Music
Oluchi Obasi from “Nigerian Idol” Season 5 is Our #DiscoverWithBN Feature This Week!
There is no denying that Nigeria is blessed with talented musicians, many of whom have carved out a niche for themselves and ventured into the music industry, creating headlines both at home and abroad.
Many of these artists rose to fame by performing on public stages, such as Project Fame, Nigeria’s Got Talent, Nigeria Idol, and others via social media.
It’s fine to stick to your favourites, but how about broadening your horizons and listening to other talented artists with distinct sounds? BN discovered some incredible talents whose voices once captivated your souls. Through our weekly interview series titled #DiscoverWithBN, we will reintroduce them to you in a special way.
You can catch up on our past feature with Chris Rio, Glowrie, Efezino, and Monica Ogah. This week, we’re speaking with Oluchi Obasi, a bespectacled beauty from Abia State, who has sought ways to hone her talent by participating in two musical competitions – Nigerian Idol (Season 5, top 30) and MTN’s Project Fame (Season 9, top 10).
Her one of a kind voice is poised to warm herself into your heart with her voice and charisma. She makes music that connects with her audience in a real and un-cosmetic way.
She has performed on several stages including the Zikoko Underground, 2017 Lagos International Jazz Festival, She Rocks and many others. With two amazing singles under her belt and an EP in the works, she’s just getting started in her journey to taking over the world.
Here’s what she had to share with us:
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What first got you into music?
Growing up, I used to buy video CDs of performances by artists, especially Beyoncé and watch. I was hooked and knew I wanted to be on stage doing just that! As I grew older and had a better understanding of words, I became captivated with how music could tell stories and evoke different emotions in its listeners, and so I combined my love for writing as well, with my voice and began to do just that.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
I would describe my music as real. For me, I want to connect with my audience and have a “me too” experience with them. I want them to listen to my music and feel like it’s their story as well because chances are that they’ve been in a situation like that as well. So, storytelling is a key part of my music.
What is your creative process?
My creative process is not fixed but it generally starts with an idea/theme which I ruminate on for a while or not depending on how strongly I feel about it. Then I use my guitar to flesh out the music progression and lyrics of the song at the same time, before heading to the studio to record and create my next masterpiece.
My favourite part of the process is the writing phase and my least favourite is the actual recording. I’m more of a live performer and find the studio to be kinda restrictive.
What’s are you bringing to the music industry, what are you doing differently?
The way I tell the stories in my music is what I believe I’m doing differently. In every song I create, I’m aiming for the heart of the listener. To connect and create a sort of camaraderie with them even when we’ve never met.
What’s next for you?
More music. I intend to experiment a bit more from my usual style while staying true to myself and the people who have come to love me already.
Listen to Oluchi Obasi’s tracks below:
Dear Heart
Mum’s Prayer
To find out more about Oluchi Obasi you can follow him on Twitter, and Instagram.
