Name: Nataniel Olusanya aka S!RENE
Nationality: Dutch-Nigerian
Occupation: Producer, multi-instrumentalist
Current release: S!RENE's debut album Silence Gives Life is out now.
Recommendation for Amsterdam, the Netherlands: I would definitely visit the Vondelpark! It’s a very beautiful park with so many options to get good food, drinks or ice cream close by.
Things I am passionate about but rarely get to talk about: I am very passionate about football. I’m a big Ajax and Liverpool fan actually and before I started my music career, I dreamt of being a professional player. But life works in mysterious ways and I am definitely proud of what I am able to do now.  

If you enjoyed this S!RENE interview and would like to know more about his music and upcoming performances, visit him on Instagram, Soundcloud, and bandcamp.



What were some of the musical experiences which planted a seed for your interest in electronic music?

The first time I heard a Nigerian artist called Ayefele on the speakers in our home, it really lit a spark inside me. My father used to play his 15 to 20 long minute jams on Sundays and it gave me this warm nostalgic feeling, even at 6 years old.



His style was predominantly based on Fuji music, which has more live influences. But listening to his music definitely laid the foundation for the journey I embarked on and the choices I made later as an electronic producer who mixes live elements into his music.

My first EP ‘Tales of Lusan’ and my debut album ‘Silence Gives Life’ are good examples of how his music inspired me.



Most genres of music make use of electronic production means. What does the term “electronic music” mean today, would you say?

I see electronic music as music that was made on a device that has the ability to store or save the music. So, in that way the opposite is live music which has to be recorded in the moment. It also gives artists with less budget and means to get to recording studios, the chance to make music without limitations.

If I look at it bluntly though, I think almost all of our music is electronic now since we always need a type of device to capture the music haha.

Disco, house, techno, drum n bass, IDM and many other genres were about a lot more than just music. For you personally, is electronic music (still) a way of life – and if so, in which way?

I think it is! My clothing style is closest to 80s & 90s dance music. I really love the vibe of how everyone danced and experienced music back then.

Since music is my life, I definitely do my best to add that funk into how I express myself and also the way I treat others on and off the dancefloor.

Debates around electronic music tend to focus on technology. What, though, were some of the things you learned by talking to colleagues or through performing and/or recording with other musicians? What role does community play for your interest in production and getting better as a producer?

I believe music terminology like ‘’electronic’’ etc is great for nerds like me who love to geek around about the creating process.

But in the process of creating and touring I’ve learned so much about the actual cultures behind the music and the pride that artists carry who create certain types of genres, how it impacts their lives and the people around them. How the likes of Batida, Amapiano, GQOM, Afro House, 3 Step all have their roots in African communities and how it’s shaped their electronic dance scenes for the better.



I believe the stories behind the music are what shapes records in such a way that people want to dance to them so much in clubs and on festivals. Having a community of people who feel and go through similar experiences and you being able to put those feelings in a track gives so much weight to it.

I see myself as a connecter of cultures. The duality of my identity as a Nigerian kid who was born in The Netherlands is what made me realize how beautiful it can be to connect certain types of music together with the goal to express myself as much as bringing people together.

So, it’s what I do in my DJ’ing and my producing. I learn about cultures and various music styles as much as I can to connect with the cultures of the places I play at. And as I do, it only motivates me more to dig deeper, find more and create in my own way.

What kind of musical/sonic materials, and ideas are particularly stimulating for your own work right now?

I’m currently diving more into creating in such a way that I can switch up vibes within my record. I feel like my latest album’s reception has now given me the freedom to explore even more and give people as much raw material as possible.

I’ve been trying out playing the bass to add to my repertoire and it’s really fun! It gives me new chances to look at my creation process from a different perspective and take things less serious but still being intentional.

Where do most of your inspirations to create come from – rather from internal impulses or external ones? Which current social / political / ecological or other developments make you feel like you need to respond as an artist?

The inspiration process really fluctuates. I am currently working on finding ways to make more external impulses as I’ve always relied on my internal ones. But as a person who is in his head a lot, being more outside and experiencing life is something that really helps my process of creating.

When it comes to social or political subjects, I actually try to let it go when I create. As I said, I am in my head a lot and on top of this I am a very caring person. With so many wars and sadness engulfing the world I sometimes feel powerless.

I do think that talking about things, getting knowledge, being critical is important so I try to do that as a person. And as an artist I try to focus on creating to give the world some light in my own small way.

Tell me a bit about the sounds & creative directions, artists & communities, as well as the colleagues & creative hotspots of your current hometown, please. How do they influence your music?

I live in Amsterdam which many know is a very great city when it comes to everything creative. But music stands on a very high level here. The music scene has much love for everything surrounding electronic music from every side of the world.

Parallel, one of the many clubs in the city is my favorite when it comes to appreciation of African diaspora music. They have a very nice program for other electronic sounds too, Brazilian, South African, European, Asian - you name it. They also have space for live performances, which usually hold worldwide upcoming talent as well as established names.

When it comes to live music, the big brother of Parallel called Paradiso is my favorite. I’ve seen and played such nice shows in this venue, it’s super legendary. We have so many good artists I look up to like JAEL, Jarreau Vandal, FS Green etc.



These guys have shaped the electronic dance scene in Amsterdam over the past decade and continue to do so. I feel glad an honored to do my own part in that.

Our coffee culture is highbrow too, I don’t think 95% of the city can start their day without one haha. So, there are obviously lots of spots to meet up and have a drink. I don’t drink coffee that much but since I live in the middle of the city, I do use them as an escape from the studio or just to chill and enjoy the weather 30% of the time it’s actually good.
 
Today, electronic music has an interesting relationship between honoring its roots and exploring the unknown. What does the balance between these two poles look like in your music?

I feel like I’m definitely on the exploring side. I love to try out new things and pour out the things that come out of my head. I use my DJ sets to pay homage to the roots as I love old music and believe that in many cases for many people it’s new music.

But I also need a creative balance so when I create, I try to take all the cultural experiences we talked about earlier and mix it all up. This feels the most fun and interesting to me.

What were some of the recent tools you bought, used, or saw/read about which changed your perspective about production, performing, and making music?

Like I said earlier, I bought my first bass a few weeks ago! It’s really helped my process of creating and even given me some thoughts about going hybrid with my DJ sets.

How do you see the role of sampling in electronic music today?

It’s being done more and more these days which is good thing!

But I sometimes do miss the intentional sampling that really adds depth to a record. I’d wish to see that even more. Some producers still do this which is a very nice ode to the late J Dilla.

In as far as it is applicable to your work, how would you describe the interaction between your music and DJing/DJ culture and clubs?

It’s funny that when I create my music, I almost always feel like not playing them out live all while there is such a huge DJ community that plays my music worldwide. So, from that perspective, I am blessed to say my music has travelled far and continues to do so in the clubs.

Of course, there are some records I made that do fit my sets and that gives an extra layer of pride when I play somewhere far from home and people actually know the track and dance to it. I am so used to playing music from others that I sometimes forget the impact my own music has.

How, would you say are your live performances and your recording projects connected at the moment? How do they mutually influence and feed off each other?

They have been connecting very well recently. As I am making steps towards the ideas of a hybrid set, it makes the process of creating and playing live come closer and closer to each other.

The creative process is usually much more different from performing so it’s also nice to experience two worlds coming together.

Even if AI will not entirely replace human composition, it looks set to have a significant impact on it. What does the terms composing/producing mean in the era of AI, do you feel?

I think it pushes producers to be even better.

I have a very clear view on AI and believe it has no place in music. But I do think that since it’s made its introduction, it’s woken artists up to be more intentional and serious about their work.

I think there is nothing that changes about producing and composing. I personally just think that anyone who uses AI is disrespecting music and musicians at this point.