Dubai-based 23-year-old Nigerian producer Chibuike Nwakor aka Alternate Cleff started music production in 2010

at age 13years old recalling the need to learn piano to fill the gap in a local church. "I would go to different churches just to watch the pianist play," the producer reminisced. "I taught myself how to play the piano, it wasn't easy because at that time things were really bad and I barely had access to the internet so I couldn't use YouTube." In less than a year, he was already playing in different churches and going to different events. "I wasn't yet a pro player but I was really good coupled with the support from my mom, I kept getting better." 

When Chibuike finally gained admission into college, barely 2 weeks in school, his roommate saw him play the piano once and witnessed how good he was. He got introduced to FL Studio, a digital audio workstation (DAW). The idea that he could create an entire song on his own utilizing only that app was when his career in music production "kicked off."

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With the encouragement of peers and family especially his mother, Alternate Cleff was born and went commercial in 2016 and since then his "sounds just kept getting better."

Letting us inside his production process, he often starts with the basic melody as he hears it play in his head initially. "Just on a few occasions, I start with the drums especially if the artist tells me that's the type of drumline they need or when the whole beat is based on just the drums."

The qualities he looks for in an artist vary depending on their type of music. "Is the artist a rapper or a singer? If he/she is a rapper, I listen closely to their lyrics, and how they flow on the beat, do they use punchlines, or is it just random sentences? Do they follow the beat tempo, or do they have good catchphrases? If a singer, I listen closely to their lyrics too because songwriting skills matter a lot that's why some artists pay ghostwriters to help them cross that huddle, the next thing I look out for is how good their voices are (even if these days auto tune and pitch correction tools do a lot), I also look at how good they are when it comes to following the beat tempo, singing on the key of the beat, vocal range, etc..."

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‍But in general, he looks out for CREATIVITY.

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‍Artists that think outside the box, ones that go outside the regular are rare finds and ones he finds interesting.

The journey is not all bed of roses. "The biggest lesson I've learned in music production is the ability to express myself. I used to be a really shy person but since I started producing music, it has helped me build my self-confidence. Now I can face the world." 

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"The biggest lesson I've learned in music production is the ability to express myself."

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The producer was keen on sharing his opinion on the music industry in Dubai. "The music industry in Dubai is really doing great and making serious waves but the only problem is that the songs made here are mostly focused on the GCC and not the world at large." According to him, if one looks at the recent Grammy's mostly won by American and African artists. "Dubai has all it takes to be at the top of the world music industry it has all its takes to top the billboard." He believes this can only be achieved if local artists put out music that the whole world can relate to. "This is secret African artists use to climb to the top of the chart. But I believe Dubai is the best city in the world will also break multiple records in music soon."

Mister morning person has worked with up-and-coming artists like Maikel Kamal, Olatboi, Kelz, and considers '"energy" as the special thing about each project. "They're all diverse in their music but the energy was just the same." Beaming positivity and creativity was his inspiration the entire time working on these projects. "I'd love to work with every big name out there but most especially Khalid."

He leaves us with this message: "Someone once said, 'Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.' If you love music and you wanna go deep into it, don't think of it as being difficult, think of it as a mode of expressing your inner self to the world." 

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