Phantom (producer)
Phantom | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Ayobami Olaleye |
| Origin | Nigerian |
| Genres | Afrobeats, Afropop |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer, songwriter |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels | BMG UK |
Ayobami Olaleye professionally known as Phantom is a multi-gold, award-winning Afrobeats record producer, singer, and songwriter. In 2020, he became the third Nigerian Afrobeats producer in history to be certified by Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) after Burna Boy’s "Ye"[1] became a certified gold record in France. The song earned him an award at 2019 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, in the African Producer of the Year category,[2] with a nomination at The Headies, in the Producer of the Year category.
On 8 August 2022, he was cited as one of the producers on the TurnTable Nigeria Producer Top 100 chart, and reached number 17.[3]
Early life and career[edit]
Ayobami Olaleye was born in Abule Egba,[4] a suburb area of Lagos, and raised in a polygamous family to Oba-Afolabi Olaleye, who was a businessman, and Titi Olaleye, who was a school headmistress. He had his primary education at St John's Primary School and his secondary education at Vetland Grammar School, before proceeding to study Urban and Regional Planning for his tertiary education, where he graduated with a B.Sc in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Lagos.[4] In 2022, he shared his early musical experience with The Guardian, saying I grew up in Lagos, listening to African folk music, being influenced by Ebo Taylor, Manu Dibango, and Fela Kuti.[5]
Phantom began creating music in 2007 after his friend introduced him to the music digital software Fruity Loops.[6] He tells Adedayo Laketu of MoreBranches "I started making beats professionally in 2010 and since then its been fulfilling, yet challenging journey".[6] He achieved recognition for his work on Burna Boy's 2018 single "Ye". In 2018, he co-produced the Headies award-winning Best R&B/Pop Album The Mayor of Lagos by Mayorkun. In 2022, he signed a global publishing deal with BMG Rights Management, through BMG UK.[7] His production hits include "Diana" by Fireboy DML & Chris Brown, "Skeletun" by Tekno, "The Benz" by Spotless, "Bolanle" by IVD & Zlatan, and "Sugarcane" by Camidoh.
Discography[edit]
Singles[edit]
| Artist | Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NG |
US |
UK | |||||
| Camidoh | "Sugarcane" featuring Phantom | 2021 | — | — | — | Sugarcane - EP | |
Production discography[edit]
Singles produced[edit]
| Title | Year | Album | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Better Dey Come" (Base One) |
2016 | Non-album single | |
| "The Benz" (Spotless) |
2018 | ||
| "Wole" (Base One) |
|||
| "Skeletun" (Tekno) |
2019 | Rhythms of Zamunda | 5 March 2021 |
| "Juliet" (Base One) |
Non-album single | ||
| "Bolanle" (IVD, and Zlatan) |
TBA | ||
| "Kata" (Tekno) |
2020 | Non-album single | |
| "Incase" (Young Jonn) |
|||
| "Her Body" (MC Galaxy) |
2021 | ||
| "Sugarcane" (Camidoh) |
Moves: 5 Years of Culture - Afrobeats | 10 December 2021 | |
| "Diana" (Fireboy DML & Chris Brown) |
2022 | Playboy | 4 August 2022 |
Selected albums/eps produced[edit]
| Artist | Album | Release date | Certifications | Label | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burna Boy | Outside | 26 January 2018 |
|
Spaceship / Atlantic / Bad Habit |
|
| Mayorkun | The Mayor of Lagos | 16 November 2018 |
|
Davido Music Worldwide |
|
| Various artists | Rhythms of Zamunda | 5 March 2021 |
|
Def Jam Recordings Africa |
|
| AcebergTM | Far from Home | 16 April 2021 | SJW Entertainment |
| |
| Various artists | Moves: 5 Years of Culture: Afrobeats | 10 December 2021 |
|
Moves Recordings |
|
| Fireboy DML | Playboy | 4 August 2022 | YBNL Nation / EMPIRE |
|
Accolades[edit]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee/work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Soundcity MVP Awards Festival | African Producer of the Year | Himself for "Ye" | Won |
| The Headies | Producer of the Year | Himself for "Ye" | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Ghana Nigeria Music Awards Festival USA | Ghana Nigeria Collaborations of the Year | Himself for "Sugarcane" | Pending |
References[edit]
- ^ Ibironke, Oluwatobi (11 March 2019). ""'Ye' Stamped My Name Amongst The Greats." – Phantom". Tush Magazine. Archived from the original on 2019-06-14. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
- ^ "Soundcity MVP Awards Festival 2019 - Complete Winners' List + Photos". Soundcity. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
- ^ "TurnTable Producers Top 100". Turntable. Turntable. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ a b Oriowo, Ayomide. "Meet Phantom: The Producer Behind Burna Boy's "Ye," Fireboy DML's "Diana" and Camidoh's "Sugarcane (Remix)"". TurnTable charts. TurnTable. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ "'I'm always pushing boundaries with sound' - Phantom". The Guardian Nigeria News. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Meet Phantom The Producer Behind Burna Boy's Global Hit 'Ye'". MoreBranches. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
- ^ Adebiyi, Adeayo (24 August 2022). "Phantom signs a global publishing deal with UK-based record label, BMG". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 24 August 2022.