Top 87 Quotes & Sayings by MNEK
Explore popular quotes and sayings by a British musician MNEK.
Last updated on September 17, 2024.
There are so many amazing out, gay, black artists who are really great in their own fields, but they aren't necessarily trying to make pop music. I guess my thing is different because I am trying to be part of that world. But doing it my way.
I've always been interested in fashion.
I signed my first publishing deal when I was 14, and it was from two records I put on MySpace.
In reality, my parents knew that I was a vegetable outside of music. They have fears, they know how tough and competitive it is, but they're happy that there are a lot of people backing me.
I naturally make commercial music: it's never been a calculated decision to make pop music. I'm a genuine pop music fan.
I didn't always see someone that I could relate to, that would tell me that being Black and gay is okay.
I lost a lot of weight. No carbs for a good six or seven months. It was tough but I looked hot.
If I'm writing a song for Karen Harding, I know I can't impose what I want to say onto her. I literally have to get into her headspace and think, 'what does she want to say?' When it comes to my stuff, it's the same. What can I write that's true to me?
I had to have experience, you know what I mean? Because I've been doing this since I was 14... I couldn't write about anything at 14. I had to live some life. I definitely lived some life.
I'm very conscious that a music video is beyond just a promotional tool for a song. It takes a song to the next level and it gives a song a new life.
Having the opportunity to work with someone like Beyonce is definitely going to hopefully open a few doors.
The thing about Auto-Tune is it can't fix everyone. It only fixes pitch. Everything else - the emotion and the attack and the energy? That's what a singer is.
A lot of the time the K-pop fans are pleasant and enthusiastic and they really credit everyone who has been a part of their favorite artists' records.
I think every song I do is specifically tailored to what I would say and how I approach situations.
'Tongue' is literally just one piece of the puzzle. This album is something I've worked on over the course of my entire career and something I've been discovering myself in it.
I'm touching people, helping people, and I'm making music I love. I like to think a lot of other black queer artists feel that way too.
I really enjoyed 2NE1's music; I really like BLACKPINK.
I'm a musician, and I'm not interested in being in the Houses of Parliament.
I think anyone can actually sing. It's the mindset. Singing is imitation.
I myself identify as British-Nigerian, and I'm also gay, and I'm also a young adult in London making music. All of things can co-exist as one.
I really love being an artist, but I make my money from songwriting.
I love writing and producing but I don't think a lot of people know my artist stuff.
I use Auto-Tune but it's not to mask anything. If you come to see me live, I can sing on the spot. Auto-tune is just for the recording. It keeps everything really precise.
If you go to America, so many club nights finish at 1 A. M. and it's so lame.
Schoolwork was always suffering! I hated school!
I'm very thankful that I'm in a position where I'll never be without a session. I'll always have someone who will want to get in the studio with me, or there'll always be someone that I'll wanna get in the studio with.
I make pop music. I make music that is pretty commercial. But, at the same time, I'm a minority within a minority and it can be challenging. I feel validated about what I'm doing when I meet fellow black gay men or black gay women.
'Correct' is a song and an exercise for me where I've been able to reclaim who I am and the good that I've done when in real life sometimes I struggle with that.
The perspective that I come from when I sing, when I perform, is of who I am as a black gay man.
I've been in situations where someone has told me that my video made them uncomfortable. This was a straight man, and I really don't want to have to worry about making him uncomfortable. I should really be worrying about my own comfort and me putting out the best art that I can.
I'm from Nigerian descent, and the classic Nigerian mentality is 'Stay in school! You're going to be a doctor, you're going to be a lawyer.' That is what it is. Thankfully my parents knew my situation was different because I definitely didn't want to be a doctor, I definitely didn't want to be a lawyer.
This constant feeling of, 'I have to have everything figured out' is not going to get anyone anywhere.
I really like BTS' stuff.
That's the cool thing that music can do: make you feel this or that way. That's all I've ever wanted to achieve - I'm a music guy, you know? That's my occupation.
There's an underlying sense with 'Tongue' that... it's really... it's real. I mean that in the sense that now I'm not afraid to touch on relationships and on my sexuality in my videos.
I'm not really into beer, but I like tequila shots.
I hated my early videos. I really did. I hated 'The Rhythm.' Hated it. It's not my vibe to have lot of white people jumping on trampolines.
That's the thing about creating. When you create, you create your own thing, whatever that is. It's always going to seep through in whatever you do.
I started making beats when I was nine in my bedroom and garage.
For me, I've written and produced for pop singers, but, like, female pop - I love that. I think it's putting me in the game that I love girl pop. All my writing is inspired by it.
My real name is Uzoechi Emenike.
I almost get quite scared talking about it. It's happened, obviously. I did meet Madonna and I did work with her.
When it comes to me and alcohol, I have special drinks everywhere.
Some of white middle America haven't seen a black gay guy in a music video before.
I mean, London has shaped me as a person. My parents are Nigerian so I've had the luxury of blending different cultures together just through my everyday life.
When I'm doing a session for another artist, it's a very scheduled thing, and it's kind of imperative that I write a song in that time. But if I'm trying to write a song for myself and I don't have an idea that day, I just can't force it.
I was someone who knew what they wanted to do for so long. I was always fascinated by music, always a student of pop.
Girls Generation, I love their Teddy Riley-produced track 'The Boys.'
I always knew I wanted to work in music. There was no plan B.
I think 'Girlfriend' in particular is definitely one of the songs that is angled towards early 2000s, late '90s, R&B pop and those kinds of songs that were prevalent in that time. I don't think I was conscious of those songs in particular, but I'd say I definitely wanted a song that had that kind of vibe era wise in tone and all the writing.
I've never been massive on rap, but there's that whole kind of culture of U.K. rap.
One of my first songs I ever got a decent cut on was with a songwriter out of Xenomania, called 'All Fired Up' for the Saturdays.
A lot of dance producers aren't really musical, they don't care much about detail.
My visual medium is my videos, and I've got to feel as though I can put my truth in that.
I've always liked discovering things.
When I first came out, I was wearing full-on traditional Nigerian wear. I got told by a lot of people that I should just tone it down. I only stopped when I realized there's only so many prints you can wear.
I'm a massive Mariah Carey fan.
One of my best friends is quite into rap, and I'm always being introduced to music by him.
It's not that some songs are for radio and some songs aren't, I'm just making whatever I feel.
When I wrote 'Paradise,' it was going to be an interlude - like a segue from the song before. Then I just added more to it because everyone loved it.
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