Music Spotlight: Odeal

By: Ahshara C.

Music is often viewed as a universal language and if you love music as much as we do, you're always on the hunt for a new artist. So, we wanted to dive into a new artist we've been loving and hopefully, you will too. Odeal is an up-and-coming British-Nigerian artist from London. He was born in Germany and then moved to Spain before finally moving to the UK. He grew up loving music and once he got started, it wasn’t something he could easily let go of.

As his love for music continued to grow, he started making music that was more like R&B but knew that he wanted a different sound. He wanted something that would make him stand out. So he began to draw inspiration from Alté.

Alté (pronounced uhl-teh)- meaning “Alternative” or “different” has origins in Nigeria. It is encapsulated by the younger generation as they counter traditional norms and culture with lifestyle and attitude. Alté, known for its fashion and music is led by progressive thinkers and creatives. The music genre is a fusion of other genres consisting of sounds heard in reggae, Afrobeats, dancehall, hip-hop, and Alternative R&B. It has been said that Alté is not for everyone, however, like most music, you find your message and what speaks to you when you need it.

Odeal’s 2020 album “OVMBR: Roses” is a perfect example of the fusion of these sounds which you can hear on songs like “Something” and “Composure 2.”

His albums are filled with rich vocals and sounds that transport you to a place of peace. With themes of love and heartbreak, many can relate to a lot of the lyrics that Odeal talks about in his songs. He is inspired by honesty, and this echoes through songs like, “24/48,” which talk about his love for a girl and how she makes him feel but also being afraid of it not working out: “Girl, ‘cause I wanna be with you till I see heavens’ gates. Chances of loving you more than you love me grows day by day. You hurt me, you can’t see.” Raw honestly flows through all of his songs, while keeping a smooth and catchy tune.

Odeal is often misinterpreted as an RnB artist but his main goal is to become an Alté artist as that is where most of his inspiration comes from. He started off producing his music with a mix of R&B and Afrobeat sounds, building a community from his University friends, and eventually, he had a bunch of people listening to his music. His single, “More Life” released in 2020, gained him a lot of notoriety, as it was a summer anthem for the black community when he released it amidst the Black Lives Matter protests. He began to write the song, before everything happened, in hopes of creating a pathway for others to hear the struggles of black life from a different medium. He also wanted to communicate the depth of the feelings and emotions that come from black people.

Odeal has a plethora of music to choose from with songs like our personal favorite, “Coffee (Don’t Read Signs)”, “Kainji Dam,” his most recent single, “All That it Takes” and so much more!

Check out Odeal’s music and prepare to enter into a world of unique sounds and beautiful rhythms. “No boundaries with me. Let me show you,” -Odeal.