When he starts singing, it feels as if someone were putting a blanket around your shoulders. Sekou’s bottom-heavy baritone goes right through your body and into your heart. However, beyond that softness sits an ambition that moves with quiet force. After gaining 3 million views on social media he immediately signed a record deal. Since then, the rising star from Leicester, UK performed on John Legend’s UK tour, played at the wedding of Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz and created original music for KidSuper. Gliding between balladry and soul, he takes his listeners into a cozy world of heartbreak, emotional chaos and self-growth.

A few Days before the release of his new mixtape, vakuum found itself in a dimly lit studio in Kreuzberg, Berlin, listening to unreleased songs drifting through the room before sitting down with Sekou.

Growth is very powerful – trying things and learning your lessons. Who I was at 18 is not  who I am now. Taking the time to really reflect on things has really become an incredible strength and I kind of underestimated it.

I am kind of a chaotic person, but I’m trying to be more in order. But I also think chaos can sometimes be quite beautiful. Sometimes I do my best work under chaos. I think it plays in both worlds, but I would rather be a little chaotic than having everything in order.

My friends. I’d be different if I didn’t have that energy around me. You know, if I do something silly or out of line, they’re the first people to tell me that’s not cool. Also, my mom is incredible at that. I think that is really grounding.

Everyone always says that you have to get everyone excited and be this person and do that and I think that’s nonsense. Close the noise out and just focus on what you want. You don’t have to impress or compete with anyone but yourself.

There’s never been a time when artists can have this much power and control over their style, their music, their influences or when they put music out and I think that’s so special. For me it’s an exciting time, I enjoy social media.

For me it’s about being authentic and your own self. There’s a difference between a music influencer and a musician who is promoting their music. You have to show personality and be truthful. But I don’t want to be an influencer that does music. That’s just not me, it’s always music first.

Social media can be very scary, especially as a new artist. Deep down it can feel quite embarrassing when no one is paying attention. But you gotta keep posting, you gotta keep telling people the same message over and over for them to understand.

(laughs) It’s about being seen for the right reasons and people discovering you for the first time. I think it’s just all about growth and baby steps and playing bigger shows and constantly getting bigger.

It’s fun, but it can also be scary. There’s this pressure from all types of places and then there’s pressure that I put on myself, because I want to be the best and I want to win and I want to be the artist that I’ve dreamt of being my whole entire life.

I never want to be the artist that just sits in a box and produces the same thing for my whole life. I definitely want to play around with sounds. I think it’s just remaining myself in those worlds and not trying to change genres because something is not working.

Growing up wasn’t the easiest thing for me and I did not feel loved in so many spaces – from my family to my school. I have been trying to write a song that just felt like a hug. It was the song that I needed and I’m really excited for everyone to hear it. I felt a lot clearer after that song came out of me.

Sekou’s new mixtape “In A World We Don’t Belong” was released on November 13th and is available on all major platforms.