Behind The Booth (Special Edition) with 255™

Behind The Booth (Special Edition) 

With 255™

Aug. 2025

Interview Conducted by Olulana Mofiyinfoluwa 

Design by Chiagozie Mbuba Tochukwu

1. Let’s start at the roots.

Q. Berlin isn’t the first place people associate with Afro-fusion. How did 255 come together, and what inspired the sound you’re crafting as a collective?

A. We’re three siblings—so we’ve basically been a band of brothers all our lives. We built our first studio in a basement with the Room No. 255. It was the space where my siblings and I came together to start doing what we do today. Back then we were just doing music that we liked without labeling it in a certain direction. My brother, Charlie, uploaded those beats to Instagram and suddenly we had all these messages from Nigerian Artists. It was the logical next step for us to follow our music in real life. When we got on our first flight to Lagos, we transformed that Room number 255 into our band name. We eventually outgrew that room, but the number stayed with us. Now, 255 is wherever we go.

2. Three minds, one voice.

Q. Everyone brings something unique to the table. You move like a unit.

a) Charlie and Guy—on the sound boards. What’s the core philosophy behind your production style?

A. We don’t approach music or art with strict rules—we stay open to new ideas and focus on creating what we genuinely love. While we often collaborate closely, it’s not a fixed formula. Sometimes, a track may come entirely from one person’s vision, and that’s just as valid. Finding your own style and identity in music and production is an ongoing, evolving journey—and we’re right in the middle of it. We stay curious, experiment with new sounds, and embrace new technology. Our album Odabo is a great example.

b) Louis, as a filmmaker, your role goes beyond music. How do you use visuals to translate emotion, culture, and narrative in a way that words or beats sometimes can’t?

A. I come from a documentary background. Naturally, we document every session—the journey, the mo- ments we encounter—because we want to tell the story behind the music too. It gives our work depth and cultural context, showing a side that’s rarely portrayed. This October, we’re releasing a 25-minute documentary that captures exactly that. Even in our music videos, we adopt this documentary-style approach. It’s our quiet rebellion against overly staged, glossy visuals. Check out Sha Na or Can’t Fake This—they’re intentionally real, raw, and simple. That’s where beauty lies for us.

c) Collaboration vs. compromise. How do you navigate moments when you don’t creatively align? Is there a tie-breaker, or do you let time guide your decisions?

A. We fight like good siblings do!

3. Global mindset, African heart.

Q. You’ve built a solid listenership in Nigeria—Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt specifically. What is your connection to the African market, and what does that audience mean to your journey?

A. Nigeria welcomed us with so much love and openness from the very start — that means everything to us. We’ve grown together with our audience, and we want to keep that connection strong by being there in person as much as we can.

4. From Berlin blocks to global landscape

a) As a Berlin-based collective, how do you maintain cultural authenticity while still innovating for a global soundscape?

A. We regularly touch base in Nigeria, to keep us grounded and connected to what’s happening and the fast evolving music. On the flip side, being in Berlin gives us a certain outside perspective, which can be valuable too. But honestly, finding that balance is tough—we’re still figuring it out.

b) What have you learned from creating across different cities—between Europe and Africa? Has that changed your perspective on storytelling?

A. Working between Europe and Nigeria has shifted our perspective in many ways. Nigeria, in particular, has become like a second home to us. Through documenting our time there—especially on TikTok— we’ve seen how impactful it is to highlight the country’s beauty. The response has been overwhelm- ingly positive. It made us realize how often Nigeria was and sometimes still is portrayed from only one angle. We’re proud to contribute, even in a small way, to a more balanced narrative.

5. What does the booth mean to you? Walk us through your studio rituals.

a) How do you approach songwriting and production as a trio?

A. Studio time is our happy place. Our most favorite part about it. There is no space in the studio for all the bullshit that you are dealing with everyday in this music business.

b) Nikotin is one of your most successful tracks, what’s the story behind its creation?

A. Actually, our most successful track so far is Dey Play on Burna Boy’s album I Told Them..., even though we’re not officially credited as a band. It all started one morning in Lagos when our friends LeriQ and Bryan showed up at our house and said, “Get ready we’re going to Burna’s place.” We had no idea what to expect, and were super excited and honored. That night, we had dinner with Burna and headed back to the studio around midnight. We played the first beat—and he jumped on it right away. We ended up recording Dey Play until 6 AM. Watching him work was honestly mind-blowing. When we finished, we went outside and tested the track on the sound systems in his cars. It was surreal.

6. Let’s talk reception. Your catalog boasts over 23 million plays on streaming platforms.

a) At what moment did it hit you that 255 was becoming more than just a passion project?

A. To be honest, 255 was never just a “project”. 255 is who we are our dream and we went all in from day one. But that first trip to Lagos was definitely a defining moment when suddenly a lot we had in our mind became very real. And it hit hard in both ways.

b) You’ve already proven that you’re more than a studio act. How important is community to the legacy you’re building not just through music, but as a movement?

A. I’m glad that’s how it’s perceived, but honestly, it’s the area we want to improve the most. We want to show our faces more, build more personality, and grow a bigger community. So far especially in Lagos community has made so much possible. People helped us, welcomed us. We wouldn’t have made it without them, and we want to give back as much as we can.

What’s next?

Q. What should fans and new listeners expect from 255 in the next phase—any upcoming proj- ects, live shows, or collabs we should be ready for?

A. We’re in the middle of the rollout for our next album TRINITY. It’s our biggest project so far—two years in the making—and it features many of Naija’s favorites. We just dropped a single with Oxlade, Minz & NSG. Next up is a track called Control with Joeboy & Bella Shmurda. You heard it here first! Full Abum dropping in November

8. Legacy

a) If 255 were a message or a manifesto, what would it be? Exposure to chance. No rehearsal. No predicted end.

b) What do you want the next generation of creatives—especially in Berlin, Lagos, and be- yond—to take away from your journey?

A. Same thing. Expose yourself to chance and explore new paths. There won’t be a rehearsal for this, so be ready—and believe.