Nigerian-American Afrobeats artist Echezona paid tribute to legendary Highlife musician Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe by including the lyrics from Osadebe’s classic “Osondi Owendi” on his new song “Rare”
The phrase which translates to “live and let live” in Igbo, is from Osadebe’s 1984 single of the same name.
Born to Igbo parents in the Boston, Massacheuts Echezona takes pride in his Igbo heritage infusing the culture and the language which he speaks fluently into his music.
“Rare” is one of the tracks on his latest album Enyi a collaboration with producer JPrism
Enyi means friend in Igbo language and Echezona’s artistry reflects his multicultural exposures.
On the inspiration behind current focus single and video Rare, Echezona explains: “Rare is honest. No mask. Sharing something real.
“The visuals for the “Rare” video are not about flashy effects or over-the-top stunts.
“It’s about opening up with candid self-reflections felt by many, and connecting through emotional truths. “
Produced by frequent collaborator, JPRiZM, the album delves into the core of the human experience, touching on themes of love, community, and self-discovery.
The word “enyi” means “friend” in the Igbo language of Nigeria. The Nigerian-American Echezona (Onwuama) is a multi-lingual singer, rapper, and songwriter who grew up in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.
Raised by Nigerian immigrant parents, Echezona is a Son of Africa and a Son of America. His artistry reflects his multicultural exposures and is a fusion of afrofusion, R&B, soul, hip hop, and afrobeat. Fluent in lgbo (the native language of his parents), Echezona is a living embodiment of a blend of cultural influences. When growing up, Nigerian music played in his home while hip hop was his influence in the inner-city streets.
Echezona explains: “These 9 records come straight from the heart. They were written to feel like a friend sitting next to you, sharing stories of raw honesty and openness. Through these songs, we wanted to celebrate the strength and beauty of the everywoman, embrace the richness of African culture, and spark a sense of togetherness.
Echezona further explains the meaning behind “Flaws” as an example. “Flaws” is a testament to overcoming defeats and failures and accepting that no one can expect perfection, even oneself. Personally, I remember feeling horrible after flunking a driving test one day but after I got over the disappointment, I tried again and passed. That experience inspired me to write “Flaws”. We all have been there with something; all have had to face a shortcoming or some adversity. When we’re going through something like that, it can be tough. But eventually we need to uplift ourselves, and at times we all need to be uplifted by another. I just want to see everyone win at whatever they’re pursuing.”
Producer/collaborator JPRiZM elaborates about Ényì: “At their core, these records carry themes of love, community, and making a difference in each other’s lives. It’s about communicating with and feeling for one another. Ényì speaks to the joys and the challenges we face in life. Several years in the making, we’ve been creating and storing many songs in the vault. We just felt it was the right time now to release to the world what we’ve been creating. We’re pleased with the spectrum of music and storytelling that this album represents. There’s music to be enjoyed by everyone.”
Boston-based Afrobeats artist, Echezona is teaming up with producer and frequent collaborator, JPRiZM, on new single “Make Up Your Mind”
The soulful track that delves into the complexities of decision-making in relationships.
Inspired by personal experiences, Echezona’s heartfelt lyrics explore the tension between emotional vulnerability and self-preservation.
With a melodic blend of English and Igbo language, which Echezona describes as a melodic language, the song’s soothing tones and catchy hook make it a standout addition to the duo’s musical repertoire, promising a memorable listening experience for fans of diverse genres.
Echezona who recently opened for Oxlade, describes the chemistry between the two of them as “phenomenal”
“We might start a song either with the music or with the lyrics.
JPRiZM might play some music for Echezona or Echezona may come into the studio with a lyrical idea and melody.”
Their collaboration began in Boston, where they first crossed paths during a project for the ‘Boston Rise’ initiative.
Over the years, Echezona’s versatile artistry has blossomed under JPRiZM’s guidance, blending afrobeat, hip hop, SOUL, and R&B influences into a unique sound that resonates with audiences.
“We’ve known each other for about seven years. We first met in Boston Massachusetts where we both live,” Echezona recalls.
“We first worked together on a project led by JPRiZM and his partner for a Boston youth initiative called ‘Boston Rise’ that was grant funded by a program called Live Arts Boston.”
At the time they met in 2018, Echezona was almost exclusively a rapper. Working with JPRiZM helped tap into Echezona’s singing ability and in producing Echezona. JPRIZM worked with Echezona in developing a unique blend of afrobeat, hip hop infused with SOUL R&B.
“Don’t get me wrong, Echezona loves to flex as a rapper & has the bars to do so, which he shows off every now and then,” JPRiZM explains.
“But primarily, he’s focused now on singing and songwriting to tell his story. We’ve got tons in the vault to share”
JPRiZM notes that while he loves to listen to classics by Sade and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, their music is not not influenced by any particular artist or song.
“We write music which we truly feel is unique. We don’t start a song with a preconceived notion of the endgame. We’re focused on making that song the best it can be as a unique creation. We’re evolving the music as we journey into the song. We both are music heads and music lovers. I had been listening to some Sade for to relax and to catch vibes as well as Fela Kuti but I can’t say that those are the absolute specific artists this record is inspired by, our music is a collective of all our musical influences over our lifetimes up to this point whether that is afrobeat, SOUL, R&B, jazz, pop, edm, and great storytelling.”
“This particular song, though, is influenced by a woman who had been disinterested in me and was no longer around,” Echezona explains.
“Then she came back around and wanted to come back into my life suddenly. While I still had feelings for her, I needed some time to get re-familiarize and re-adjusted to the idea of her being part of my life again.”
“So, I asked her if we could take things slow. She was in a hurry and wanted me to make up my mind quickly. That’s what inspired the song, her saying ‘make up your mind.”
Echezona had a lot to look forward to as he will be performing extensively at various colleges in the Boston area and on the west coast such as University of Southern California.
