Ozioma Nwabuikwu

My Latest Work

Deeds Magazine - 5 Osheaga Sets That Made Our Festival Experience

For three days last weekend, Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau was overrun with fans from across Canada and beyond to attend the 19th edition of Osheaga. The lineup varied widely in terms of genre and notoriety, but Canadian artists were notably prioritized. This year, DEEDS attended for the first time, and we had a lovely time!In order of appearance, here are the Osheaga sets that transformed our festival experience.If there’s one thing PARTYOF2 are going to do, it’s immerse the viewer in their worl...

Deeds Magazine - Banggz: Love Over Everything

Before Banggz became Banggz,the emerging  rapper/producer extraordinaire based in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, he was Damilola Isa Salaudeen, a young boy raised in Lagos, Nigeria, with a persistent love of beats and bars. Through life’s challenges including immigration struggles and grief, his love of storytelling remained a constant way for him to get out of his head and uplift his community by telling their stories and speaking life into them. These sentiments inspired Banggz’s debut album,...

Deeds Magazine - 3 Osheaga Acts You Can’t Miss

This Friday marks DEEDS’ first time at Osheaga. The 20 year old music festival takes place every summer at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Quebec. The multi-day event has hosted the likes of SZA, Childish Gambino, Travis Scott, and more. It is one of the biggest music festivals in Canada. This year’s lineup at Osheaga is stacked with heavy hitters including Lord, Gunna, Zara Larsson and Tate McRae. But amidst this lineup lies various amazing Black Canadian acts that we can’t wait to see in action...
Wonderland •

U, Me & Chxrry’s Ego

Chxrry’s plan for world domination is in full effect. The Toronto-born, LA-based artist has had a landmark year, from the viral success of the self-confidence anthem “Main Character” to working with celebrated designer Mowalola on the visuals, and finally opening for some star-studded contemporaries like FLO, Rema, and Mariah the Scientist. As she connects with Wonderland,  the 29-year-old Canadian is in Hawaii alongside the latter R&B heavyweight for a two-night appearance to promote their new...
The NATIVE •

Anaïs Cardot Is Bringing Intimate Emotions To Life

Anaïs Cardot grew up surrounded by music. From early morning school runs with her father to obsessing over Hannah Montana to discovering his 7,000 song-iPod when he passed, Cardot’s love of music has remained a constant in her life. This music she found went on to shape her music taste and, eventually, her approach to her own music, particularly the works of Ella Fitzgerald, Jacque Brel, and various other Jazz, Bossa Nova and Soul artists. 
What started as making multilingual singing videos in h...
RANGE •

Arlo Parks Wants You To Dance

“This whole record feels like I’m wanting to get closer to myself and to accept myself and understand myself in the world,” she says.The pivot isn’t as abrupt as it sounds. Parks has long been drawn to early 2000s Croydon post-dubstep, James Blake, and Joy Orbison — sounds she absorbed well before this record. Produced primarily with longtime collaborator Baird in his downtown LA loft, Ambiguous Desire moves between on- and off-floor intimacy, holding pleasure and contradiction in the same breat...
Toronto Star •

Daniel Caesar forgave his father and found a profound new sound: ‘I feel like my career is starting now’

“Ashton is here!” Daniel Caesar, born Ashton Simmonds, bursts into view on Zoom, fresh-faced and grinning. He’s just visited the hot springs in Montana, which accounts, in part, for his glow. These days, the Oshawa-born R&B star is partial to spending time in nature — the more remote, the better. Just a few weeks earlier, though, Caesar was back on familiar ground: Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto. He marked the release of his fourth studio album, “Son of Spergy,” with an impromptu concert, a n...
RANGE •

Malia Baker is Up for the Challenge

Malia Baker has always aspired to greatness – and it’s paid off. At the age of 19, the Botswana-born, Vancouver-based actress has a doll made in her likeness, has acted in two major franchises (Disney’s Descendants and Netflix’s The Babysitters’ Club) and represents not one but two major activist organizations – “She’s The First” and “GirlUp.” This month, Baker’s new project, survivalist thriller Hair of the Bear, releases in Canadian theatres, marking her first executive producer credit. But at...
RANGE •

Witch Prophet is Taking Control

“Gateway Experience was me trying to figure out, like, ‘Hey, what’s going on? This feels like something with my brain, something’s happening’… Words are Spells, Thoughts are Magic is ‘No, now you know, and you need to work on healing and figuring out who you want around you, and realizing the goodness that you do have, and also calling out the bullshit that was around and being like, hey, like, I don’t want negative talk.’”
Speaking life into herself is a practice Leilani has been honing for a l...
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 •

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...
RANGE •

The Best (and Worst) Films We Saw at TIFF 2025

The Toronto International Film Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary this year with panache. TIFF’s golden anniversary edition surrounded itself with buzzy premieres, star power, and its fair share of controversy (courtesy of one particular doc about the Oct. 7 attacks portrayed through a Zionist lens). Yet, despite all the noise, TIFF stuck to what it has always done best ever since its humble formation as the so-called “Festival of Festivals,” showcasing a legion of movies, both homegrown a...
RANGE •

Nonso Amadi Opens Up the Floodgates

No matter what corner of the Nigerian music scene you’re in, Nonso Amadi’s name has likely come up. From his early alté-era collaborations to Afro-pop hits like “Tonight” and his debut Afro-R&B album When It Blooms, Amadi has long been celebrated for his smooth vocals and emotionally rich songwriting. But on his new EP, TO CRY A FLOOD, he dives even deeper — pairing an Afrobeats-driven tempo with introspective, grief-laden lyrics that uncover yet another layer of his artistry....
RANGE •

Snail Mail Faces the Unknown

Lindsey Jordan, professionally known as Snail Mail, has long known how to capture youthful angst in all its melancholic nostalgia. Her third studio project, Ricochet, delivers exactly that. On this brilliant new record, Jordan immerses the listener in affecting ’90s alt-rock symphonies, echoing the teeming sonic universe of her debut, Lush.
Over larger-than-life string arrangements and distinctive sonic flourishes, she reckons with both the expanse and brevity of life and death. What is the mean...
RANGE •

The Sounds of Cincinnati: A Voyage Through Black Music History

What do Bootsy Collins, The Isley Brothers, and John Legend have in common? Beyond being global funk and soul innovators, they all hail from Ohio — a state not always recognized for its rich Black musical lineage. Yet Cincinnati has long been a sanctuary for Black creativity and resilience. Historically, it was a haven for enslaved and freed people escaping from Kentucky and beyond across the Ohio River — bringing with them faith, community, and, of course, music.“I always thought that crossing...
RANGE •

Dinner with Friends Is a Love Letter To Imperfect Relationships

Shot on a micro-budget and co-written and directed by Sasha Leigh Henry, Dinner with Friends wastes no time dropping you into a lovable yet messy group of friends finding their way back to each other through irregular dinner parties. This is Henry’s debut feature film under her newly minted production studio, Everyday People, in collaboration with writer-producer partner Tania Thompson. Even with the odds stacked against them during production, Dinner with Friends is a revelation in many ways —...
Toronto Star •

‘We are trendsetters. We are culture creators.’ A striking Toronto exhibition spotlights the vibrancy and resilience of Black creatives

Two years ago, prompted by the death of cultural icon and legendary fashion editor André Leon Talley, the curating duo of artist Ilene Sova and writer Byron Armstrong began to investigate the connection between art, the fashion industry and Black creativity and style. Thus, the pair’s concept of an art show to memorialize and celebrate Black style and identity was born. “[Fashion] is another creative industry where Black people have shown some sort of resiliency to prove their worth and push for...
Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews •

Escape Into The Infinity Club: BAMBII Interviewed | Features | Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews

“I don’t want you to film, I want you to dance.” This simple missive, said by BAMBII at the helm of the DJ booth during the Toronto edition of her ‘INFINITY CLUB II’ EP listening party, summarizes a key part of her ethos: staying present in an industry ruled by algorithms and at parties ruled by phone surveillance. Last month, the city showed up and showed out  – on a school night no less – to support the Toronto-raised Jamaican DJ and artist, with a lucky few being escorted to the party in a wh...
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...
Departure Festival Treasured Toronto's Princess an •

Departure Festival Treasured Toronto's Princess and Uncovered More Canadian Crown Jewels │ Exclaim!

When I heard that SadBoi, Toronto's official dancehall princess, was going to be playing at Departure Festival, I knew I had to be there. I headed over to the ever-chic Drake Underground on Thursday night (May 8), where SadBoi's entourage — or at least the people who looked like they'd be in her entourage, teeming with leather, spikes and effortless cool — had seemingly already descended upon the venue.As the crowd trickled in, Litney took the stage to begin her opening DJ set. We may have been...
RANGE •

Naomi Sharon Has Found Her Flow

Her debut album, Obsidian, released in October 2023 and was met with immense praise from critics and audiences alike, lauded for its cinematic blend of R&B and alternative genres. Fresh off a tour opening for Tems, Naomi Sharon is back with something a little different on her new EP, The Only Love We Know. 
“For Obsidian, it was more about getting over heartbreak and finding yourself again…with the new music, it’s a little lighter almost. [It] has the energy of moving forward,” says Sharon of th...
Toronto's Departure Festival Isn't Your Dad's Cana •

Toronto's Departure Festival Isn't Your Dad's Canadian Music Week │ Exclaim!

"It's definitely fancier," said a fellow festivalgoer when I asked about the difference between the old Canadian Music Week and its new, revamped model, Departure Festival + Conference. While I didn't personally attend CMW in yesteryears, previous promotions don't seem to come close to what's been invested in this new festival. Comedy, music and film programming, plus a conference with guests like Matty Matheson and Jessie Reyez? They don't actually perform, but still.To its credit, the performi...

Deeds Magazine - Rema Brought The HEIS Rave to the 6ix

Once I heard Rema was going touch down in Toronto for the HEIS Tour, I knew I had to be there. May 11th couldn’t come fast enough and clearly the other fans agreed. Last Sunday, Scotiabank Arena was filled with baddies clad in leather and burgundy. This must be why the streets have been calling this tour the “African Fine Sh*t convention”. Rema has had a banner year taking the world by storm with his dynamic yet original take on Afrobeats in new album, HEIS. The tour of the same name has also ma...
RANGE •

Laufey Turns the Page on A Matter of Time

In classic fairytale fashion, Laufey’s third album A Matter of Time dances between dizzying highs and unceremonious falls. Blending whimsical classical flourishes with pop-leaning guitar ballads, she captures the push and pull of gut-wrenching love and defiant heartbreak while crystallizing key moments of her personal journey.
Amid bashful love songs, Laufey finds her voice in deeper territory, unpacking the struggles of fame, best-friend breakups, and homesickness. Elsewhere, she leans into mor...
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Ozioma Nwabuikwu

Photo by 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.

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