Thisizlondon Breaks Down His Iconic Collaborations with Rema in a Recent Interview

In a recent appearance on The Perfect Playlist with Elsie not Elise , producer Thisizlondon provided a candid look into his creative partnership with Rema, revealing a process often defined by spontaneity and a lack of formal musical training. Despite being a primary architect of contemporary Afrobeats, London admitted to having no knowledge of music theory—a fact that did not stop him from playing the guitar for the first time on the hit track “Charm.” He described learning a single chord from a friend and simply experimenting until the melody felt right, a testament to his reliance on “ear” rather than technical study. This organic approach extends to how he and Rema select tracks; for instance, the song “Addicted” was born from a loop London was building as a tribute to The Weeknd’s synth-pop style. When Rema happened to walk into the room, he immediately connected with the sound and began recording.

The relationship between the two is characterized by a “No yes-men” policy, where both the producer and the artist are comfortable demanding significant changes to drums or vocal delivery. This level of honesty led to the creation of the unconventional track “Ozeba,” a beat London considered a significant risk. He was initially shocked by Rema’s decision to include aggressive, barking vocals on the track, only realizing the brilliance of the performance after several listens. Their communication is often so informal that London discovered “Charm” had been released only when he saw it on social media the day of its launch.

Beyond his work with Rema, London touched on his transition from a graphic designer and church drummer to a high-profile producer who still identifies as an introvert. He explained that while the industry often demands an extroverted persona, he prefers to remain behind the scenes. Looking ahead, he is currently focusing on a solo dance project scheduled for next year, aiming to showcase a more experimental side of his production style that moves beyond his established Afrobeats catalog.