Priesst is having such a great year. From the very first week of 2026, his face has been all over the internet, courtesy his viral “Akonuche” song that seemed to get instant wide acceptance from listeners. Perhaps it’s its resolution story or mid-tempo that sounds like a break from 2025’s December madness. Whatever it is about the song that has made everyone pay attention, it has set Priesst up for an amazing year.
“I’m called Priesst because I’m a preacher,” said the artist with real name Caleb Odugbose. “I saw the name in a movie and stuck with it because it fits what I want to be. I’m a preacher. I might be preaching on stages with bum bum, but I’m still a preacher.”
His latest release is a remix of Akonuche with Victony and Shoday – two artists with incredible momentum in the scene as at the time of writing. But even this moment isn’t Priesst’s first rodeo with internet viral songs.
In 2023, his song Upcoming stole internet attention and can easily be regarded as his breakout moment. Yet, so much has changed, both about him and the industry since then.
“I think people are slowly getting tired of being force-fed. We’re starting to actually look for what we want when it comes to music. New sounds are coming up now that would’ve been considered weird a few years ago.”
He freezes this moment of acknowledgement in this interview with DigiMillennials. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
“At some point the industry felt monopolized, not by people necessarily, but by sound. Now listeners are more aware of their taste, and because of that, we’ll have millions of diverse sounds coming from the same space. They’ll be beautiful, different, and every sound will find its own audience.”
You have everyone’s ears with “Akonuche”. How has the reception made you feel so far?
It makes me feel good, but more than anything, grateful. The whole thing was a gamble from the start, there was never any certainty that anyone would even listen. So I’m just very grateful and genuinely happy.
This is an incredible start to a new year. Does this put you under any sort of pressure ahead of the rest of 2026?
Honestly, I’m not pressured. I get this question a lot. The first few times I found myself in situations like this, I did feel pressure, but over the years I’ve learned not to put that on myself. The same brain that created this song is still very much here, so there’s more coming from where that came from.
What would you say your biggest goal for the year is?
The year before last, I was jealous because people were posting their Spotify Wrapped and barely anyone had me on theirs. Then last year, a lot of people had me on their Spotify Wrapped and somehow I was jealous of something else. I’m not ready to share what that is yet… maybe next year, when I achieve it.
What are the realities of independent artists in today’s industry heavy on your mind that nobody seems to be talking about?
I’d say structure. Luckily, I have management that really knows what they’re doing, and I think that’s important for everyone. It would be great to have a solid structure that isn’t heavily dependent on a record label. Then there’s also the expense side of things. I can’t answer this with full knowledge, but from my point of view, that’s what stands out.
Was music always the plan for you?
No, it wasn’t always clear. I knew I had something in me, but I didn’t know it would turn out like this. I’ve reinvented myself a couple of times in life. I learned tailoring and tried
a few other things, but music was the one I felt most comfortable with. I struggled with the rest, they felt like they weren’t for me. Music was difficult too, but it always felt like I was meant to do it.
How do you destress?
I play games. I love FIFA a lot and I enjoy playing games.
Dream collaborations would be?
My dream collaboration is Santan Dave. It will happen, and God will be glorified.
If you could tell everyone to do something with assurance that they would adhere, what would it be?
Be kind. You don’t have to be nice, but be kind. If everyone was kind, the world would be so much better than it is right now. And help people if you can.
What’s in it for you at the end of the day? Why do you do what you do? What would make you feel most fulfilled?
I’ll feel most fulfilled when my family and friends are okay. Not okay as in everyone depending on one person, but okay as in everyone is individually stable and doing well. That would be my greatest fulfillment. I want them to flex and maybe after that, I’ll extend it to strangers.
Itty can be caught studying African pop culture, writing about it or hosting a relationship podcast. When he's not doing any of these, then he's definitely at a bar, getting mocktail.
