KENWIZA Steps Into the Spotlight With Debut EP TRIPS VOL. 1

Manchester-based Nigerian producer, musician, and sound engineer KENWIZA steps boldly into the spotlight with his debut EP TRIPS VOL. 1, transforming years of acclaimed behind-the-scenes craftsmanship into a fully realised artistic statement. Having already amassed production credits exceeding 300 million global streams, sold over a million records, and collaborated with major names including Gunna, Victor Thompson, Victony, and Falz, Kenwiza now turns the focus toward his own creative vision with a project built around emotion, collaboration, and cultural authenticity.

Designed as both a musical journey and a reference to the Nigerian slang phrase “catching trips,” TRIPS VOL. 1 explores the euphoric highs, emotional uncertainty, vulnerability, and devotion that come with love and human connection. Rather than positioning himself solely as a producer, Kenwiza uses the EP to demonstrate his ability to curate complete sonic worlds, placing storytelling and emotional truth at the centre of the experience.

Across the project, Kenwiza champions grassroots talent, hand-picking artists whose voices naturally align with the emotional atmosphere of each track. The EP evolved through an international creative process that mirrored its title and spirit. “Glory” was created in California, “Waiting” took shape in Ohio, while “Yes!” and “How?” were recorded in Lagos before the final engineering process in Manchester unified the project into one cohesive body of work. Despite its geographic diversity, the EP maintains a strong sonic identity through Kenwiza’s signature production elements, textured chords, rich synth basslines, rhythmic percussion, and immersive emotional layering.

Opening track “Yes!” featuring Puppatiya immediately introduces the project’s vibrant energy with infectious bounce, smooth vocals, and the rush of emotional excitement. “Glory” featuring Jae Yo follows as a warm, radiant Afrobeat-infused centrepiece that transforms admiration into something soulful and celebratory. On “How?” with Mvce, the mood becomes more reflective, diving into the emotional uncertainty and confusion that often accompanies love, while the closing track “Waiting” featuring Doe Naju slows things down into a patient, heartfelt expression of loyalty and longing, ending the project on a deeply intimate note.

For Kenwiza, TRIPS VOL. 1 represents far more than a debut EP. It is the product of years spent navigating industry setbacks, missed opportunities, and the frustrations of waiting for recognition. Instead of relying on gatekeepers, he chose to build independently, creating a project that reflects ownership, freedom, and belief in his own creative instincts. That spirit gives the EP both its emotional depth and cultural resonance, positioning it as a love letter to collaboration, underground talent, and the future possibilities of Afrobeat and genre-fluid African music.

Speaking on the inspiration behind the project, Kenwiza explains that the idea for TRIPS VOL. 1 was rooted in the belief that music should feel like a journey through emotions, cultures, and experiences. He describes the project as a reflection of attraction, confusion, devotion, and emotional highs, while also serving as proof that producers can step out from the background and shape entire creative narratives on their own terms.

Born and raised in Port Harcourt and now based in Manchester, Kenwiza first began producing music during high school, experimenting with FL Studio and recording classmates during school holidays before fully dedicating himself to music production in 2019. Since then, he has steadily built a reputation as one of the most exciting sonic architects emerging from Africa, earning a Platinum certification for his contribution to Victor Thompson’s global hit This Year (Blessings) and a Best Gospel Producer nomination at The Beatz Awards in 2023.

With TRIPS VOL. 1, Kenwiza not only introduces a more personal side of his artistry, but also signals the beginning of a much larger creative journey. As the first instalment in an ongoing series with a second volume already planned for later this year, the EP establishes him as far more than a hit-making producer. It presents him as a visionary world-builder determined to push African music into new emotional and sonic territory while staying deeply connected to the culture that shaped him.

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