for the books as an ingenious artist.
