THE JOURNAL INTERVIEWS: MAKOTHEVIBE

INTRODUCTION

Akira doesn’t arrive quietly. It announces itself.

In his new record Akira, Makothevibe steps away from surface-level ambition and into something deeper: purpose, alignment, and the quiet courage it takes to choose your own path. The song feels less like a single and more like a personal manifesto, touching on identity, passion, and the decision to stop living on autopilot.

We sat down to talk about what Akira really represents, the mindset behind “breaking out of the matrix,” and the personal moments that shaped this record.

INTERVIEW

Chiamaka: For people who might be discovering you for the first time, who is Makothevibe beyond the music?

Makothevibe: Makothevibe is someone deeply obsessed with intention. I am driven by meaning more than momentum. I care about depth, alignment, and creating from a place that feels honest to who I am becoming, not just who I’ve been.

Music for me is not just expression, it’s exploration. It’s how I question life, purpose, and identity in real time.

Chiamaka: Akira feels less like a song and more like a declaration. What is Akira really about for you?

Makothevibe: Akira is the sound of refusal.

Refusing to sleepwalk through life. Refusing to inherit limitations I never agreed to. Refusing to chase applause instead of alignment.

At its core, Akira is about unrelenting passion, the kind that does not wait for permission. It is about a vision that keeps tapping your spirit even when the world tells you to be realistic. The matrix is not just society. It is fear, routine, inherited thinking, and the comfort of mediocrity. Akira exists to challenge that.

Chiamaka: When people hear “break out of the matrix,” they often think of rebellion or chaos. Is that what you mean?

Makothevibe: Not at all. This is not about noise. It is about clarity.

Breaking out of the matrix means choosing purpose over performance. It means redefining greatness — not the cliché version built on fame, numbers, or validation, but a quieter and deeper form of greatness. The kind where you wake up fulfilled. Where your work aligns with who you truly are. Where success does not cost you your soul.

Akira is the internal conversation you have when you realize you were meant for more and decide to act on it.

Chiamaka: How personal is this record for you?

Makothevibe: It is extremely personal. Akira reflects moments where I questioned everything about my path, my pace, and my place in the world. Moments where I felt alone in my thinking but deeply certain about my direction.

This song came from understanding that greatness is not something you chase. It is something you step into when you accept responsibility for your gift. Akira represents choosing to bask in purpose rather than chasing perception.

Chiamaka: What do you hope listeners take away from Akira?

Makothevibe: I hope it meets them exactly where they are.

If you have ever felt out of place in a system that does not reward depth, or if you have ever known you were built for more but could not yet explain it, Akira is for you.

This song is not trying to convince anyone. It is a signal for those who already feel it.

If you understand, you understand.

Chiamaka: Has your definition of success changed since you started making music? How?

Makothevibe: It sure has changed. Success used to feel external to me. Numbers, reactions, recognition? Now it feels internal. It is about alignment. Waking up knowing I am building something that reflects who I truly am. If the work feels honest and fulfilling, that already feels like success. It’s now about alignment.

Chiamaka: What part of yourself did you have to unlearn to create Akira?

Makothevibe: Self doubt. Realizing greatness or happiness isn’t about your current situation or something you Chase into the future, it’s in the little and not so little moments and decisions you make consistently everyday.

Chiamaka: What headspace were you in when you made this song?

Makothevibe: I was dealing with a lot personal challenges and setbacks, and that made me question why I was doing all of this in the first place, I had to revisit some things all over again, and understand what direction I wanted to head into. To get some form of clarity moving forward instead of just going with the flow.

Chiamaka: Who do you think Akira is really speaking to?

Makothevibe: Akira speaks to anyone who believes they are meant for more but is constantly fighting self doubt, and external pressures to keep going.

Chiamaka: Is Akira a standalone moment, or a signal of what’s coming next?

Makothevibe: Only time will tell. I enjoy experimenting with different sounds and genres, and I have mostly put out boppy songs and bangers. Even though I make and have a lot introspective songs in the archive, this is the first time I am putting one out officially, it’s for introspective listeners. You can definitely expect more in the near future.

Chiamaka: What kind of legacy are you more interested in building cultural or personal?

Makothevibe: Both, because I’m trying to build a legacy that extends beyond myself, My vision intersects both.