Tsuni’s Sound Moves Soft, But It Sticks

Tsuni is an artist who crafts music from the many sounds and moments that have shaped her. With influences ranging from Hannah Montana to Beyoncé, and Afrobeats artists, her music feels familiar and distinctly hers.

When asked to describe her sound in three words, she picked confident, familiar, and distinctive, and it’s easy to hear why. Her voice is strong and commanding, yet she knows how to soften it, bringing in an almost sultry, conversational tone that feels intimate and self-assured. It’s the kind of voice that doesn’t shout, but you listen. Paired with mellow, textured beats that leave room for emotion and mood, Tsuni’s songs feel intentional, even when they sound effortless.

On her latest single Kilimanjaro, she sings about a kind of success that hasn’t fully materialized yet, but you believe her when she says it’s coming. The song is aspirational, but not in a forced way. Tsuni moves like someone who knows her fame is already on the way, and that’s what gives Kilimanjaro its power. It’s music that reaches forward without losing sight of where it comes from.

Culture Custodian spoke with Tsuni to discuss her evolving sound, the stories that drive her, and her connection to Kilimanjaro.

You’ve been making music since 2018, what first drew you to music, and how would you describe your evolution as an artist over these past few years?

It’s hard to pinpoint. I grew up around music. My mom used to play songs that I paid attention to. But when I had my own personal time, my connection to music was through this Disney show, Hannah Montana. And I thought, ‘This is exactly who I want to be.’ Since then, I’ve just always known I was going to do music. 

I started putting out my own music when I was in secondary school. In secondary school, I met my friend, Ope, an artist, and his brother Folakunle, a producer. So we were like a trio. I had a music teacher as well, Mr. Balogun. He used to let us use his studio to record during the weekend after school. So from there, we recorded songs together. I recorded the first song that I dropped in 2018.

The music industry can be tough anywhere, but especially so in Nigeria. What keeps you motivated and pushing forward during difficult moments?

I think it’s just how sure it is for me, everything leads back to the music. And I feel like even if someone said they were going to do something for me and we didn’t end up doing it, or for some reason, the plans failed, another thing is going to come up one day or one way or another. So I never let those things put me in a bad mood. I don’t need anybody, but I’m always willing to work with people.

How has being based in Nigeria shaped your sound and the stories you tell through your music? 

Being based in Nigeria has definitely shaped my sound in a really special way. Sometimes it’s hard to even describe what my sound is, because it pulls from so many different places, but there’s always this core Nigerianness to it. You hear it, and you just know, this person is Nigerian.

It’s made me more aware of my environment, my culture, the people around me, and the music I grew up with. That awareness has pushed me to stay true to myself and to tell stories that feel honest and rooted, even when the sound is evolving.

Let’s talk about Kilimanjaro, it’s a track that touches on themes of money and success. How much of that reflects your personal experiences versus it being more of a creative exploration?

I think it’s just aspirational. It’s like I’m manifesting it, you know. I see it coming from a place of prayer, hope, and dreams. Its also very true to what I’m feeling right now, my career phase currently.

Kilimanjaro has this confident, aspirational energy to it. What was your mindset when you were creating this track? Did anything specific inspire you to write about these themes at this point in your career?

Funny enough, that’s one of the most interesting things about my process, I rarely know what a song is going to represent when I’m creating it. When I made Kilimanjaro about two years ago, I just knew it sounded really good. I wasn’t thinking too deeply about its meaning at the time, I was just in the moment, singing whatever came naturally. Sometimes that means flexing a bit, and sounding confident. 

It wasn’t until I started playing the song for more people that it began to click for me. I realized it had a kind of energy. Then I started listening to it again, and it began to resonate. That’s when I knew this should be a single. I needed it to mean something, and now it does. Kilimanjaro has become this reminder to keep pushing, to own where I am and where I’m going.

What genres or influences do you pull from to create your style?

I pull from a lot of different places. Afrobeats is a big one, both old and new, especially in the early 2000s era. But I also grew up on pop, and honestly, a lot of that came from watching Disney shows, Austin & Ally, Hannah Montana, all of that. Those sounds really stuck with me. Beyoncé has always been a major influence too, she’s like my OG. And more recently, artists like Rema and Asake have been shaping the way I think about music. So yeah, it’s a mix of everything I’ve loved at different stages of my life.

Where do you see yourself taking your music next? Are there any collaborations, sounds, or themes you’re excited to explore in your upcoming work?

Ever since I quit my 9-to-5, my mind’s been way more focused on my own stuff, you know, really tapping into my creative zone. I’ve mapped out a couple of things, and I’m definitely excited about where the music is going. The sound is evolving. It’s different, but not in a way that feels forced, more like a natural progression. I’ve got an EP in the pipeline, and I’m really happy about that. I think people are going to hear a side of me they haven’t before.