In the ever-evolving world of music and visual storytelling, few creatives manage to leave their mark across multiple disciplines. Anike Flexx is one of them. A visionary creative director of Creole Inc., she has worked across music, fashion, and branding, bringing ideas to life with an unmistakable artistic touch. From directing music videos to crafting compelling cover art, her creative eye has shaped the visual narratives of artists like Minz, Kida Kudz, Ayra Starr, and BadboyTimz, among others.

Beyond her work in the music industry, Anike is also the force behind She.Goods, a brand that reflects her artistic philosophy and entrepreneurial spirit. Balancing the worlds of creativity and structure, she is also a lawyer, proving that artistry and discipline can coexist in remarkable ways.

In this conversation, we dive into Anike’s creative journey, her inspirations, the stories behind her most memorable projects, and how she navigates multiple creative spaces while maintaining her distinct voice.

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Please, introduce yourself, who is Anike Flexx?

I’m God’s vessel.

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How are you doing Anike? What emotions are you currently feeling?

Slightly overwhelmed but ultimately grateful for life and everything that comes with it. I try to stay hopeful too. Always.

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Do you have any tattoos? If yes, where, and what do they mean to you?

Yes, on my wrist. It’s a reminder of my faith. Like many other creatives do at least once in their lifetime, I’ve done a lot of questioning and discovering in recent years and I just made a decision to keep that constant reminder.

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What are you listening to at the moment? Anything new, old, or exciting?

Wiz’s new album. It slaps, I don’t know what people are on about. I’m also very actively listening to Tay Iwar’s new 2-pack as well.

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Let’s talk about your background for a bit. Where did you grow up and what was your childhood like?

I was born in Warri, Delta but we moved back to Lagos as a family when I was 5. My childhood was calm, I mean I had no bills to pay. I’m the last kid of four and that made me spend a large part of my childhood with my mum cause all my siblings were usually away in school - people often called me “handbag”. My mum, now retired, was a successful serial entrepreneur and that exposed me to the intricacies of business at a really young age - this largely informed my obsessive interest in owning and managing businesses. 

When my siblings were around, the house was a lot of fun and we played a lot. I picked up my love for games in my formative years, playing with my siblings and friends when they came over. I read a ton of books and solved a ton of puzzles as a kid as well. I still love these things.
All in all, my childhood was pretty wholistic, I grew up around family and I won’t trade that for anything. Shoutout to the fam 💋.

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Were there any particular experiences or people that shaped your creative path?

Most definitely. I am from a family of creatives and as the last born, I was in the best position to absorb a lot of that creativity. My immediate older brother is a multidisciplinary artist, Ramati (@theartisanmogul) and was instrumental to me following a creative path. 

Music is one of my major inspirations right now and I had an early introduction to diverse genres of music - my sister introduced me to Hip-Hop and R&B, my brothers made me fall in love with Hip-Hop and rap, and my uncle introduced me to Afrobeats and Fuji. 

I secretly watched a lot of music channels as well,  like MTV Base and Trace, which were ironically banned in my house. Mum, Dad if you’re reading this, I’m sorry 💋.

There was also a desktop computer in our house that I used to start hands-on exploration by myself. I would spend hours on end exploring Paint and other apps. I think these experiences were more than instrumental in making AF who she is today.

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What is your earliest memory of you being creative? and how did it make you feel?

My earliest memory of being creative goes back to executing school projects in primary school that required me being creative. I remember one in particular that required us to make a short visual book that tells about ourselves and our families, I found it recently and it just made sense. 

I can’t say I remember how it made me feel then but seeing it now, I was proud of myself.

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How has your Nigerian heritage influenced your work as a creative director?

Being Nigerian and growing up here naturally gives my work Naija authenticity. I would say resilience is one of the strongest attributes and that is something I like to believe is deeply ingrained in the Nigerian spirit, and it shows in how I approach things and push my creative boundaries. 

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How did you come up with the nickname "Flexx"? What does it symbolize for you?

It’s a pseudonym that I used for my Finsta initially. I thought the word “Flexx” sounded like a nice add-on and it was fitting to my personality at the time. It just stuck so I made it an official name.

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How do you approach visual storytelling in your work?

I like to soak myself in whatever I need to tell the story about. If it's music, I listen to it over and over again until I get inspired. When the inspiration comes, I try to get visual references that tally with whatever is in my head and then it flows from that point on. I hate that it sounds like a breeze cause I swear, the process is super tasking.

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How do you balance artistic vision with commercial considerations in your work?

It’s tough, especially in a country where my work isn't exactly valued as it should be but a wise man once said “stubborn.” I stand my ground and I try not to compromise on quality so I’m tactful and stubborn when necessary. Sometimes, people would only respond to “gra-gra.”

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When you start a new project, do you usually come in with any ideas or thoughts, or is it usually a blank slate?

Both. It can come in any way. In terms of commissioned work, I would usually start with a blank slate and then search for some inspiration before the ideas start rolling in. However, in some peculiar situations, I have ideas for brands first and then I pitch it to them to propose a project. 

In terms of personal projects, I usually have thoughts or ideas first which I eventually develop for execution.

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What are your long-term goals and aspirations as a creative director? Are there any specific projects or collaborations you're excited about?

I like to take life a step at a time because I believe very much in human dynamism. I could be a chef tomorrow, who knows? 

However, my long-term goals as a creative director would be to work with global brands. On the top of my list would be to work with an automobile brand. So if you are reading this and you can make that happen, let's work. 

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What will you say is your most fulfilling work as a creative? 

Once I'm able to successfully execute anything as a creative in Nigeria, I feel fulfilled. 

However, the stand-out project for me has to be the creative direction for Minz’ debut album, ‘By Any Minz’. It was beautiful to see my ideas not just come to life but come together as a cohesive album rollout.

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Do you think it is possible to judge art objectively?

I don’t think it’s humanly possible. We’re innately subjective beings and our subjectivity translates into our perception of things, including art. 

I’ve always believed that where the beauty of art lies is in diverse interpretations - what I see isn’t what you see. It’s actually one of the things that make me excited about art.

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What favorite items do you own?

My PSP (this one item holds a collection of many memories)

My iPad 

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What’s the one thing you can't travel without?

My laptop.

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What is your metaphor for life?

God is a creative, the concept of life is based on art and we’re embodying vessels.

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