When we think Sien.wtf, we think spontaneity, we think innovation, we think individuality. Unequivocally, Sien.wtf is an ardent worker, and it is his conscientiousness that differentiates his work from the rest. Sien is highly driven, and by choosing not to be limited to a certain niche, he pushes boundaries in terms of his creative pursuits and passions. It is no surprise that his eccentric style has facilitated a panoply of amazing creative projects with an equally impressive catalogue of collaborations.
In our interview, we dive into the complex mind of the genius, seeking aspects of his life that may give us some insights into his creative tendencies. By covering topics that cut across his work ethic, business, culture, and personality, we expose things that you might not have known about the star.
Our chat with Sien.wtf.
Sien.wtf is an interesting name. What’s the inspiration behind it—why Sien.wtf? It’s a common reaction, “sien, WHAT THE F-CK?” so when IG didn’t let me use just my name, I added the suffix.
In a previous interview, you spoke about your spontaneity. You’ve dropped an EP, you talked about a possible apparel collaboration with sienandgods, and recently, you debuted a short film. Is it difficult to confine you to one bubble? I don’t think it’s difficult, I think it’s actually glaring that the bubble doesn’t exist. The only thing constant is me as a person, but the art forms will always be any and everything.
Diving into your roots. Do you think your upbringing has inspired your chaotic creativity, as well as other aspects of your work? Heavily! I spent a lot of years alone because my siblings were already in boarding school. I’ll create multiple storylines with my toys, the imagination had no limits, but my father took them all one day because I was constantly hooked on new storylines. Since then, I decided to never limit myself to just one outlet of creation, mostly because I was scared of losing it, but now I do it because there’s so much that’s possible.
Your collaboration with the likes of Slam TMA, Vibe ‘05, and Santorini has a very interesting backstory. You mentioned that you had begged them. Does that reflect the lengths you can go through to materialise your creative visions?
It heavily does, I’ve slept on the chair at Awolowo, in front of ALARA, outside Eko hotel and used my last cash for projects and gone hungry multiple times.
Your social outlets give us an overview of your work life; however, aspects of your personal life are not so public. What does a typical day in the life of Sien.wtf look like?
The thing I have realized recently is outside work, I don’t exactly have a life. I’m grateful to be able to make a legacy out of a hobby, so no day feels like work; it’s just lifestyle.
The creative space is saturated and competitive. It is an environment where being different gives you an edge. What can you say distinguishes you from other creatives, what makes Sien.wtf Sien.wtf? Honestly, it’s heavily about not overthinking it. I always just follow my gut blindly, and for some reason, people seem to like it. I think that’s something creatives should do more, just do your own thing, believe in your intuition so badddd.
What do you think about the Nigerian creative space in terms of the differences between then and now, is it more difficult, are we more diverse/inclusive, are more people thriving? I very much believe the way has been paved to a certain extent, I won’t say it’s a 100% easier but it’s definitely not that same as 15 years ago and that’s something I’m happy about. Any and every one can create something impactful to culture.
Your dedication and drive have made a name for you in the creative space. You’re on the journey to greatness, and we would like to be a part of that. What are your plans for the future, what can we expect from Sien.wtf? I’ve recently explored Twitch; I think it’s a great way to just do nothing while doing something. Idk if you understand me but it’s literally you just being yourself in real time. I want to do more of that, creatively explore YouTube as well; I have a bunch of shows coming up. I have two music videos directed by me, I’m looking at doing more of that. Basically, just expect more stories told, documentation of culture and creating insanely cool stuff!
Although, Sien is a man of many talents, telling stories is the central motif in all his creative outlets. As our conversation with Sien drew to a close, it’s difficult to not marinate over his answers, especially those that touched his influences and passions. What he has become is a testament to sheer perseverance, running on nothing but passion.
Through the complicated, and complex landscape that is the creative space, Sien perseveres. His passion for telling stories continues to inspire and challenge his contemporaries. One thing is clear: Sien is taking us on a journey to his greatness, and we’re his passengers eagerly waiting to get to this destination.
