Phantom (producer)

Phantom
Birth name	Ayobami Olaleye
Origin	Nigerian
Genres	Afrobeats, Afropop
Occupation(s)	Record producer, songwriter
Years active	2016–present
Labels	BMG UK

Ayobami Olaleye professionally known as Phantom is a multi-gold, award-winning Afrobeats record producer, singer, and songwriter. In 2020, he became the third Nigerian Afrobeats producer in history to be certified by Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) after Burna Boy’s "Ye"^[1] became a certified gold record in France. The song earned him an award at 2019 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, in the African Producer of the Year category,^[2] with a nomination at The Headies, in the Producer of the Year category.

On 8 August 2022, he was cited as one of the producers on the TurnTable Nigeria Producer Top 100 chart, and reached number 17.^[3]

Early life and career

Ayobami Olaleye was born in Abule Egba,^[4] a suburb area of Lagos, and raised in a polygamous family of Oba-Afolabi Olaleye, who was a businessman, and Titi Olaleye, who was a school headmistress. He had his primary education at St John's Primary School and his secondary education at Vetland Grammar School, before proceeding to study Urban and Regional Planning for his tertiary education, where he graduated with a B.Sc in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Lagos.^[4] In 2022, he shared his early musical experience with The Guardian, saying "I grew up in Lagos, listening to African folk music, being influenced by Ebo Taylor, Manu Dibango, and Fela Kuti."^[5]

Phantom began creating music in 2007 after his friend introduced him to the music digital software Fruity Loops.^[6] He tells Adedayo Laketu of MoreBranches "I started making beats professionally in 2010 and since then its been fulfilling, yet challenging journey".^[6] He achieved recognition for his work on Burna Boy's 2018 single "Ye". In 2018, he co-produced the Headies award-winning Best R&B/Pop Album The Mayor of Lagos by Mayorkun. In 2022, he signed a global publishing deal with BMG Rights Management, through BMG UK.^[7] His production hits include "Diana" by Fireboy DML & Chris Brown, "Skeletun" by Tekno, "The Benz" by Spotless, "Bolanle" by IVD & Zlatan, and "Sugarcane" by Camidoh.

Discography

Singles

List of charted singles as a featured artist, with selected chart positions

Artist	Title	Year	Peak chart positions			Certifications	Album
			NG	US	UK
Camidoh	"Sugarcane" featuring Phantom	2021	—	—	—		Sugarcane - EP

Production discography

Singles produced

Title	Year	Album	Release date
"Better Dey Come" (Base One)	2016	Non-album single
"The Benz" (Spotless)	2018
"Wole" (Base One)
"Skeletun" (Tekno)	2019	Rhythms of Zamunda	5 March 2021
"Juliet" (Base One)		Non-album single
"Bolanle" (IVD, and Zlatan)		TBA
"Kata" (Tekno)	2020	Non-album single
"Incase" (Young Jonn)
"Her Body" (MC Galaxy)	2021
"Sugarcane" (Camidoh)		Moves: 5 Years of Culture - Afrobeats	10 December 2021
"Diana" (Fireboy DML & Chris Brown)	2022	Playboy	4 August 2022

Selected albums/eps produced

Artist	Album	Release date	Certifications	Label	Note
Burna Boy	Outside	26 January 2018		Spaceship / Atlantic / Bad Habit	Produced 1 song
Mayorkun	The Mayor of Lagos	16 November 2018		Davido Music Worldwide	Produced 1 song
Various artists	Rhythms of Zamunda	5 March 2021		Def Jam Recordings Africa	Produced 1 song
AcebergTM	Far from Home	16 April 2021		SJW Entertainment	Produced 1 song
Various artists	Moves: 5 Years of Culture: Afrobeats	10 December 2021		Moves Recordings	Produced 1 song
Fireboy DML	Playboy	4 August 2022		YBNL Nation / EMPIRE	Produced 1 song

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Nominee/work	Result
2019	Soundcity MVP Awards Festival	African Producer of the Year	Himself for "Ye"	Won
	The Headies	Producer of the Year	Himself for "Ye"	Nominated
2022	Ghana Nigeria Music Awards Festival USA	Ghana Nigeria Collaborations of the Year	Himself for "Sugarcane"	Pending

References

1. Ibironke, Oluwatobi (11 March 2019). ""'Ye' Stamped My Name Amongst The Greats." – Phantom". Tush Magazine. Archived from the original on 2019-06-14. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
2. "Soundcity MVP Awards Festival 2019 - Complete Winners' List + Photos". Soundcity. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
3. "TurnTable Producers Top 100". Turntable. Turntable. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
4. Oriowo, Ayomide. "Meet Phantom: The Producer Behind Burna Boy's "Ye," Fireboy DML's "Diana" and Camidoh's "Sugarcane (Remix)"". TurnTable charts. TurnTable. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
5. "'I'm always pushing boundaries with sound' - Phantom". The Guardian Nigeria News. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
6. "Meet Phantom The Producer Behind Burna Boy's Global Hit 'Ye'". MoreBranches. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
7. Adebiyi, Adeayo (24 August 2022). "Phantom signs a global publishing deal with UK-based record label, BMG". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 24 August 2022.