juls & xivo

Biography

Julian Nii Ayitey Adjin Nicco-Annan, known professionally as Juls, was born on October 25, 1985, in Hackney, East London, to Ghanaian parents who immigrated to Britain in the late 1970s. Raised in a musically inclined family, he later moved to Stevenage in Hertfordshire and pursued higher education in London, earning a bachelor's degree and a Master of Finance from the University of Surrey. Juls began producing music around 2010, initially fusing soul, highlife, and hip-hop beats, while completing his studies and starting to DJ in 2013.[3][1][2]

His career breakthrough came in 2014 after a pivotal conversation with veteran Ghanaian producer Panji Anoff, who advised him to create a unique sound and pair it with a complementary artist. This led Juls to connect with Mr Eazi via the internet, producing the cult hit 'Bankulize,' which helped launch the Banku sound and established Juls as a key figure in Afrobeats. He continued with releases like 'Skin Tight' (Mr Eazi), 'Feel Alright' (Show Dem Camp), and his own tracks such as 'Teef Teef' and 'With You,' culminating in debut albums Leap of Faith and Ojekoo in 2017, both amassing over 30 million streams. Juls has collaborated extensively with Afrobeats stars like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Stonebwoy, and Oxlade, incorporating Ghanaian highlife elements, percussive foundations, and folk references into his unapologetically Ghanaian-infused productions.[3][1][2]

Juls's musical style emphasizes timeless, feel-good music for 'music heads' rather than mainstream trends, blending traditional Ghanaian sounds with modern Afrobeats while avoiding conformity to prevailing tempos like 120 BPM Afro-house. In 2020, he explored Amapiano during a trip to South Africa, releasing the EP Happy Place featuring artists from multiple African nations and Jamaica. His work has shaped the future of African sound, introducing and elevating new talents without initial intent.[1][3]

Fun Facts

• Juls's first studio session was with hiplife legend Panji Anoff, who became a key mentor.[2]
• Despite his influence, Juls initially had no purpose beyond creating feel-good music for music enthusiasts, not radio or clubs.[1]
• In 2020, he traveled to South Africa to immerse himself in Amapiano culture before producing his EP Happy Place.[3]
• His albums Leap of Faith and Ojekoo (2017) each garnered over 30 million streams across platforms.[3]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Panji Anoff - Veteran Ghanaian hiplife producer who advised Juls to create a unique sound and find a complementary artist ('Bankulize' with Mr Eazi) [2014]

Key Collaborators

• Mr Eazi - Key vocal collaborator who rose to fame through Juls's production; Juls handled A&R for his album ('Bankulize', 'Skin Tight', Life is Eazi album) [2013-ongoing]
• Burna Boy - High-profile Afrobeats collaboration ('Gwarn') [2010s]
• Wizkid - Leading Afrobeats star collaboration (Various tracks) [2010s-2020s]
• Oxlade - Production that helped launch Oxlade's career ('Angelina') [2010s]
• Show Dem Camp - Early production work ('Feel Alright') [2012]
• Stonebwoy - Collaboration on dancehall-infused track ('Rudebwoi Love') [2010s]

Artists Influenced

• Mr Eazi - Brought to fame through Juls's Banku sound production ('Bankulize') [2014]
• Oxlade - Noticed and launched via Juls's production ('Angelina') [2010s]
• L.A.X - Marked rebirth and career boost ('Give You Love') [2010s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia