Top 44 MNEK Quotes

‘Tongue’ is literally just one piece of the puzzle. This album is something I’ve worked on over the course of my entire career and something I’ve been discovering myself in it.

I keep quiet and let the music do the talking.

For me personally, I’ve always tried to exude positivity and I feel that it’s important for all types of experiences of black men to be seen.

The way Beyonce works, the song is a jigsaw piece and then she will piece various elements.

My real name is Uzoechi Emenike.

I hated my early videos. I really did. I hated ‘The Rhythm.’ Hated it. It’s not my vibe to have lot of white people jumping on trampolines.

They saw that it was a passion of mine from really young… My parents did a good job. They wanted me to win. They let me do all these things. If some old guy came to the house asking, ‘I want your kid to sign a contract,’ they were so open to it. Yeah, I credit them loads.

I signed my first publishing deal when I was 14, and it was from two records I put on MySpace.

There’s an underlying sense with ‘Tongue’ that… it’s really… it’s real. I mean that in the sense that now I’m not afraid to touch on relationships and on my sexuality in my videos.

I think that there’s not always been queer person of color representation in pop and so I’m making the most of it because that is who I am.

I mean, London has shaped me as a person. My parents are Nigerian so I’ve had the luxury of blending different cultures together just through my everyday life.

Some of white middle America haven’t seen a black gay guy in a music video before.

I really like BTS’ stuff.

I love writing and producing but I don’t think a lot of people know my artist stuff.

I’m from Nigerian descent, and the classic Nigerian mentality is ‘Stay in school! You’re going to be a doctor, you’re going to be a lawyer.’ That is what it is. Thankfully my parents knew my situation was different because I definitely didn’t want to be a doctor, I definitely didn’t want to be a lawyer.

That’s the thing about creating. When you create, you create your own thing, whatever that is. It’s always going to seep through in whatever you do.

In reality, my parents knew that I was a vegetable outside of music. They have fears, they know how tough and competitive it is, but they’re happy that there are a lot of people backing me.

The thing about Auto-Tune is it can’t fix everyone. It only fixes pitch. Everything else – the emotion and the attack and the energy? That’s what a singer is.

One of my first songs I ever got a decent cut on was with a songwriter out of Xenomania, called ‘All Fired Up’ for the Saturdays.

The Big Music Project gives young people access to producers, managers, set designers, artists and a load of other industry insiders who are at top of their game. It can be difficult to know where to start and this project gives young people who are passionate about music, knowledge and hands on experience.

There are so many amazing out, gay, black artists who are really great in their own fields, but they aren’t necessarily trying to make pop music. I guess my thing is different because I am trying to be part of that world. But doing it my way.

I use Auto-Tune but it’s not to mask anything. If you come to see me live, I can sing on the spot. Auto-tune is just for the recording. It keeps everything really precise.

A lot of the time the K-pop fans are pleasant and enthusiastic and they really credit everyone who has been a part of their favorite artists’ records.

It’s not that some songs are for radio and some songs aren’t, I’m just making whatever I feel.

A lot of dance producers aren’t really musical, they don’t care much about detail.

I don’t feel pressure, I think there’s fun to have. And I want to show that being gay and of color doesn’t have to be a sob story all the time. It can actually be really jokes and empowering.

I’ve never been massive on rap, but there’s that whole kind of culture of U.K. rap.

When it comes to me and alcohol, I have special drinks everywhere.

I’m not really into beer, but I like tequila shots.

I lost a lot of weight. No carbs for a good six or seven months. It was tough but I looked hot.

I always knew I wanted to work in music. There was no plan B.

I started making beats when I was nine in my bedroom and garage.

I had to have experience, you know what I mean? Because I’ve been doing this since I was 14… I couldn’t write about anything at 14. I had to live some life. I definitely lived some life.

I naturally make commercial music: it’s never been a calculated decision to make pop music. I’m a genuine pop music fan.

I am empowered by my friends in the music industry who are other fellow black men because I see them as my brothers; we have similar experiences and relate to each other.

My visual medium is my videos, and I’ve got to feel as though I can put my truth in that.

That’s the cool thing that music can do: make you feel this or that way. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to achieve – I’m a music guy, you know? That’s my occupation.

The industry has always been accepting of gay artists, but a particular thing for me is to see gay artists of color.

I often make a joke of my parents, because I come from a Nigerian background and there’s a stereotype in the Nigerian community that all of us are going to be doctors and lawyers, and that’s just how it is. But upon reflection, my parents were always really supportive of me doing music.

I think anyone can actually sing. It’s the mindset. Singing is imitation.

I love ’90s and ’00s R&B, and those songs go on for ever.

Everyone’s journey as a gay man or woman is different; it’s personal.

We have a lot of black British men who are killing it: John Boyega, Stormzy, Anthony Joshua, Tinie Tempah, and Idris Elba, of course. I see them as people I really admire and that’s empowering for me because it means I am not alone in this.

I’m touching people, helping people, and I’m making music I love. I like to think a lot of other black queer artists feel that way too.