Communa Spotlight: TMJ on Exploring Different Sounds and Striving for Perfection

TMJ

Tomide Joseph tells Communa magazine about his musical journey in a very interesting conversation, he spoke about his kind of music and how it has evolved overtime, the processes that goes into making music, where he is now, and what projects we should be expecting. 

Tomide Joseph aka TMJ is originally from Osun State, Nigeria. He fuses Blues, Highlife, Afrobeat, Jazz, R&B, Hiphop, Reggae, Reggaeton, Dancehall, and Fuji sounds to create a distinctive musical identity. His breakout single “Storyteller” has cemented his reputation as an artist who isn’t afraid to bet on himself.

Speaking with TMJ was one of the most interesting conversations we have had with an artist. You can tell by reading all about it: 

Communa Magazine: For those who might be discovering you for the first time, can you tell us a bit about who TMJ is as a person and as an artist?

Tomide Joseph: I am Tomide Joseph, a Yoruba boy, first born of three from Osun state Nigeria. I stayed in Nigeria for most part of my life but now I live in the UK. I love to watch movies, sing, write songs, even though I haven’t had time to do so in a while.  As an artist, I will say my story is kind of cliche, I started singing at the church choir just like many artists started. I write my songs, I connect more with my material. I am a very passionate soulful singer that is very noticeable in my songs. My style of music is very diverse, I don’t put myself in a box, I explore all kinds of music except rap but I am beginning to practice that too. I sing Blues, Highlife, Afrobeat, Jazz, R&B, Hiphop, Reggae, Reggaeton, Dancehall, Fuji and the rest. I could do all because I grew up being a church choir so we explored diverse styles in our songs.

Communa Magazine: In an earlier interview, you mentioned that your sound blends elements of Afro, Jazz, and Highlife. How would you describe your music now, and how has your sound evolved over time?

Tomide Joseph: Fun fact is when I started to write music, I started out with Afrobeat but it didn't take me long to realize that I actually had more flair for western type of music, like Jazz, Hiphop, and R&B, so I started off writing them very often. Like I said, I spent most part of my life as an artist in Nigeria, my experience with the audience in Nigeria is that even though most of them recognize the talent and beauty with my type of music, it doesn’t resonate with the wider audience so I had to find the afrobeat in me. I already knew how to write in other genres and I wanted to be a part of both worlds and it worked. The first single I released Storyteller was the fusion of Jazz and Afrobeat, it was great and people loved it. Storyteller is just one example, I have other songs like that but they haven’t been released yet. My music now has evolved in many ways, I have done collaborations with different artists like OG Mage and there are more coming out soon as well. I am also beginning to understand myself a bit more. 

TMJ

“If you had asked me to talk about myself 3 years ago I wouldn’t have emphatically said that I was passionate and that energetic, but over time you begin to realize what your true reflection is, that is one thing I will say has stood out for me. The passion and the energy.” 

In terms of evolving, lyrically I am more conscious of how I want my music to sound exactly, I would say in the past writing music was sort of like a hit and miss. I was testing out methods, but now I have understood myself and my writing much better. That’s how I would say I have evolved.

Communa Magazine: What inspires you to make music, and are there particular artists or life experiences that continue to shape your creative process?

Tomide Joseph: Everything around me inspires me to make music —feelings, memories, I could remember anything and begin to tap into that emotion. As an artist I think that is one way to spark creativity. Other things that inspire me include listening to music, watching movies, I watch loads of movies, I am going to be honest, I am not a fan of reading books [laughs]. I get a lot of information from movies and documentaries mostly. Then there are life experiences, friends, and anything happening around me. If it makes sense to me at any point to sing about anything I am singing. I have to love what I sing.

Communa Magazine: You once said that performing “A Man’s World” live is one of your favorite covers to do on stage. What makes that performance so special for you.

Tomide Joseph: Whenever I sing a cover of that song, people sometimes liken me to other music artists. “You sound like John Legend” “You sound like Sam Smith". The story behind why this performance always feels special to me: I was preparing for one of my life shows and I came across a cover of “A Man’s World” by Joshua Ledet on American Idol. That rendition opened my world to an infinite number of possibilities regarding how someone can remake a song to their own image. It blew my mind and it made me fall in love with the original version of the song. I have always tried to sing a different version of the song since then. A man’s world for me is like an open book and because of the way it stood out for me it became a blank page for me to create when I am on stage. It allows me room for expression and it syncs so well in terms of the passion I want to express, that's why i love it, it resonates with the soul, vocal texture, with my energy, it truly is my favorite song to sing, and whenever I sing it, the crowd is always hyped and they love it.

Communa Magazine: Looking back, what’s one of your most memorable moments as an artist so far, and what kind of experience do you think could top that in the future?

Tomide Joseph: One of the moments that really stands out for me was the first time I wrote a song and took it to the studio. At the time, I didn’t realize how significant that moment was. Honestly, the song was terrible [laughs] but the producer was incredibly patient and encouraging. We had to remake the beat twice, but he never discouraged me. Instead, he believed in me even when I didn’t fully believe in myself. That experience gave me the courage to keep going and helped me discover that my sound was different from what people expected.

Another unforgettable moment was when I wrote, recorded, and produced Storyteller. I was still in school then, and the love and support I got from people made me realize I was on the right path. Moments like when strangers walk up to me and say, “You’re good, don’t waste this talent,” also stay with me—they remind me why I started and keep me going. 

As for what could top those moments? First of all, getting one million listens on Spotify—let’s start there! [laughs] Then, performing at major global events like the Super Bowl, World Cup opening ceremonies, or even the Grammys. Those are stages you reach when you’ve truly made a name for yourself, and I hope that happens soon. I am definitely putting in the work and constantly striving for perfection. People often call me a perfectionist, but I think it’s necessary to thrive for it. If you look at those who have reached that level, they’ve all worked tirelessly to get there. People won’t recognize you if you’re not excellent at what you do, and to me, excellence is just another word for perfection. To be excellent, you have to be nearly perfect.

TMJ

Communa Magazine: If you had to introduce someone to your music with just three songs, which would they be, and why those particular songs?

Tomide Joseph: I would start with Storyteller because that song marked a major success for me in terms of mindset and confirmation that ‘yes I am meant to do this’, and without doubt. The feedback from the audience was great. Even people who don’t usually enjoy that genre tell me, “It’s not my type of music, but it’s a great song.” I love that it blends two different genres seamlessly, it really shows my creativity and willingness to experiment. 

The second one will be “Down This Road”. It is a collaboration with me and my friend OG Mage. I haven’t had many opportunities to record slow songs, and this one was special. I was so proud of how it turned out. I got to show both the strength and the softer side of my voice, and people really connected with it. The reception was amazing. 

Finally, I’d choose Yawa, my most recent release and my first full Afrobeats track. I love it not just because it’s a great song, but because of the process behind it. I poured so much of my creativity into it—from writing the sax lines to choosing the bassline. It was quite a journey; I worked with four different producers before we got it right. The final version was actually a blend of the last two sessions, and it turned out beautifully. I worked with 4 different producers, the first and second one didn't work out, so for the last two I had to do a merger of both parts and thankfully we birthed Yawa. 

Yawa has been doing really well so far, and I’m proud of how far it’s come. 

Communa Magazine: Your music carries soulful and emotional undertones. How much of your personal story finds its way into your lyrics or performances?

Tomide Joseph: I would say that happens subconsciously because I don’t intentionally project my personal life to my music performances. I think when it comes to performing the song, my goal is to perform, connect,  and entertain my audience. It is more a thing where I know what it sounds like and I know what I am doing because performing on stage has as much to do with acting as it does singing. Again, I haven’t made enough songs to explore myself to that point. Even when I perform other people’s songs, it is showmanship, I don’t think I have any song that connects with me personally. My songs are to pass a message across which I most times relate with. Chances are there will be songs in future that I will sing and really connect with personally we will see.

Communa Magazine: What should fans expect from you next — any upcoming projects, collaborations, or performances we should look forward to?

Tomide Joseph: 100%. For performances, I don’t have anyone lined up yet but I am open to that. As for collaborations I have been meeting lots of creatives and we are working on some songs. I have upcoming projects, two songs I am working on. With time I hope to do more.