TIM LYRE is an Afro-fusion artist from Lagos, Nigeria. A singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Tim's music is a genre-bending exploration of the human experience from an afro-futurist perspective, inspired as much by the likes of juju legend Ebenezer Obey as R&B polymath John Legend. An integral part of Nigeria's alté renaissance, Tim weaves outernational poetry through word and sound, set to a buzzing, psychedelic Lagos backdrop, alongside the likes of PrettyboyDO, MOJO and AYLØ. This is the rebirth of the rebirth of cool, with Lagos the cosmic epicentre and Tim its principal cosmonaut.
Born and raised in Lagos into a musically inclined family with roots in the church, Tim studied classical music from the age of 10. As the years passed, he took in the sounds of Highlife, Afrobeats, Jazz, R&B, Neo-Soul, Gospel, Hip-Hop, and Reggae on the way to discovering his own genre-bending style. Stepping into production in 2012, Tim released his debut single 'Mornings' in 2016 and began to build a following through the Soundcloud community. He followed that with Circa 94, an EP that displayed a versatility which made Tim an instant underground favourite in the Nigerian alternative - 'alté' - scene.
After picking up a law degree in England, Tim returned to Nigeria in 2019 and released a joint project with close friend and frequent collaborator, DaRe, the norm-breaking inDigo. Featuring appearances from Efya, MOJO and AYLØ, the project further highlighted Tim's vast range, garnering critical reception from the likes of Earmilk and Culture Custodian, industry tastemakers and artists alike.
In 2019, he joined Lagos collective Chop Life Crew, alongside MOJO, Ronehi and Tena Tenpo, dropping a slew of releases including his now cult classic Senpai EP which included PrettyboyDO and AYLØ, and hit singles 'Fakogbe' and 'Hurricane'. In 2020 he linked up with Fasina for joint EP 3 Strains, which delivered the standout hit 'Different Strain' featuring Minz, as well as his dancehall heavy solo K.A.P EP.
In 2021, Tim began the campaign for his debut album 'Worry <' (worry less) on London-Johannesburg based label Outer South.
First single 'Real' received massive support across Africa (Native Mag, Culture Custodian, Bubblegum Club, Cool FM, Pulse NG) and in the UK (BBC Radio 1Xtra, Guap Mag, Worldwide FM, Rinse FM). The remix from South African house DJ Oscar Mbo, two- time nominee for Best Dance Album at the South African Music Awards, also had heavy DJ support from Black Coffee, Vinny Da Vinci, Jamz Supernova (BBC Radio 1Xtra), Kid Fonque and Jazzanova. Second single was alté anthem 'Highlife', featuring Prettyboy D-O and Lady Donli, with heavy radio play from City FM and Traffic Radio, plus a live rendition on Clout Africa. Worry < is set for release in March 2022.
