FUSE TV - Listen to the Premiere of Mayo's "My Girl"—And Hear His Love Lessons

When a 20-year-old wants to give you advice on love, you'd be wise to have your doubts. But give Mayo a listen and take a second to digest his story and you’ll find that his words more than carry their weight in experience. Born Mayowa Oluwasegun Arogundade, the up-and-comer opened up to Fuse about the woman who inspired his newest single, "My Girl (The Letter)," premiering below, and how being raised in a single-parent household affected his outlook on relationships.

"My Girl (The Letter)" is the first in a series of songs Mayo is releasing this summer, which will chronicle the struggles of leaving his family and relationship behind while trying to achieve the dreams that he previously encouraged others to strive for in Dream Big. The college dropout is taking risks, but he isn’t playing dumb: His recent move to Los Angeles has already taught him to prioritize his time away from distractions and to cherish the family he left behind in Chicago. 

When it comes to love, Mayo has learned the hard way that the little things are the glue that keep the relationship intact. And when it comes to music, Mayo's bringing in the type of producers that can bring out eccentric enough melodies and dense enough layers to complete his progressive sound.

We got to know Mayo a little better in an email back-and-forth about his new music, Asian cuisine and the trials of long-distance lovin'.

Who are you? Introduce yourself and tell me something I won’t read in your bio.

Your girlfriend is going to be my biggest fan this summer, and I’m pretty sure your mom will be too. You should also know that I’m African, but I’m sure you could’ve guessed by looking at my long ass name. Although I was raised in Chicago, I was born in Nigeria. I relocated from Nigeria when I was three. By the way, I’m an Asian food fanatic.

You are so young, yet you are releasing a series of songs dedicated to a long-distance relationship. How does your youth play a part in engaging in something serious with someone?

Most people I’ve encountered have told me that they admire my maturity. Whether you’re a stranger or a close friend, people generally tell me that my demeanor doesn’t reflect my age. Growing up I lived in a single-parent household, where I was the “man-of-the-house” at a very young age. Maturity, even in my younger days, came to me very naturally. And being the oldest of four boys, I had to assume the role of a “father figure” automatically, making me a more serious person in all aspects of my lifestyle.

This seriousness and maturity is definitely noticeable in the way I handle my relationships. Physical appearance and surface level beauty may be important to a lot of people my age, but not for me. The qualities I value most—within myself and the women I’m attracted to—are having goals, ambition, and passion. Personally, I want to be with someone who’s as motivated as me, wants to do something with their life, and looks good by my side.