“It’s always been there. There’s never been another option.”

Nneks: Hi guys, Nneka from the Ownmag here and guess who I’m with today? The multi

faceted creative Sien himself. I saw a post on X once where someone said “Sien is

everywhere except when you need him…” and I must say I’m quite lucky to have found

him unoccupied today because he’s almost always working.

Whether he’s springing up with crazy some idea in the creative space or eating eba on

the beach, he’s just always up to something.

Nneks: Hi Sien, how are you doing? Hope you’re good.

Sien: No, I’m not good, but I’m here, I’m doing this interview, yeah.

Nneks: Okay, let’s get right into it. For my first question, how did you know you wanted

to be Sien? What made you want to do what you do? What was your spark?

Sien: I was born into it. When I say that, people might think I come from a long line of

people who do what I do, but no. It’s just something I’ve always had in me. Since I was

small, I’ve always done things like this. It used to feel like I was just doing random stuff,

but really, I was acquiring all the skills I needed to do what I do now.

Nneks: Mhmm.

Sien: I’ve always known. It’s always been there, there’s never been any other option.

On Pressure and Balance

Nneks: How does it feel being a jack of all trades — dealing with the pressure and

workload?

Sien: You know that saying, “Heavy lies the head that wears the crown”? I think it’s

bullshit; just adjust your head. (laughs) But seriously, the pressure and workload are

insane. You have to learn when to give in and when to find balance.

And if you can’t balance things on your own, you need people. I believe in collaboration;

in needing people. You need people to help prop you up and keep you standing straight.

On Advice for Multi-Talented Creatives

Nneks: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone trying to make their mark in

multiple creative areas?

Sien: Give up.

I know that sounds crazy — like, “What the hell?” but honestly, give up. Once you’ve

given up, your only option is to keep trying. If you stay pessimistic, you’ll keep asking,

“When will it get better?” But if you give up and then start climbing back up, that’s fine

you’ve already hit the bottom. The only way left to go is up.

Creative Rituals

Nneks: When you’re starting a new project, do you have any rituals or habits that help

spark your flow?

Sien: That’s why my friends always tease me when I get a new idea; it gives me such a

sense of fulfillment. For instance, I have an event this month called ___

Nneks: Is that the name, or are you hiding it?

Sien: (laughs) No, that’s the actual name.

Nneks: The name is nothing?

Sien: The name is bro, you dey go?

Background voice: I dey go.

Sien: (laughs) Sense of fulfillment; but I’m not joking.

Behind the Scenes of Sien Street Jamz

Nneks: Speaking of events, tell us about the process behind Sien Street Jamz , the ups,

the downs, everything.

Sien: So, this one’s crazy. I was on TikTok around 1 a.m. and saw a street jam in Mushin. I

was like, “Yeah, I wanna do that.” Someone on Snapchat asked me “Why?”, and

shoutout to that person, because if they hadn’t asked, I wouldn’t have said “Why not?”

Two weeks later, we pulled it off in Ikotun. It had a lot of ups and downs the ups were

public, the downs were private. I got arrested the morning of the event (that’s why we

started late sorry, guys). I lost my venue, my speaker blew up…just cute little disasters.

But it was a hurdle I was determined to cross. I wanted to quit, I didn’t have the money,

but we made it work.

On Streaming Culture and Creative Growth

Nneks: That’s a lot. Should we be expecting more from you on Streaming?

Sien: Oh, for sure. We just got a bag this morning. But the streaming culture in Nigeria

still needs work. Internet issues, short attention spans they’re real.

You can’t copy Kai Cenat’s method. His audience is different. Even Shank’s

demographic isn’t ours. We have to appeal to our own people — not make them appeal to

us. It’s not by saying “Go download Twitch.” We have to make it worth their while, give

them a reason to spend two hours watching you do your thing.

On Highlights and Humility

Nneks: It’s been an eventful year for you.

Sien: Has it? (laughs) I don’t even remember the things I do.

Nneks: But there must be one project that stood out for you this year, your favorite one?

Sien: Honestly, I can’t remember anything besides Sien Street Jamz. And I’ll probably

forget that in two weeks. The key to not letting things get to your head is to forget them.

People say, “Oh, you met Tems, you interviewed Tems!” and I’m like, “I did?” (laughs)

It’s easy to stay humble when you have short-term memory.

The highlight would be Sien Street Jamz because I actually charged for that. Seeing

people pay to watch Sien do something wild. Now realizing they’d pay to watch Sien do

nothing? Even crazier. (laughs)

First Love

Nneks: You’ve been involved in so many creative areas — do you have a first love, or is it

a polyamorous relationship?

Sien: Honestly, my first love is making videos. I love documenting, I love telling stories

that’s my first love.

On Storytelling

Nneks: Speaking of storytelling, what’s it like for you? What draws you to it?

Sien: Myself.

Nneks: Yourself?

Sien: Yeah. At the center of everything I do, the only constant is Sien. That’s why we can

wake up and say, “We’re doing eba on the beach,” or “We’re setting a Guinness World

Record for something random.” What ties all of it together is that it’s being done by

Sien.

On Favorite Artists

Nneks: Who’s been your favorite artist this year?

Sien: My favorite artist this year? Hmm… I love everything happening with the rising

acts the community. I love the music we’re producing. Those are my favorite artists

everyone in that space.

On Expression

Nneks: Back to storytelling; in what ways do you express your stories?

Sien: Every way. I dropped an EP because my talking stage sent me a voice note. I made

a whole film because my fried rice spoiled. I threw a street jam because I saw a TikTok.

They’re all stories I’m telling.

No matter the form they take, the only constant thing is Sien. Tomorrow, I might even

become a husband just to tell a story.

Closing Moments

Sien: Hi guys, this has been Sien on OWN Magazine. Shoutout to my nigga Chiki Chiki

Chiki… Rihanna

Nneks: Say Nneks! It’s not Rihanna again!

Sien: (laughs) Rihanna? Nnekepeperenpe Alioma Rita Number One of Afikpo, Ebonyi

State. Don’t cut that part out!