Dismantling the Disconnect with AKTHESAVIOR and Sagun on “u r not alone”

The new album blends the artists’ worlds of rap and lo-fi.

Photo by Rosie Matheson

In today’s fast-paced society, people often forget we are experiencing the same emotions and happenings. However, AKTHESAVIOR and Sagun want to send a message of solidarity to these prominent connections in their joint album “u r not alone.” The 14-song album blends the artists’ worlds of rap and lo-fi, with AKTHESAVIOR hailing from Brooklyn and multifaceted producer Sagun from Nepal.

With collaborations like Pink Siifu, Mick Jenkins, Erick the Architect, A$AP Twelvyy, Jaws of Love, and Azizi Gibson, “u r not alone” reminds us of the things that make us feel whole and communal through the lessons from our mistakes. AKTHESAVIOR and Sagun spoke with 1202 MAGAZINE regarding the creative process behind their collaborative journey, what “u r not alone” means to them, and what’s next for the dynamic duo.

What are you most excited about once “u r not alone” releases?

AKTHESAVIOR: To get the music in the ears of the listener and see how they feel, if they have any connection. I want them to feel the music, enjoy it, and give me feedback on what they thought about it.

Sagun: I’m most excited about people hearing it. I’m happy because I’ve always wanted to make a rap album with someone else. I’m glad AK was down to it. Personally, I’ll be happier than most people because I fully produced the album. It’s an achievement I’ve always wanted to have.

What was the creative process, and what was it like working together?

AKTHESAVIOR: It started with an email. I dropped a project in 2020 called ‘Almost Home.’ Months later, I got an email from Jordan, Sagun’s manager at the time. Now he’s my manager. It was a feeling of, ‘I have this artist, and I think you guys would make a good match.’ Then he sent me some beats, and I sent the beats back with vocals on it. Once that happened, I got to meet Sagun through the video, chopping it up, and getting familiar with each other’s vibes.

Sagun: For me, it was the same. Like I said, I always wanted to make a rap album. Jordan would listen to AK, so I sent AK some beats, and he said, ‘Send more!’ After that, I started making more and more beats, and he kept sending them back.

Sagun, is this your first time exclusively producing an album?

Sagun: I’ve done an EP before, but it was R&B. But it’s my first time with rap.

AK, is this your first time making an album with one producer?

AKTHESAVIOR: No, this isn’t the first time. I’m a part of this group called the Underachievers. We’ve done multiple projects with one producer, but this is my first lo-fi collab with one producer.

What makes “u r not alone” unique compared to previous projects?

AKTHESAVIOR: I’m a fan of lo-fi, and I listen to a lot of lo-fi. I even listened to Sagun before knowing him. I’m the type to listen to those beats when I’m cleaning my crib or doing long tasks for meditative energy. It’s dope to be a part of that. I feel it has its own world in the sense of people and demographics who listen to it. In order to tap into that world, it’s cool that I get the opportunity with Sagun an get introduced to a new fanbase.

Sagun: I always try to make everything chill with lo-fi. With this album, I try to blend old-school hip-hop with lo-fi vibes, and that’s what this album is.

Photo by Rosie Matheson

Was the songwriting process different compared to rap or hip-hop since you guys were working with different beats?

AKTHESAVIOR: It wasn’t difficult. It was actually the easiest to write. I don’t know what it is about lo-fi and its chill aspect. I feel like lo-fi reflects how I truly feel and vibe in general. When Sagun said he made a mixture of hip-hop and lo-fi, I heard those beats, and they automatically clicked with me. Words were just falling out of the air, and I made songs in a short time. Certain hip-hop beats come to you depending on how far the beat is, and all the beats were extremely fire, so it was easy to write.

Can you tell me about some of the singles that were released prior to the album? I know one of them is inspired by “Akira.”

AKTHESAVIOR: I’m a big anime head. I even made my own manga called ‘Nakao Miru.’ I grew up on anime. I love anime and the hidden messages within it. There are a lot of subliminal messages about growth, going through life, and not worrying about other opinions. I had a deep connection with anime growing up, and one of my favorite movies is ‘Akira.’ When I heard the beat for ‘Tetsuo’s Ways,’ it had a dark energy. So, I felt like talking about trust issues and shit like that. I wanted to do something that was a metaphor for what happens in the movie. The beat really inspires the concept and where the song goes. With this project, I also wrote down five to ten categories of subject matter in a sense that I wanted to talk about on the album. Trust was one of them, too, but this beat really called to that subject. I tied it all together to layer it with ‘Akira.’

Sagun, when AK told you that he was inspired by anime, how did you go about that production-wise?

Sagun: I always started by sending beats. I was always open to anything he did. I never told him what he needed to write about. I let him go free on that.

Although this project is new territory for both of you, would you want to continue extending your music through the genres?

AKTHESAVIOR: I’m the type of guy who likes to try new things in general. This being a new thing, I would definitely do more lo-fi and just more of what I do as well. I’m always open to experimenting and trying new sounds. I’ve even made some Afrobeats. I’m definitely excited to see what new sounds we can create in the future — not limited to or boxed into one sound.

Sagun: I want to do everything. I also want to make dance music. I’ve already made it, but I’ve never released it. I’m open to anything else. I love all kinds of music.

What does feedback from fans and listeners mean to you?

AKTHESAVIOR: I always like to see what the fans say, but I never add to what they say when I create music. I just take it and understand it. That’s your perspective, but I try not to let the fans’ opinions affect my music. I think that takes away from you being the artist and expressing yourself purely. Sometimes, I take the feedback and might try to choose a better beat, but I don’t let it change too much of my direction and approach to music.

Sagun: Most times, I do listen to what people say, but when I’m working, it’s only me. I do whatever I feel like and what makes me feel good.

“u r not alone”

What do you want fans and listeners to get out of '“u r not alone?”

AKTHESAVIOR: I want them to get feel-good vibes and feel the connection. On the album, I express a lot of vulnerable states in my life; whether it’s a breakup or thinking if I’m living life right. I want people to feel connected and be able to learn from the lyrics through my experiences and apply them to their own lives so they don’t have to go through the same shit I went through or whatever life throws at them. I want them to be more aware and go through life with confidence. If they understand key bits of the album, that’s a win for me. But the ultimate one is to just enjoy the music. I purposely put messages to inspire others.

Sagun: I want people to know in this world that they’re not alone at all. At your worst, there’s somebody who will actually take care of you, love you, and have your back.

AKTHESAVIOR: Sometimes, the world will feel like no one is there for you. At least you have this music to go back to and feel you’re a part of a community, and everybody goes through this.

Would you say this is one of the most vulnerable and emotionally open projects for both of you?

AKTHESAVIOR: This is definitely one of my most personal albums. I don’t talk about my personal life too much, but this one, I really am talking about that shit.

Sagun: Same for me. I’ve always wanted to make something like this and to see it as a complete album, it’s very close to me.

How have you evolved since you first started making music together and individually?

AKTHESAVIOR: At first, I had a mindset of being only a rapper. Now I’m seeing what else we can do, like singing and different types of beats. With Sagun, I’ve learned how to express myself with vulnerability. Moving forward, I feel more comfortable. I went through it, I’m gonna speak about it and express it. When I started, it was to have fun.

Sagun: When things started going up, I needed to take things seriously. These days, I really like to give my everything to make good music.

What’s next after the album release?

AKTHESAVIOR: Get those real reactions, let it marinate, let people digest it, and receive all of the feedback.

Sagun: I want to have some shows and see how people took the album. After that, I’m going to work on more music all the time.

You can stream “u r not alone” on all platforms now.