We recently connected with Francis Aihe and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Francis thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
I think my parents did the best they could with the tools they had, and they did a lot right. My dad was always playing music in the house. He loved Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Harry Belafonte, and whatever was happening in hip-hop at the time. Coming from Nigeria, he also brought Fela and a whole cultural side of music into our home. My mom was the same way. Music was always present.
They used to throw a lot of gatherings, and those moments gave me the space to really feel and move with the music. It wasn’t just something playing in the background. It was part of the atmosphere. Certain songs still bring back specific memories of those parties, of being surrounded by family, joy, and rhythm. We’d also have nights where we’d all sit together and watch Bob Marley concerts or run Michael Jackson videos back to back. That became a kind of family tradition, something we looked forward to and shared together. Those moments shaped my love and respect for the art.
On top of that, my parents instilled a strong work ethic in me, and that’s been a foundation for everything I’ve done in life. And my mom made sure faith was always there too. She helped me understand that there is a spiritual layer to everything, even if you don’t fully grasp it at a young age. Those seeds grew over time. All of that together played a major part in the man I’ve become and the artist I am.
Francis , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
At my core, I’m a thinker and an observer. I’m really moved by the human experience. I’ve always felt like we’re here for a reason, and that creativity is one of the ways God speaks through us. I try to understand the layers of being human: the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual sides of life. A lot of my journey has been about going inward, learning myself, and growing into the best version of who I can be in this lifetime.
My music is where I document that journey. I talk about the internal battles, the desire to stay aligned with God, the struggles, the growth, the moments of clarity. I don’t pretend to have all the answers. The IEKNOWS brand comes from the humility of realizing that I actually know very little, and I’m learning in real time. My music is me thinking out loud.
Sonically, I’m inspired by atmosphere and texture. Jazz has played a big role in shaping my ear, and my voice is something I treat like an instrument. I pay attention to tone and frequency, because I believe the way something feels is just as important as the words themselves. My sound is constantly evolving as I evolve.
What sets me apart is that every song I make comes from lived experience and honest introspection. No one else can tell my story for me, and I can’t tell anyone else’s. Even if it feels like I’m just one piece of sand on the beach, there’s still only one with my shape, texture, and story.
The thing I’m most proud of is my resilience. I’ve been making music for about 15 years, and I’ve learned that it’s really about falling in love with the process, not the results. I used to chase outcomes or validation, but now I’m rooted in the growth itself. I’m proud of the patience, the dedication, and the way I’ve continued to evolve as both a person and an artist.
At the end of the day, I want people to feel something when they hear my music. I want them to know they’re not alone in the internal battles, and that there’s beauty in becoming.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
One of the books that really influenced my way of thinking is The Go Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann. It shifted how I view success and impact. The book teaches that value flows when you lead with what you can give instead of what you can gain. That really resonated with me, especially as an artist.
In music, it can be easy to get caught up in numbers, recognition, or trying to be seen. But The Go Giver reminded me that my gift is meant to be shared. My job is to pour into people, create something meaningful, contribute to the culture, and trust that what is meant for me will align in its time. It helped me move from chasing outcomes to focusing on what I’m offering, how I’m serving, and how I can make people feel understood and uplifted.
That mindset keeps me grounded. It keeps the ego out of the way and brings me back to purpose. It taught me that real success is tied to impact, relationship, and authenticity.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I think one of the most rewarding parts of being an artist is being able to timestamp moments in your life. Music becomes a spiritual medium where you can document what you’re seeing, feeling, or trying to understand in real time. Then, when you look back later, you sometimes realize there were things you were expressing that you didn’t even fully grasp at the moment. You gain new clarity with time, and the art teaches you about yourself.
There’s also something really meaningful about being used as a vessel. There are moments in the creative process where I feel like God is working through me, and I’m just delivering the message. Being able to alchemize what you’re going through, whether joy or pain, and transform it into something that others can connect with is very powerful.
And when someone reaches out to say a song helped them, or gave them peace, or made them feel seen, that means everything. It reminds me that we’re all moving through similar internal journeys, just in our own ways.
At the end of the day, the reward is knowing that the art lives beyond you. It becomes part of someone else’s story too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ieknows.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ieknows/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ieknows
- Twitter: https://x.com/iEKNOWS
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iEKNOWS_
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ieknows
Image Credits
Benji Flores
nasser boulaich
Nina Agbegha
Arlindo Pacheco