Raised by his grandmother in Calabar, Nigeria as a child, until he moved to London to join his mother as a teenager, Obongjayar’s sound embraces his dual cultures as his greatest superpower: filtering the playful warmth and texture of West African rhythms and cadence through a daringly modern gaze to create something uniquely his.
It’s the same quality that had him called on by XL’s Richard Russell, Danny Brown, Karma Kid and Afrobeats superproducer Sarz for collaborations. It’s the spin he’s brought to hit features with Fred again… and Little Simz and the innovation that earned him an Ivor Novello nomination for his own critically acclaimed debut album Some Nights I Dream of Doors. Ultimately, it’s cemented him as one of the most infectious and original voices coming out of the UK right now.
Since his debut however, Obongjayar – née Steven Umoh – has made a creative shift. The result, on his follow up ‘Paradise Now’, is an ambitiously fresh global prospect, with roots grounded in his own wide-ranging world of influences. It’s everything from pop to punk, dance to Afrobeat, funk to folk, refracted through a thrilling new perspective. “I wanted an album that I could listen to from start to finish on a night out.” But he still considers it something of a Trojan Horse. Recorded between London and LA with UK alt-rap mainstay Kwes Darko ( Pa Salieu, John Glacier) and Grammy-winning production trio Beach Noise (Kendrick Lamar, Baby Keem, Bakar), the record is as emotionally complex and broad as Obongjayar has ever been, even within its contagious candy coating.
“He’s instinctive but legible, algorithmically tuned without being dull, political right up to the line of provocation. Most importantly, he can make you move.” – Pitchfork
“Across a career that’s taken him from lowkey Soundcloud uploads to collecting high praise from critics and revered cultural institutions, Obongjayar increasingly appears to be among the most engaging voices of his generation.” Loud & Quiet
“A special record that marks the birth of a true superstar” – Rolling Stone
