Producer Elkan turns a simple shower hook into Drake’s hit “Nokia,” blending retro ringtone vibes with future-leaning sounds and catchy melodies.
Drake’s chart-topping single “Nokia” didn’t start in a studio — it began in a shower.
For Sierra Leone–born producer Elkan, life was hectic, and his phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Needing a break from the nonstop calls, he found himself repeatedly singing, “Who’s calling my phone?” That simple moment became the foundation of what would turn into one of the year’s most talked-about rap tracks.
Elkan recorded the hook and kept building from there, crafting what he now calls a “miracle record” — a song that transforms frustration into something joyful. “It turns the pain into praise,” he says.
What began as a plea to be left alone became an energetic anthem about hitting the dance floor, calling up your friends, and chasing the fun.
“Nokia” opens with Elkan’s soft, catchy hook before jumping into a playful, retro-inspired beat that Drake effortlessly glides over. Listeners quickly noticed the marimba-style melodies that echo mid-2000s ringtones, blended with airy R&B vocals and futuristic electronic layers.
Elkan says that combination comes from his curiosity about the future. “When I’m making music, I’m always thinking, ‘What does 2050 sound like? What are my grandkids going to dance to?’”
The beat’s roots go back years. Elkan first worked on it while sitting on the floor of his sister’s spare bedroom, experimenting with a small MIDI keyboard. He drew inspiration from catchy childhood tunes, especially the melodies from Cocomelon, which he often heard while babysitting his stepsister.
Even Crazy Frog, the famously irritating Eurodance character, played a part. “It’s annoying, but it’s memorable,” he says.
When Drake finally sent back his verses, Elkan says he was “euphoric.” After years of tinkering, the track had become real.
Elkan hopes other rising artists take away one key lesson: you don’t need fancy equipment to make great music. “Honestly, you don’t need any of that,” he says. “It’s all about you as a human.”
Today, he can’t escape his own creation — friends answer the phone by singing his now-famous line: “Who’s calling my phone?”
