Unlike the fully developed Lagos and London Afrobeats scenes which are rife with established musical talents, ranging from producers to artists to videographers and such, the Afrobeats scene in Canada is still in its bumbling stages. Canada does not have high power record labels dedicated to sponsoring Afrobeats artists, or a connected and substantial demographic of enthusiastic listeners, or even the support of more prominent artists living within its community.
Furthermore, the large geographical landscape often makes it difficult for independent artists to collaborate, to share their work, and to make a mark in this still-budding industry.
As a result, promoters or independent artists who are interested in sponsoring shows, pushing their sound, or working with people from other regions often have to do so with little to no support, self-funded, while not being entirely sure that their efforts might pay off.
Despite all this, there are a few artists and producers who are making their mark. Here are 8 reasons you need to be paying attention to the Afro-Canadian Music scene:
Nú Baby
An afro-pop star at heart, all Nú really wants to do is make “sweet” music for the people, and so far he’s excelled. The support and reception he got from releasing his first single, LY, astonished the singer, largely because his music career was born from someone else’s initiative in ordering a recording kit for him, believing his talent was too great to waste. Despite being born a music head, it wasn’t till he set his voice to the track that Nú realized that he had the makings of an afro pop-star.
Although he’s lived in Canada for the past few years, Nú Baby tries not to let his geographical location determine his sound, noting that announcing himself as a Canadian-based Afrobeats artist often comes with its own presuppositions and generalizations.
“Whether I’m being featured on a drill or dancehall tune, I always find myself returning to the same yoruba lamba that I grew up with, that I emulate in my music”.
Within the next couple of years, Nú intends to be among the top ten rank of ‘new school’ afro pop artists. His latest release, an appealing and sophisticated two-pack single titled, Two for you, rich with afro soul and pop elements, is perhaps a statement that he is already halfway there.
Móst
Michael Oladapo Sorunke Tomiwa aka Móst, is a versatile artist bridging the gap between western R&B and afro R&B. His influences range from The weeknd to Burna Boy, and his sound reflects both his youth spent in Nigeria, and his current locale of Canada. Whether he’s delivering captivating ‘loverboy’ hooks both in Yoruba and English on Afro Lover, or swaggering rap verses of grandeur over 808 beats produced himself, on Mixed Emotions, the part rap, part R&B, part Afro pop artist always stays true to himself.
Although a lot of effort goes into promoting his music in Nigeria, making virtual connections to artists and producers alike, he has his sights set on a global market. Unfortunately, the lack of distribution and marketing platforms for Afrobeats artists here in Canada means working twice as hard to make connections or to be heard. Nevertheless, Móst is focused on perfecting his sound. Keep an eye out for his two-pack single later this year, a prelude to his next EP.
“It’s good music, and it’s for everyone. Irrespective of where they come from, I want people to hear my sound and connect to it because the quality speaks for itself”.
Töme
Born in Montréal to a Nigerian father and a French-Canadian mother, Töme’s afro-fusion sound is a reflection of her two cultural backgrounds coming together. Although the singer/songwriter has been composing music since the tender age of 10, it was only in 2018 that she began to come into her own as an artist. During this period she worked at Kiza, an African restaurant & Lounge based in Toronto, owned by her father, and committed to showcasing African culture through food & entertainment. Here Töme crossed paths with Afrobeats artists and producers alike who introduced her to a different aspect of her culture through the one thing that was dearest to her heart; music.
Her first hit single, L’amour, was born from this, fusing sultry afrobeats with hypnotizing french lyrics and traditional soul vocalizations. Her father, Lukman Akanbi, subsequently made use of his connections to introduce Töme’s brand into the Afrobeats scene. She has since toured with Wizkid as an opening act, as well as Burna boy and Mr. Eazi.
To Töme, music is about connecting to your roots, and accepting yourself fully as you are. Her stage name is simply an abbreviation of her traditional name- Oluwatomi: God is enough for me. She adopts this message into her brand: I am enough, I am Töme. Being one of the only prominent women artists on the Afro-Canadian scene, her challenges range from not having others to share struggles and identify with, to simply having to sometimes work twice as hard to be taken seriously. Töme is determined to create more opportunities for other women artists to feel like they have a place on the scene, and empower all young women to know that whatever they have to say is important.
Töme’s next project drops this spring, and we’re eager to hear more of the afro-soul bangers that were plentiful on her last tape, Bt4w (Bigger Than Four Walls).
Bolu Ajibade
Bolu’s romance with music began early. He spent his junior secondary school days recording mock songs with friends on the nearest laptop, and these eventually developed into personal covers that he did of his favourite afrobeats tunes. In 2018, while still attending University in Canada, Bolu released his first single, Koba, delivering playful lyrics over an infectious dancehall beat. Moving seamlessly between afrobeats and afroswing, Bolu’s discography is filled with upbeat tunes that spread equal joy and the desire to have a good time.
Aside from pursuing his studies, Bolu spent his university years studying the music markets both in Canada and Nigeria, investing in management teams both home & abroad. He believes that the Canadian Afrobeats scene can be as prolific as that of Lagos or London.
“Canada has become a second home to me. I want people to recognize that there’s a sick sound here and that they don’t have to go back home to Nigeria or somewhere else for their talent to be recognized. I want to create opportunities for the artists coming behind me”.
In order for the Afrobeats movement in Canada to grow, Bolu believes that creatives across different industries need to work together, artists need to collaborate and appreciate each other’s work, as well as to facilitate relationships with people outside in order to draw more attention to the scene. Anticipate Bolu’s upcoming single, Stranger, as well as his full length project dropping later in the year.
OD
Artist & producer alike, OD is pushing the boundaries of Afro fusion through his unconventional beats coupled with a rich baritone voice. His latest single, Tal, is a perfect expression of this, an infectious afro pop song that stays with you far beyond the first listen.
OD describes his brand as “cruise”, driven by the desire to spread positivity and make listeners happy in a lighthearted yet multifaceted manner. As a producer, he is determined to experiment with his sound, infusing afrobeats into different genres such as rap, jazz and r&b in bids to discover and cultivate a fresh sound in the industry, as well as to present afrobeats to different communities in relatable and appealing ways. He has his eyes set on the global industry. Thankfully, he recognizes the growth in his own local community.
“Two years ago there were no afro-canadian playlists, we weren’t really even a topic of discussion. I’m happy to see that people with different creative inclinations are beginning to pay attention and push the industry. If we continue to go at this rate, I believe there’s a lot of untapped potential and growth we can unlock within the next few years.”
OD acknowledges that his role as both artist and producer allows him to foster relationships more easily, as well as to gain recognition in both lanes and have access to more opportunities for collaboration. We can expect more exciting musical content from him within the coming months.
King Majik
A multidisciplinary artist in practice, King Majik’s heart lies with the music. He began rapping as young as 11, performing for friends in school who encouraged him. In 2016, he began his professional journey in music, and has been on the up ever since. In between recording, directing and shooting his own music videos, Majik realized the difficulty in making a name for oneself in an industry that was almost nonexistent.
The idea of ‘Naijanada’ was born from this, an initiative whose goal is to connect creatives throughout Canada, in bids to empower and assist one another. This takes shape first in the form of a collaborative project with other Afro-Canadian artists, but goes beyond this concept to engage producers, business owners, videographers, journalists, photographers, etc, in order to promote and amplify the voices of the Afro-Canadian community. He dreams of a community where creatives can respect and appreciate one another, in order for the art to be fostered and grown in a conducive environment.
“The idea behind the name Majik is making something out of nothing, and bringing a vision to life. I know there are others besides me who have dreams and I’d love to be able to create a community that can facilitate those dreams in any way possible”.
Gmastered
He’s not the man with the voice, but he’s the man behind the scenes. Sound engineer/producer/songwriter/co-manager/video director, Gmastered, has contributed more than his fair share towards the afrobeats scene in Canada. Some of his more famous records include Obodo Gidi by Nú and Hennesy by Era. His love for music and the desire to see those around him to succeed and create quality content resulted in him teaching himself everything there is to know about sound engineering.
So far, Gmastered has managed to move through his career without advertising himself. Somehow, the quality of the work always speaks for itself. His long-term goal is to own a record label and get into executive production, being able to monitor and assist in the growth and development of an artist, a tape, through their lifespan. According to him, Canada will play a huge role in the future of Afrobeats. He appeals to upcoming artists and producers to continue to put in the work, perfect their craft, so as to present high caliber work and attract people from outside to the industry through collaboration.
“Part of the problem we’re facing in this industry is the lack of sportsmanship. Artists need to be plugging one another, making connections. Promoters need to treat artists with respect, not exploiting them but giving them their dues and paying them their worth. If we in the community don’t support one another, how will people from outside support and respect us?”
D1wav
Despite his raw musical talent, D1 “Daré” wav did not purposefully set out to become an afrobeats artist. Renowned for his soccer skills among his mates, Daré was known as number one, eventually being called D1. When he fortuitously discovered his natural way with a mic, he adopted this moniker as a type of omen predicting the success of his career.
His debut project, Titled Unmastered, is a testament to this. D1 constantly delive`zrs verses with an undeniable confidence and passion, his sweet tenor tone cruising through & taking control of each track in a mesmerizing way.
Regardless of his musical gifts, D1 does not have it all figured out.
“Deep down I’m just a reserved, old soul that discovered his love for music and is concerned with sharing and perfecting my sound”.
D1 wants to tell a story with his music, connecting to music lovers from different backgrounds by experimenting with different genres, and curating lyrics and tracks alike to make listeners feel a certain way. Like some of his fellow artists on the scene, D1 is determined to draw attention to the talent that is rife on the afro-canadian scene. His 10 year plan sees him eventually creating a record label, opening an avenue of opportunity for artists from different places to come together and share their creativity. For now though, we’ll look forward to his imminent EP, Wav Files Only, dropping soon.
These are only a handful of those putting in work and creating unique musical content on the Afro-Canadian scene. It promises to deliver more pleasant surprises in the form of talented individuals and well-curated projects, and it’s only right that we give them the attention they deserve.
Article by Ruby Sapphire Chijioke-Nwauche