“Creativity Is a God-State to Me”: Ruth Mahogany Shares Her Journey as a Creative Polymath

An interview with Ruth Mahogany, a multi-talented and award-winning poet, singer, and music producer recognised for her profound spoken word poetry.

“It takes guts", I'd have said if it was a live session, "to be different, unadulterated and unsusceptible to all the creative noise." At least, that was the lingering thought after checking Ruth Mahogany’s profile. A polymath whose enthusiastic blend of music and poetry with visual cinematic storytelling performances is a catchy, aromatic flavour that seduces the new, uncircumcised lovers of poetry and music.

Art is subjective, and the creatives have always been the drivers. Moreover, the pace, the style and the stories of each piece have always been within the expressive confines of the artist, and Mahogany made sure hers reflects her stance on the fluidity of creativity—as a human rights instrument, deeming it as a God-state that thrives on authenticity.

Ruth Mahogany is a multi-talented and award-winning poet, singer, and music producer recognised for her profound spoken word poetry and captivating music performances. Her works focus on conscious storytelling, partnering with organisations to articulate complex recurring themes through events, media campaigns, and art exhibitions. She has worked with several institutions, including the United Nations Population Fund for Girl Child Education and Amnesty International for Human Rights and Free Speech. She also authored twenty-eight poems in Abuja Buildings book by Susa Garrido and has an expanding music and poetry discography on streaming platforms.

In this interview, Ruth Mahogany reveals her perception of creativity, her transition journey, albinism advocacy and her experiences as a creative polymath working across music, poetry and visual storytelling.

PP: A verse from your spoken word “Full Day” says, “My perceived story is not as real as my backstage. My growth is a beautiful marriage between my triumphs and my bad breaks.” How does this verse resonate with you now despite being released two years ago?

RM: “Behind The Scenes” is where the real work is. When I wrote that, it came from a personal awakening where I realised that to grow real value and wealth, I have to fall in love with processes. Processes are messy; sometimes they could drive you mad. This includes the creative process, the process of becoming the highest version of myself, applicable to anyone, really. So when I say my perceived story is not as real as my backstage, it is true. For me, what people see and clap for is just a glimpse of all the hard work going on behind the scenes.

“My growth is a beautiful marriage between my triumphs and my bad breaks.” It is both my failures and successes as an artist that is making me the excellent person I am.

The poem 'Full Day' is part of a poetry series called ‘I am Series', which talks about the wisdom of our shared human condition—insecurities, imperfections, and for Full Day, it talks of how we all hold contrasts in us even if we are not aware of it; like a day is made up of day and night, we have both vibrant and dark emotions—joy, peace, love, anger, grief, and jealousy. These things do not define us; they are pointers to what is happening within us, so we can learn how to show up better from them.

PP: As a multidisciplinary artist who has expanded into poetry, performance art and music, how do you navigate these different forms of expression? And do you sometimes feel pulled or constrained by one over the other?

RM: It has been very deliberate, a very deliberate journey. When I started, so much advice blew my way, telling me to ‘just find one place and stand.’ Lol, by this, I mean people told me to choose one, poetry or music, and that it wasn't wise to mix both. The way I think, until a path is created, not everyone is supposed to see the vision of where it would lead or the possibility that it could exist. Since I am one to follow the leading of my soul over public opinion or the opinion of others, I publicly started off as a poet even when I was writing unreleased songs in hiphop and reggae. Some of my poems were slowed-down versions of my rap songs. Slow and steady, I showed up one day, then another, then another, and the opportunities to really serve with my art and show up authentically keep navigating towards me.

"Art has been a way that I have learnt to build the most resilience and expand."

PP: Your works can be described as having strong activist messages, often touching on subjects like mental health and human rights. Why is it so important for you to make sure these themes resonate loudly in your art?

RM: When I share about mental health, it is first because I am navigating taking care of my own mental health, rising above anxiety and imbibing practices that keep me grounded. Art has been a way that I have learnt to build the most resilience and expand—listening to messages in music and creating my own music. In turn, it is an act of service to create something that others can learn from and be better too.

For human rights, some of us are really unaware of how we trample on the autonomy of others. Some of us are aware and might be intentional about it. My own work is to name our patterns, hoping that we can collectively decide to rise from the human rights issues we have in the world. I am all about inspiring individuals, because societies are made up of persons. The more intuitive and aware each individual is, the better we will show up as a society.

I also see the human race as an evolving species. The knowledge we have today has been passed down from many generations. As much as I enjoy what I do, I am aware that with the technology we have, my content can be consumed many generations from now. I hope what I create now can be useful to generations after me.

PP: What is the background message behind the White Fire Processes?

RM: White Fire is a project born out of a collaboration between my company, Big Feline Agency, and Albinism Association of Nigeria, with me serving as the lead artist. This project is funded by Fondation Pierre Fabre.

‘White Fire’ is a spoken-word film about albinism co-created with persons with albinism. It featured two main artists, Deborah Obanor and Ferdinand (Mr Wyte of Abuja), and the goal of the project is to tell dignity-affirming narratives of persons with albinism.

There’s still a lot of misunderstanding around albinism. Many children with albinism face bullying, and sometimes parents do not have enough information on how to properly support them. Because they lack melanin, their skin is very sensitive to the sun, and prolonged exposure without protection increases the risk of skin damage and even skin cancer. This project is focused on breaking myths, raising awareness, and encouraging better understanding and support. The White Fire filmmaking process is basically the process of working on and co-creating this excellent project with persons with albinism.

"As an artist, I am interested in creating projects that will outlive me and be large enough to fit other people’s excellence into my dream."

PP: Breaking out as an indie artist/creative in Nigeria is not always as smooth as envisaged, especially due to the industry structure and challenges. As an indie artist, how do you plan to distinguish yourself in the career field?

RM: Hmmm. Showing up intentionally and authentically, creating what I really want to create from the depth of my heart. The first thing for me is that my definition of success is not fame. I am building value and wealth over time, which means stretching in capacity. As an artist, I am interested in creating projects that will outlive me and be large enough to fit other people’s excellence into my dream.

People often ask about financing. How do you finance your work? I have had to build skills within the industry I function in and love; besides performing, I am excellent in videography, graphic design and project design. I am also an excellent music producer, producing and co-producing many of my works. I also function from time to time in an administration role as executive director of my media company, Big Feline Agency Ltd, dedicated to performing arts and creativity. The fulfillment I get from these is personally valued higher than fame.

PP: It's almost becoming a general style among performance artists to merge spoken words with cinematic scenes to visually portray their messages and to capture the interest of their audience. How would you describe the necessity of this creative advancement among the artists?

RM: First, art is necessary. When I think of Covid in 2020, I realise how a lot of us had to turn to entertainment to keep us sane. We had movies to watch and series to follow through with. Something about art and storytelling over time can influence the way society shows up. It can influence the things we collectively and subconsciously agree to be normal and true. So, adding visuals to poetry is a great advancement for those who are interested in it; it means one more step into the minds of those watching. That is a good thing.

"For a deeply philosophical being like me, I don’t care to fit into an image. When I show up, let people see in me what resonates best for them; I can’t really control that. Maybe I can, but I don’t want to."

PP: Jungle Life is a piece that speaks about struggle and survival. Was this piece inspired by a personal journey or collective human experience, or both?

RM: Both. Most of my pieces are inspired by personal and collective human experience. For Jungle Life, I sat with my friend Tunde Stylplus, and we talked about how we wanted to create a song that was original and did not really sound like something we had previously heard. We normally started with a gist, and this idea popped up: that everyone is praying to God that their goals should be met. What happens when these goals, by effect, mean the failure of another person’s goals? Who does God answer?

Hence, antelope: “antelope dey run cus lion wanna chop, God I don’t wanna be caught dead. Lion: Lion prays to God, say I no want flop, please make I catch this one chop.”

It is the story of buying and selling, or negotiations. It is the story of hustling and getting paid.

PP: What interests you the most about being a creative, and how would you sum up your entire creative identity?

RM: Creativity is a God-state to me. Creator character. Something did not exist a few weeks back, Voila! Now it does. The fact is my imagination is my first office; I go there and drag a song, poem, story and drag them so hard into reality. Now, they exist, people are being inspired by them; people are resonating with the work. That process of starting something beautiful from nothing, or from little, and finishing it, is what interests me.

I am an ever-evolving, stretching and excellent being. When I show up, I hope people see an authenticity that frees them to be the truest and highest versions of themselves. For a deeply philosophical being like me, I don’t care to fit into an image. When I show up, let people see in me what resonates best for them; I can’t really control that. Maybe I can, but I don’t want to.