Tomi Owó is a woman with an uncompromising vision. She describes her music as ‘Alternative Soul’, an infusion of various sounds from soul, pop, and African sounds. The Lagos-born singer began her career around 2015, with Pieces: The One Song A Month Project, which had her earn respect among fans and peers.
We sought out the Nigerian songstress, and she was gracious enough to have a conversation with us.
Afroway: Tell us a little bit about Tomi Owó
Tomi: I’m a singer-songwriter from Lagos, Nigeria.
Afroway: What got you into music?
Tomi: I’ve always loved music, and the icing on the cake is that my family is musically inclined. From listening to my favourite artist, Brooke Fraser in college, and seeing how much her music impacted me, I then decided to make my own contributions in music.
Afroway: How is it working with your brother-producer?
Tomi: It’s the best, really. IBK is a brilliant producer, and I enjoy working with him because we understand one
Afroway: You are currently working on your debut LP, that’s definitely exciting. What should your fans anticipate?
Tomi: Yes, my debut LP is in the works, to be released this year. It’s going to be an experience for everyone, and I look forward to everything coming together.
Afroway: How different would this album be from your previous projects?
Tomi: The things I’ve chosen to write about define the body of work.
Afroway: How do you define your sound?
Tomi: My sound evolves as I do as an artist, but it’s always soulful.
Afroway: Any artists you featuring on this project?
Tomi: They’ll be revealed in due time. :)
Afroway: If you would have an actor play you in a movie, who would it be and why?
Tomi: Somkhele Idhalama. She’s one of my favorite Nigerian actresses, and I think she’ll totally get me. If she sings, that would be even better.
Afroway: How has your musical journey been so far, and what influences you as an artist?
Tomi: It’s been one of steady growth, and I’m grateful for the ups and for the lessons I’ve learnt along the way. As an artist, I’m moved by authenticity. Every human being has something unique to contribute, and as an artist, you should know what makes you unique and make meaning out of it.
Afroway: On ‘Linger’, how was the creative process on this?
Tomi: ‘Linger’ is a song I wrote for an audio-visual collaboration with HelaBase, a team of creators of afrocentric popular culture entertainment, and Samsung Nigeria. We had an interesting brief, and worked together to produce the song and visual towards a campaign for Samsung Nigeria.
Afroway: Your favorite hangout joint in Lagos?
Tomi: I love the beach.
Afroway: What is your take on the Nigerian music industry? Is it working?
Tomi: It’s growing exponentially. Right now, it requires artists to put in much more work, resources, and strategy than other, more developed industries, but the right conversations are being had, and progress is happening.
Afroway: As an artist, how much are you putting in to become an African Influencer?
Tomi: The best way to achieve that is to be excellent at what you do, which is what I aim for, with everything I create. Also, my Nigerian/African heritage is very close to my heart, and all that I do as an artist and creative aims to highlight the beauty, greatness, and potential of our people and culture.
|Afroway
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