Nigerian Afropop artist and producer Pheelz has shared the creative framework behind his latest project, ‘A Rii Set’, during a conversation with Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio. The release deliberately merges his flamboyant showmanship with the technical skill of his producer alias, Rii.
Pheelz described the project as a direct expression of his internal emotions following a transformative period. “I feel like I’ve gone through a defining moment in my life and I feel like the music interprets that as well,” he said. “I feel like ‘A Rii Set’ is a direct representation of my internal emotions.”
He also expressed gratitude for the support surrounding the release. “I’m grateful to God, grateful to the fans for sticking with me, grateful to the media, grateful to Apple for always showing support and love,” he said. “I don’t take anything lightly or for granted.”
Early Musical Awakening
Pheelz traced his connection to music back to a childhood experience at age five, when he wandered into an adult church service and observed how worship could shift people’s emotional states. “I saw in real time how music can control emotions and elevate people out of their worries and anxiety and fear,” he recalled. “From a very young age, I understood the power that music has to raise vibrations and the importance of that in human life.”
His father, a preacher, initially resisted the idea of a secular music career. That stance softened after a dream in which angels appeared and instructed him to allow his son to follow his path. “They’re like, you have to let this kid go because we got this kid, we’ll protect him. This is his mission, this is his path,” Pheelz recounted.
The practical entry point came through artist Maye Hunta, known for the hit “Ekaette,” who visited Pheelz’s father for counseling. Pheelz gave him a CD of beats and songs he had produced on his brother’s computer using FruityLoops. Months later, Maye Hunta had played the material for producer ID Cabasa, who was looking for an intern. After his father relented, Pheelz took the internship and met Olamide, forging a creative partnership that continues today.
Inside the Tracks
The song “I’M OK” featuring Tiwa Savage originated from Pheelz’s personal mantra. “That’s what I tell myself anytime I go through crazy stuff,” he explained, emphasizing his belief in the power of positive affirmations. “If you say something over and over, it affects your feelings and that creates your reality of being okay.” He intended the track to let listeners repeat the phrase and elevate their own vibration.
On “DIRTY DIANA RHYTHM”, Pheelz revealed that Dirty Diana is his guitar, a core instrument in his creative process. “We make love, that’s what we do, Dirty Diana and I. We invite our fans to listen while we make love,” he said. He noted that the phrase “Dirty Diana, bami ba won soro” from last year’s track “Jamming” had gained significant traction on TikTok.
The project also includes the nostalgia-laced “GONGO ASO”, rounding out a body of work that Pheelz treats as an outlet for self-expression.
