Ozioma Nwabuikwu

Ozioma Nwabuikwu

Ozioma Nwabuikwu ©

Ozioma Nwabuikwu is a Nigerian writer and music curator currently based in Toronto, ON. Fascinated by music and culture, she is always looking for the next subject to dive into. Find her words on Substack and in publications around the world including Refinery29, Exclaim!, RANGE, The Native, NUVO and NEXT Magazine.

My Latest Work

RANGE •

Alessia Cara’s Latest Love Potion Is Doing The Trick

At first, inspiration didn’t come easy on the musical side, but she soon found “new sonic territory” – and with most of this new record featuring gorgeous live instrumentation, you can tell. In life, her experimentation didn’t take her as far as the dating apps (“I’m not built for it,” she says), but Cara is in a “pretty good place” nonetheless. With earned wisdom and her distinct brand of storytelling, Alessia Cara wrestles with the growing pains once again on Love & Hyperbole. This time, howev...
Mustafa Was a Mountain in Toronto │ Exclaim! •

Mustafa Was a Mountain in Toronto │ Exclaim!

Toronto could not have been more ready for Mustafa's return. Decked out in all the colours of the keffiyeh and limited edition merch, the crowd at Roy Thomson Hall featured everyone from young children to African aunties in their Sunday-best. As we settled into our seats, friends found each other and soft music — some of Mustafa's favourites, like Sufjan Stevens and Fairuz — wafted through the room. The stage was a cross between a prayer room and a Moroccan tea room, decked out with ornate gold...
Ravyn Lenae Looks at Life with a 'Bird's Eye' on H •

Ravyn Lenae Looks at Life with a 'Bird's Eye' on Her Sterling Sophomore Album │ Exclaim!

Two years after her debut album HYPNOS, Ravyn Lenae returns with Bird's Eye. Another smorgasbord of the fluttery falsettos, iridescent vocal stacks and tender lyrics that've made Lenae a modern R&B torchbearer (and a regular on most of my playlists), Bird's Eye finds Lenae courting disruption both in life and music. Piecing together the lessons learned from strained relationships, Lenae expands her dusky R&B and soul into rock, folk and even reggae. Bird's Eye is tinged with her signature futuri...
RANGE •

The Many Shades of Tierra Whack

It’s not the first time an artist has made lemonade out of life’s sour lemons, but World Wide Whack effortlessly explores the nuances of mental health struggles, making listeners laugh, cry and think in unison. When asked how she knows what’s good, Whack doesn’t offer many details apart from an innate knowing and a willingness to experiment with her team. “We never know what we’re going to do, we just try things and then if it works, it works and if it doesn’t, we just move on,” she says. She ha...
RANGE •

King Cruff: This is Modern Reggae

But you wouldn’t know how hectic it’s been looking at him. As he settles into his seat for our interview, it’s immediately evident that he’s mastered maintaining perpetual cool and humility in the face of nonstop uncertainty.
Cruff’s willingness to push boundaries for his creativity doesn’t only apply to location – it’s essential to his music philosophy. Though reggae and dancehall are his first loves, his debut EP, WHAT HAVE I ‘DON, boasts additional genre explorations that will satisfy everyo...
RANGE •

REVIEW | Bob Marley: One Love Celebrates a Musical Hero

Since the depth of detail in this retelling is astounding, recognizing the work of those behind it is just as important as appreciating the performances on screen. Kingsley Ben-Adir’s casting as Bob Marley came after more than a year of searching—and after watching the film, it’s clear why the search was so thorough. The actor was relentless in his pursuit of perfection, just like the great man he portrays. “They say Bob didn’t sleep, he rested his eyes. I felt the same from Kingsley,” says Gree...
The NATIVE •

Tiwa Savage’s 'Water & Garri' OST Is A Reminder Of Her Musical Legacy

Tiwa Savage’s debut feature film, ‘Water & Garri,’ should not be confused with her 2021 EP of the same name. While planning to shoot a visual to commemorate the EP with the help of long-time collaborator and director, Meji Alabi, Savage’s attention was captured by the story they developed for the visual. Plans for the visual EP were scrapped and Alabi and Savage began to develop the story into a feature film. Even though the film’s creation began through the 2021 EP, Savage felt that none of the...
RANGE •

Banggz Blasts Off with a Debut Full of Banggerz

It’s a project he’s been working on for three years, as  something he felt got lost in translation kept prompting him to return to it for reworks. Like fate, Femi Kuti, son of Fela Kuti and legend in his own right, came to Ottawa Bluesfest in 2022 where Banggz also performed. “At a point, I started making songs just to make them,” he says. “After watching [Femi Kuti] perform and meeting him at Ottawa Bluesfest, he reminded me of my identity, being Nigerian and why I should even be making music i...
RANGE •

Remi Wolf - Big Ideas Album Review

Remi Wolf is known for shamelessly exploring emotion, making for some of the most euphoric and weird discographies in progressive pop today. Ever since a dog-themed trio of EPs and her breakout debut album, Juno, spun her into worldview, the 28-year-old’s star has shown no signs of dimming. 
On Big Ideas, Wolf is of two minds. She welcomes deep reflection and acceptance on tracks like the sparkly self-love anthem, “Cinderella,” and the wry, country-inflected number, “Just The Start.” But she’s s...
RANGE •

Teezo Touchdown’s First Headline Tour Is Right On Time

When I arrive, there’s already a line around the block filled with fans decked out in their emo best: fishnets, gloves, and black T’s face-painted on each cheek. A restless lineup turns into a restless crowd as everyone waits for the show to begin. 
On Teezo’s socials, showgoers were promised an interactive pre-show called Touchdown Live hosted by Annabelle Kline and J. Ford. After a two-hour wait, our hosts took the stage. They start with some Teezo Trivia to test the crowd’s engagement, follow...
RANGE •

Pique 2024 Summer Edition Preview

Every Pique is brought to life through curatorial collaboration and this summer is no different. Debaser partnered with visual artist Kosisochukwu Nnebe to present her new exhibition, The Seeds We Carry, which will open at SAW Gallery on June 8, the day of the festival, and run until August 10, 2024. The Nigerian-Canadian artist’s work focuses on uncovering facets of Black visibility, resistance and artistry through an anti-colonial lens. 
To help her guest curate the musical programming of the...
RANGE •

Kaleah Lee - Birdwatcher EP Album Review

Listening to Birdwatcher feels like you’re lying on the floor of a forest, taking in the changes of the season. Sometimes the bright sun rays peek through the leaves and sometimes winter lasts longer than planned. 
On her highly anticipated debut EP, the Vancouver native battles with strong themes of change, evolution and self-realization delivered through the strings of melodic indie folk. 
The temptation is strong to stay perfectly still and hidden away, like a birdwatcher, while life, complex...
RANGE •

Haleluya Hailu Is Taking Up Space

Hailu originally wanted to attend school in the US, but after some persistent challenges, she settled at Selkirk College in Nelson, BC. She went from being a Black girl in a mostly white high school to being a Black girl in an even whiter small town college. The urge to fit in became even greater as she faced a toxic, racist and misogynistic social environment where who you knew was more important than the music. As she says, it was like “high school theatre times a thousand.” So, Hailu conforme...

Apartment613

Ozioma is a music curator and journalist, originally from Nigeria. After living in BC for six years, she moved to Ontario to discover a richer music scene. She can often be found attending live music events or giving unsolicited opinions.

Ozioma is a music curator and journalist, originally from Nigeria. After living in BC for six years, she moved to Ontario to discover a richer music scene. She can often be found attending live music events or giving unsolicited opinions.

Gig Photos: Haley Blais and Gabrielle Shonk at the NAC Fourth Stage

It’s my first time at the NAC Fourth Stage and I’m delighted by the intimacy the venue offers with soft twinkly lights, cocktail tables surrounding the stage and ample seating. The opener, Gabrielle Shonk, takes the stage. With flaming pink locs, an oversized suit and a sincere posture that matched her lyrics, Shonk charmed the audience with songs from her sophomore album, “Across The Room”. Themes include anxiety, exes and people-pleasing but her beautiful tone and masterful guitar playing mask...
RANGE •

Honey Jam: Empowering Legends in the Making

After hearing her radio show special on DJX’s The Power Move show about women in hip-hop, the editors of Mic Check magazine gave Rowe the opportunity to produce an edition celebrating female artists, which spawned a launch party called Honey Jam. Originally intended to be a one-night-only affair, the first Honey Jam was so successful that it pushed Rowe to keep it going. That was almost 29 years ago, making Honey Jam one of the pioneers of female artist empowerment in Canadian music history, wit...
NEXT Magazine •

Destin Conrad’s Siren Songs Sell Out The Opera House

By: Ozioma NwabuikwuWho: Destin Conrad
Where: The Opera House, 735 Queen St. E.
When: Sat., March 2
Vibe: Heady and intimate
Next: The SUBMISSIVE Tour continues in the U.S. with the next show in Boston
Highlight: The entire audience singing and dancing along with the funky soul performance of Jaguar, the title track off Monét’s last project.
Rating: NNNNN (out of 5)
OPENER Amaria, like the headliner, is from Florida and her smoky vocals are a hit with the crowd despite her shy vibe. As she loose...
NUVO •

Crépu: Our DNA Depicts Black Hair in All Its Glory

When Sharlène Clarke, founder of Hors Pair Social, an Ottawa Black social group, approached Sandra Ngenge Dusabe, founder of The Moving Art Gallery, with the idea of a Black hair art show, she was hesitant. “I thought that something only about hair would be too much,” she admits, but Dusabe was enthusiastic. They collaborated, using Dusabe’s curatorial background and Clarke’s event management expertise to create Crépu: Our DNA last year. Crépu (meaning curly or kinky) is a meditation on Black ha...
RANGE •

Interview: Jordan Alexander Is Ready To Be Vulnerable

“Leaving Toronto” came first, inspired by having to leave Toronto suddenly to film in New York during the first few months of the pandemic—before Alexander and her lover could piece together how they were feeling. Closed borders, scarce visas, and tight production schedules had the two doubting if they’d ever realize a relationship. This vacuum of fervent emotions became a perfect excuse to write. “It was such an explosive and tumultuous experience that it warranted not just the songs on the alb...
RANGE •

ADEOLUWA is Taking the Scenic Route

ADEOLUWA is aware that his exploration of multiple genres may disqualify his latest record as being traditionally ‘cohesive,’ but he pays that no mind. He doesn’t want to be restricted to only one genre, message or perspective, embracing the complexity of his sound and consequently, of life. Consisting of nine tracks, his latest  EP boasts almost half as many genres, including pop, R&B, Afrobeats, and hip-hop. “I pride myself on listening to what the song needs, as opposed to what I want,” he sa...
RANGE •

Best of 2023 | NOBRO - Set Your Pussy Free

NOBRO thinks society should take their rules of respectability and shove them up their ass. Filled with anthems embracing reckless and unashamed youth, this garage punk record is an escape into a world where women are able to be messy, unmonitored and unfettered by expectations of the norm. On their sophomore album, NOBRO finds the strength to demand more than what they were offered.

NOBRO thinks society should take their rules of respectability and shove them up their ass. Filled with anthems...
NEXT Magazine •

Victoria Monét Delivers an Unmissable Experience at Sold-Out History

By: Ozioma NwabuikwuWho: Victoria Monét
Where: History, 1663 Queen St. E.
When: Thurs., Oct. 26
Vibe: Electric and intimate
Next: The Jaguar Tour continues in the U.S. with the next show in Boston
Highlight: The entire audience singing and dancing along with the funky soul performance of Jaguar, the title track off Monét’s last project.
Rating: NNNNN (out of 5)
THE FIRST THING I notice when I arrive at History is a healthy line at the Victoria Monét merch table and an even healthier crowd. After...
NEXT Magazine •

Omega Mighty is an Unbothered Queen on New EP, ‘Notorious & Noble’

By: Ozioma NwabuikwuRating: NNNN (out of 5)
Sound: Perfect blend of infectious beats, smooth vocals and bold anthems encouraging you to step out as your true self.
If you like: Shenseea, Spice, Lila Ike
Best track: Gi Dem
Release date: Fri., Oct. 6
Next: Album release show, Drake Underground, Wed., Oct. 4
Why you should listen: If you’re tired of internalizing shame, put this EP on to whine away the weight of the world’s expectations. Feel free to appreciate your unique self while doing so.HER L...
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