Grande Mahogany is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer. Beyond that, he’s a mood, a palette, a whole cinematic universe wrapped in a Finnish-Ghanaian body. Eva-Liisa Orupõld sat down with this man of undeniably exquisite taste to learn more about him – and the world he’s creating.
You are a man of many labels. How would your friends describe you to a stranger?
I’m just an everyday man trying to make sense of life through my chosen tool – music and art, which are my places of solace. My friends would probably describe me as a “cool dude” with “uncle energy” – an old soul, yet a weird kid who spazzes out sometimes and creates interesting music. Something along those lines, I guess. I'm not really sure.
What’s your earliest memory involving music? Have you always known that music would be your main passion?
My earliest memory involving music would probably be dancing naked around the house while my dad played all kinds of CDs. I also remember listening to my sisters rehearse violin and piano as a child. These were my earliest memories of live music. I remember some high school kids burned me a CD with The Doors and Jimi Hendrix, and after I played Guitar Hero for the first time in 2007, I knew I needed to dive deeper into this. I started playing guitar a year later and from that moment on, I knew this was what I had to do. Before music, I was passionate about drawing, graffiti, and comics. I probably would’ve pursued those if not for music.
You've lived in both Finland and the UK. How would you compare the two?
Manchester is a grey and depressing industrial concrete jungle, but the people bring the city alive with their bubbly and social personalities. Turku is beautiful, especially with its breathtaking archipelago. It’s quite utopian but very boring. You get to know the whole city quickly, and there’s not much to do. It’s perfect for students and families because of its calmness and safety. Manchester feels quite bleak in comparison, though it has its own pockets of beauty. Crime rates and poverty are very different, and so is the population size. Finnish poverty seems nonexistent compared to the UK. Of course, you can’t really compare a small Nordic welfare state to England – it’s just so different.
Manchester has a better audience for music than Turku, but genres make a difference. Manchester has better music, but the weather is miserable. These two places are hard to compare, and I wouldn’t want to. They’re just completely different.
Speaking of music, your songs sound like sunshine. Do they reflect your attitude towards life?
I’ve never heard anyone say that, but yes, my songs do reflect my attitude towards life and my feelings during specific moments. Lately, I’ve been channeling a feeling of eeriness, especially with everything going on in my life. In Finland, I’m experiencing weird and awkward daily interactions. There’s a rigidity in Finnish culture, with funny ways of communicating that feel like a great play. Also, I’ve had more experiences with people who just aren’t “right in the head,” but no one says it out loud, even though everyone knows it. I’ve become hyper-aware of this nuance, and it’s both interesting and funny.
The world stage – politically and socially – also influences the themes of my new music. But that’s a whole different genre of eeriness. My upcoming songs might still sound like sunshine, but more like dawn – a sense that something is a little off. Not quite right, but still beautiful. That’s the feeling of the next album.
Someone told me you’re known as “the most stylish guy in Turku.” What does it take to earn such a title?
I’ve heard that a few times, which I find funny since I haven’t lived there for seven years. Honestly, I think just being yourself is the secret. It’s that simple. Also, I was a black guy unafraid to express himself in a small city with very few other black people, let alone people who expressed themselves the way I did. That probably played a big role. I stood out like a nun in a brothel, you know what I mean?
Your music videos are visually stunning and have a unique style, much like your outfits. What does it mean to you to create a visual world for your music? What’s the creative process like?
It’s everything. I love losing myself in aesthetics and creating worlds to escape into. It’s like what movies do to you. Daydreaming is one of my favorite hobbies, and the imagination is an infinite wormhole. So creating videos and worlds is just about bringing images to life that only exist in your mind until you make them real. I’m lucky to be surrounded by friends who are passionate about the same things, and we align creatively to bring ideas and concepts to life. We just started trying things, whether or not they meet our expectations, and it adds so much depth to the music.
The creative process is often new. I start with a feeling that a song evokes and dive into it, letting my imagination take the lead. Then I talk it through with friends, and the ideas snowball into something bigger. We just try to bring those ideas to life.
What has music taught you over the years?
Making music and videos has taught me resilience and how to trust a process that’s made up of many parts. It’s taught me about working with different personalities and being part of a team. It’s taught me confidence. Honestly, it’s taught me so much. Through music, I dissect the world and myself, and it’s also become a form of therapy and a coping mechanism. It’s my first true love.
What happens when you're offstage? What does your day off look like?
No day is the same, but I often find myself dodging crackheads and watching the sea. I go to the studio to write, or I hang out with friends, doing something creative or just walking around, talking about history, politics, movies, music – whatever exciting or random shit comes up. I meet with my manager, and we plan what’s next. Right now, it’s pretty calm. I’m just writing, recording, and dreaming of going somewhere else. Otherwise, I’m busy with planning videos or other creative projects. My days are pretty spontaneous since I don’t have a 9-to-5. I made the decision to sacrifice financial stability to do this shit a long time ago, and it’s slowly starting to pay off. Hard work always pays off in the end. For now, it’s an era of “involuntary fasting.”
What’s something you look forward to in the future?
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The second coming of Christ, because I’m sick of this world. Also, buying new music gear – I’m itching to get more lost in the sauce. I want to drown myself in sounds, but I can’t swim, so I’m waiting for a pretty lady to come save me from the loneliness of frequencies.
Where can we see you perform next?
My band will be opening for the legendary Bilal in Helsinki on November 12th at Korjaamo, Vaunusali. We’ll also be playing in London on November 26th. The venue is still unconfirmed, but it might be The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch.