Genre-bending has become a common theme for new and emerging artistes from all over the world in a bid to stand out and make something different enough to capture the imagination of listeners. Many artistes fuse elements of two to three different genres these days and it’s impressive to see and hear. But of the lot, a certain 26 year old artiste going by the name of Mannywellz might just hold the record for number of genres and cultures fused into his music; it might be easier to mention the sounds he has not dabbled into that to list one the ones he has.
His life story is just as intriguing as his music. He was christened Emmanuel Ajomale by his father, Kunle Ajomale who himself was a fairly successful musician – lovers of gospel music might find that name to be familiar. The paternal influence told on Mannywellz at a early age and by the time he was 8 years old he was already performing music by his father’s side. At the tender age of 9, his family emigrated to the USA and settled in Bowie, Maryland. From his new home, he continued to develop his skill and craft and eventually went professional. It was all going great until he encountered a situation that started as a curse but eventually blossomed into a life-changing blessing.
You see, in 2012, young Emmanuel Ajomale was a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which offered protection for individuals brought into the US at a young age. It was not a citizenship offer, but at least it allowed them work and earn money. Fast forward to 2017, and the Trump-led administration made a move to abolish the program which would effectively mean deportation for those protected by DACA. This led to protests and a group of artistes threatened by this awful decision came together to create a compilation album titled “American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom.” Mannywellz led the way with a song titled “American Dream”, and the album went on to win a GRAMMY Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. He already boasted of millions of play and a tour of the US with Jidenna prior to this, but there’s no doubt that it expanded the horizon for him.
A guest appearance on Wale’s album followed, as well as two successful albums of his own – “SoulfFro” and “Mirage” and Mannywellz stock has gone up and up ever since. The DACA situation has kept him from leaving America to return home because of fear he might not be let back into the country but he has not lost touch with his Nigerian roots for a second. His Yoruba remains crisp as ever and the elements of African beats, drums and language cannot be missed in his music. He constantly works with his Nigeria brothers and sisters, linking up with the likes of Adekunle Gold and Tems in recent years. Never mind that he has been in the US for 17 years, he is Nigerian through and through. Afrobeats might be the one constant factor in his sound, but Hip-Hop, R&B, Jazz, Funk – every major genre really – have made delightful appearances in his music. It all makes listening to Mannywellz a truly fascinating experience.
