Always in flow state: Joe Echegini on football, faith and finding her own rhythm

Joe Echegini loves music but isn’t particularly concerned with noise. A midfielder at Paris Saint-Germain and a forward for Nigeria’s Super Falcons, she plays with a clarity that belies the chaos, bringing a deliberate simplicity to the game, unbothered by distraction or pressure. 

Raised in the Netherlands and the UK, educated in the US, and now competing for a continental title at WAFCON, Echegini represents a generation of African athletes navigating a return home, not just geographically, but culturally. Her relationship to Nigeria, like her game, is in constant motion: measured, evolving, and increasingly her own. 

A few days out from the tournament, she sat down with Nigerian visual artist and DJ Olukemi Lijadu, whose work spans music, film, and visual research. Lijadu’s practice is rhythmic in the truest sense, often rooted within the textures of Nigerian cultural legacies and sound. Like Echegini, she doesn’t separate performance from process. Cognizant of creative expression as something that emerges from care and determination, both women move between worlds, creative and athletic, diasporic and national, while refusing to let any one system define them.

In this exchange, they speak with candour about discipline, flow, doubt, representation, and how to stay grounded when the stakes are high. What emerges is a portrait of two women who are still shaping what it means to show up fully, on the pitch, in the booth, and for themselves.

Olukemi: Football is as much about performance as it is about strategy. Is there a sort of creative flair or aspect to your approach to the game?

Joe: Most definitely. Everyone is different as a player, and each person brings their own kind of creativity. It might not always be intentional, but that’s what makes the game so special.  Whether someone excels at one thing or another, it’s those differences that make football what it is.

Olukemi: How would you describe the style you bring to the game? 

Joe: I’d say my playing style is probably very simple and direct. I like to just get the ball and go forward. All the goal of football is to score a goal, obviously, so I just want to get to the goals as quickly as possible. 

Olukemi: Do you have any rituals that help you feel grounded before going out on the field? I know that as an artist, I have to be in a certain state of mind to tap into my creativity. What structures have you built around your life that facilitate you performing your best?

Joe: That’s very interesting, I think it’s very similar to me as a footballer. For me, it’s about being able to enter that flow state, to forget everything else that’s going on and just focus on the game. As for rituals, I’m actually pretty simple. I like to take a shower before matches, it helps me feel clean and reset. That’s really it.

I used to have more when I was younger, like not tying my shoelaces until I got to the field. But then I’d end up being late to warm-up because I was still tying them while everyone else was already running (laughs), so I kind of stopped that gradually.  Now, it’s just a shower, do a few stretches before the game and a good night’s sleep. I don’t even know if those count as rituals, maybe they’re just basic things everyone should do but they’re the moments that help me lock in.

Olukemi: Absolutely, I think a shower really helps one to feel ready and energised.

Joe: Yeah, with music in the back.

Olukemi: Always. What sort of music do you listen to? 

Joe: I like this question. I listen to a bit of everything. It just depends on the day, depends on the mood. I like rap, R&B, and pop. Some of my favourite artists are probably Lauryn Hill. I like Justin Bieber too, and I listen to Summer Walker sometimes; Kendrick’s growing on me a little bit as well. 

Olukemi: I think he’s won the world over in the last year.

Joe: I like his music a lot. I like everything. I can listen to rock sometimes, and I play it at PSG, and all the French girls are like, “What the hell is this? All right, it’s kind of good.” What about yourself? What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Olukemi: I DJ, so music is my life. I’m always listening to something, and it’s usually a wide range. Recently, I’ve been needing to calm myself down, and I’ve been listening to these tape recordings of traditional songs from the Mbuti people in Central Africa, and it’s deeply calming to me.I like researching and finding the niche of African music. But also, I love Lauryn Hill. I love soul music, and I love Aretha Franklin. 

Bringing it back to football, you play for PSG full-time and are based in Paris. But with the national team, you and your teammates are scattered across the globe, only coming together as a team for short stretches. How do you cultivate that sense of working together, despite spending the majority of your time away from each other? 

Joe: I think that’s kind of the beauty of everything. We’re all so different and not just in our daily lives, but even in where we were born. Within this team and Nigeria in general, it’s so diverse. Some of us were born in different parts of Nigeria, which is already a vast and diverse country, while others were born in the diaspora. It’s really interesting how we can all come together, despite being so different, yet so similar, and connect because of our shared Nigerian background. There’s a real understanding there. It’s one of the things I really love about this team.

Olukemi: So, the shared thread of Nigerian-ness in whatever form is what brings you guys together? That’s really cool. I’m also curious about what it means to you to represent Nigeria, even though you were born abroad, and play for a foreign club side. Why is it important to you that you have the opportunity to represent Nigeria? 

Joe: I feel like representing any national team is always an honour. The level of competition is so high. Millions of people play football, so being among the 24 players here in Morocco and to be able to compete at WAFCON in general is a huge achievement for all of us.

I think what I like most about playing for Nigeria is that I learn something new every time I come into this national team. I was born in the Netherlands. My parents did a great job of raising us around Nigerian culture, but you tend to not really learn a lot unless you’re fully in it, and this is the closest I’ve been able to come to Nigeria or be around Nigerian culture, whenever I’m part of the national team. 

Growing up, we used to go to Nigeria every December, but I was a kid then and don’t remember much. As I got older, I kind of drifted from that part of myself. It wasn’t until I joined the national team and started coming regularly that I really started learning more,  things I never knew before, despite everything my parents tried to teach us. 

It’s been such an incredible journey, and I think this team has so much potential. To be part of something that’s still growing, that could blossom into something, is just so beautiful and also exciting because you never really know what tomorrow holds. Right now, we’re one of the favourites to win WAFCON. We’re competing with top European teams. Just being part of this team, in this moment, feels really special.

Olukemi: ​​That’s really beautiful, and I think especially for young people in Nigeria, what you do in sports is a really critical refuge, especially during challenging times. I remember during COVID, when there was so much uncertainty, both politically and otherwise, Tobi Amusan’s win in the 100m hurdles at the World Championships was one of the few moments in a couple of years where Nigerians came together and celebrated. And I think this year, globally, has been incredibly difficult for so many of us, so I’m very excited about WAFCON, and we’re crossing our fingers for you.

How do you manage to stay level-headed and excited with all the expectations that are placed on the team? This year in particular, I read that it’s been dubbed “Mission X” for you guys to win, so there’s a huge amount of pressure. How do you use it as fuel and not let it overwhelm you? 

Joe: I just don’t really feel emotion sometimes, to the point where I don’t really feel pressure, or stuff doesn’t really get me. Around tournament time, I try to avoid social media, where things might be said that can create unnecessary pressure, and you can bring it upon yourself.  At the end of the day, we’re going to try our best, and whatever happens, happens. There will always be another opportunity to try again. So no, external pressure doesn’t really bother me or affect my performance. 

Olukemi: That’s really beautiful and I think the point about limiting social media is also, really crucial in terms of managing what’s coming into your headspace. 

Joe: Yeah, 100%. 

Olukemi: I’m particularly curious about whether or not you had any role models. When you were a child, did you have anyone you looked up to, or did you have to chart this path for yourself?

Joe: I get asked this question quite a bunch and I really never know what to say. I tend to say my mom, because I admire her work ethic, but my mom isn’t a footballer, so it’s hard to compare myself to her. But as you said, I’m kind of just figuring it out on my own, getting inspiration from what I see from different athletes, just trying my best and working with what I have around me. 

Olukemi:  I feel like, for me, too, I didn’t really have role models growing up. I didn’t know many Nigerian women , so I kind of just put one foot in front of the other. 

Joe: It’s also difficult in women’s football. Even though I’m only 24, I still feel like I was part of the early growth we’ve seen in the last few years. When I was younger, I didn’t know much about women’s football because there just wasn’t a lot of coverage or marketing around the athletes. I remember being asked when I was 14, “Who’s your women’s football inspiration?” and I didn’t know who to say. 

Now it’s better, the game’s more accessible matches are streamed online, and it’s easier for kids to find and follow so many different players. That makes a huge difference. Young kids especially tend to relate more to people who are similar to them, whether it through background, ethnicity, where they play, or how they play. For me, as a Nigerian, I didn’t have anyone I could really look up to or relate to when I was younger, because I just didn’t have access to those players. But that’s changed now. Growing up more recently, I was able to start watching someone like Asisat [Oshoala], who’s also a forward and an offensive player. Even though she’s not much older than me, I’ve been able to watch her, look up to her, and really see what’s possible.

Olukemi: What’s really cool to think about is that you are now becoming a role model for younger girls, and that’s such a powerful thing. Do you feel a sense of responsibility to encourage the next generation? What advice would you give them, or your younger self? 

Joe: I don’t necessarily feel like I have a responsibility. I feel like this journey is my own; I’m figuring it out as I go. I’d love to be able to encourage and motivate others, but I’m not doing this necessarily because I want to inspire people; I’m doing it for myself. If people find inspiration in that, that’s amazing. 

If I were to give advice to my younger self, I’d probably say: don’t let people limit your beliefs. As footballers,  or honestly, in any career, people will try to tell you what’s possible for you. I’m sure even as a DJ, you can relate. When you’re someone who dreams big, you’ll have conversations with people who’ll say things like, “It’s too much,” or “It’s too soon,” or “You’re not ready for that yet.”

And sometimes we listen, and it ruins our confidence, or we might not go for something because of something that someone said. I think along my journey, I’m someone who’s naturally stubborn. If I feel something is right for me, I’m going to go for it,  no matter what people say. Even then, I’ve had moments of doubt. I’ve had those thoughts like, “Maybe they’re right, maybe I shouldn’t…” 

But if I had listened to those voices back then, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So I’m happy with my stubborn ways; they got me to where I am. So, as advice for any kid, I’d say dream as big as you possibly can. Don’t be limited by other people’s beliefs, or even your self-doubt. No one knows what you’re capable of more than you do. So just always go for it.

Olukemi: I’m interested in the level of discipline that’s required to perform at the level that you do. How did you cultivate that? And what are some things that you’ve had to sacrifice to be able to get to where you are today?  

Joe: Discipline is an interesting one. I saw something on TikTok, yes, I’m on TikTok, and it said that a lot of us don’t like discipline, we like motivation. It also said that we often self-sabotage our own discipline because we’re afraid of investing so much into something that might not work out.

As an athlete, you have a goal, and you know exactly how to get there. You have the plan. But sometimes you don’t fully commit, because in the back of your mind, you’re thinking, “What if I pour all these hours into myself,  training, waking up early, going to the gym and I still don’t make it?” That’s something I’ve really had to understand about myself. And I think a lot of athletes would relate. There are times when I’m super motivated, I’m in the gym, I’m locked in, I see my goals clearly, and I’m going at them full force. But then there are other times when I’m doubting myself, not feeling confident, and that’s when the discipline starts to slip. But when I recognise that I’m slipping, I try to shake myself out of it. Because honestly, it would feel so much worse if, ten years down the line, I didn’t reach my potential because I was too afraid to try, rather than going all in, giving everything I had, and it still not working out. I’d rather push now and risk it than sit around later thinking, “I deserved this,” without having actually done the work. That’s how I see discipline.

In terms of sacrifice, for me, it started when I left home at 18 to go to the States and play college football. That was my first time being away from family. I spent four and a half years there. Every year, I’d leave in the summer and only come back for a short window, maybe around May, and then again for just a month or six weeks in June or July. I did that four years in a row. Time with my family is still limited, and yeah, it’s been worth it,  I’m where I want to be. But when I look back and see how much time has passed, it hits differently. My little brother, who used to be so small, is now taller than I am. My parents are getting older. My siblings, who were just starting university, are now graduating. So now, when I do have free time, I make the effort to pour that time back into my family. If I have a few days off work, I’ll make the five-hour drive to London, stay for a bit, and then drive back. It’s always worth it. 

As footballers, we can get caught up in investing everything into ourselves, and that’s important. But it’s also about balance. You can have the best of both worlds: fun, family, and a successful career. It’s just about managing your time, being intentional, and finding a rhythm that works for you.

Olukemi: Is there a song that either now or at a point in time has really put the fire under you, and motivates you to keep pushing?

Joe: I wouldn’t really say there is a song that really motivates me. Songs just make me dance, and dancing makes me happy, but I wouldn’t say there’s a specific song that really motivates me. Do you have one? 

Olukemi: Dancing is key! Yeah, I  used to wake up in the morning to “Be Happy” by Mary J Blige and “Golden” by Jill Scott, that’s nice. Also, “A Rose Is Still A Rose” By Aretha Franklin.  I just love my soulful women to start the day off. 

Joe: I love music in the morning. It gets you ready. 

Dazed MENA: As an artist or an athlete. When do you feel most inspired? 

Olukemi: I feel most inspired, definitely, when I’m in Lagos, just because there’s so much material. As a visual person and someone who makes films, even something as simple as walking down the street feels cinematic. There’s so much to see, everyday style, the way people carry themselves, it’s all so expressive. And then there are the sounds of the city, the chaos, the energy… It’s all so alive and inspiring to me.

Joe: I’d say I feel most inspired when I’m around other people, especially when I see people doing the things I want to do. Being able to have conversations with them and put myself in their shoes really pushes me to keep going. I feel that a lot at a team like PSG. Even though I’m still close in age to a lot of my teammates, many of them have already played at the highest level, like World Cups or Euros, and that’s what I used to dream of as a kid. Now, being able to train alongside them, to see firsthand how incredible they are as athletes and how much they’ve achieved, that’s what inspires me. It just motivates me to push myself even more.

Dazed MENA: What, what do you think it means to represent African women, Nigerian women, in the worlds that you move through, sports, music, arts, culture?

Olukemi: I think, similar to what you said earlier, Joe, it’s kind of like I’m simply following my own path. I’m listening to myself and expressing myself and the world that I see around me. I think it’s like a symptom of what I’m already doing,  that I’m sort of representing, I guess. And because I’m just doing what I’m doing, I don’t necessarily always think about how meaningful that might be to someone else, or how rare that might be to other people.

So it’s always surprising when people are like to me, “Oh wow, I love what you do, this inspires me. It’s nice to see a Nigerian girl doing this.” I forget that that’s something worth noting. But I do; yeah, I think that in doing justice to myself as an artist, I’m also representing the culture.

I’m also really interested in Nigerian history and our cultural legacies. So that’s always a part of my work, because it’s just who I am. I guess representation ends up being a symptom of that, but I welcome it.

Joe: I’m very similar to what Olukemi said – I’m very much on my own journey. I wasn’t really born into Nigerian culture, so every day I feel like I’m learning more and more, and getting more comfortable representing my country and my people. And also, I feel like sometimes we don’t realise that we are inspiring people. It’s always super interesting, how sometimes we’re so focused, and we don’t even realise how many people are really rooting for us, how many people look up to us, how many people are on this journey with us. 

Dazed MENA: If you had a few words of advice to give to young women today, what would they be?  

Olukemi: I would say, don’t look to your left or your right, look straight ahead. Don’t compare yourself to other people. Just try to be the best you that you can be and follow your own unique journey and path. 

Joe: Continue to pour as much into yourself as you can. Specifically, as an athlete, train as much as you can, have as much fun with your friends as you can, spend as much time as with your family as you can, because you can do all these things and have a very balanced career and successful life.