Nonso Amadi announces long-awaited debut album When It Blooms, a comprehensive body of work, celebrating years of evolution through experience both as an artist and an individual.
Amadi tells us, “I want people to listen to this project and know who I am and what I’ve gone through. When It Blooms embodies my creative and personal growth, reflecting on my journey up until this point. I feel this message is best represented in the growth from seeds to a flower, uncoiling naturally for you.”
The album is home to four previously released tracks, and new single “Lock Up”. The track is a mastered and crafted Afro-pop track, rich with upbeat bops and dance-enciting beats – one to play all summer long.
Amadi digs deeper into the meaning behind the song, “the actual theme of the song is way edgier than most of my other songs as well. Lock up in Nigerian slang translates to Shut up, so this is me acting strong telling a girl that I like her and willing to tell off anyone who might get in the way of a relationship.”
Through the soul and rhythm of African music with contemporary soft textures of R&B, Amadi is deeply talented within his artistry and possesses a sound unlike any other artist in his field. Combining his love for modern day R&B and North America and Africa, Nonso’s music is powered by borderless infusions and intention.
Watch the video for “Kilimanjaro”
Read our exclusive interview with Nonso Amadi…
Who and what inspires you to create?
My inspiration comes from my sheer desire to express myself, to connect with my fans who are in tune with me and the music. I feel that being able to communicate myself through is a super power sometimes and that in itself is exciting enough to bring me into the studio recording music.
What are your musical origins?
I remember a friend bringing his laptop to school one day and asking me to record on software he downloaded called “Audacity”. He had a couple of beats he wanted to select from and that day I recorded my first song. It was amazing to see. All my classmates were amazing at how precise and smooth my cadence, flow, and melodies were. Unbeknownst to them, I had had some practice with my brothers at home doing freestyles and song battles in order to pass time when we were bored.
From discovering a passion, how did you begin to shape the sound that you now call your own?
I started listening to music through my elder sisters at a young age. They would often play R&B music for me. Alicia Keys, Brandy, Usher, Craig David were some of the usual suspects. Mixing that with music I heard elsewhere in the streets of Lagos in the early 2000s, ended up forming my musical identity today. Music from Paul Play, style Plus, 2face, Eldee to name a few
How would you define that sound?
I would say it is Afro-RnB music.
How has your approach changed and progressed over the years of recording and releasing?
My approach to recording music has always been about hitting the notes in the most sincere and vulnerable way I could. I love deliveries that sound delicate such that if you weren’t singing per se and you said it out in that tone of voice it would “melt hearts”. However, the main area I have focused on developing over the years has been the subject matter. I felt most of my songs from my early days of music making were about love and heartbreak. These days I aim to sing more about real life experiences and other relatable topics. I often choose whichever one the team and I favor the most as the top contender for releasing.
What’s your opinion of the Canadian scene?
The Canadian music industry in itself is a huge market for a lot of global acts including myself. However, there is still enough room for growth in particular scenes such as the Afrobeats movement in Canada. I believe with time and more representation it will be hard to overlook the market over there.
What artists should we be listening to from there?
To name a few I personally have been a fan of, there’s Zenesoul, Azanti, Tome, Basi Azul
We love When It Blooms! Talk us through the writing process of the new album?
Thank you!, When it Blooms was written and rewritten over a stretch of two years. I wrote this album with the intention to tell a story. It is my most collaborative work to date. The process was simple, I start the ideas because of how picky I get with my music. So we get it to a place where I like already no matter how rough it sounds and then the other collaborators and I start tweaking till we are satisfied with where it is at.
We love your choice of features on the record – talk us through why you picked these specific artists?
Thank you again, the artist on this project just made sense when listening to the songs. With a song like ‘Lock up’ we knew it was pop and Zino was gonna do Justice to it. The same happened with BEAM, Tay, Tamera, and Majid Jordan. We had the songs ready before reaching out to each artist and then locking in to create with them. I’m super grateful that they all came through in the way they did.
What are the themes and concepts that you touch on across the project?
When It Blooms is a story of growth. It compares my journey with that of a plant. The seed stage which is the start of the album and the start of my musical career speaks to a naive, shy, and insecure Nonso. Towards the end of the album, the flower/plant has fully bloomed and is beautiful to look at which is compared to me being more open, mature, and thankful for life.
What are you trying to convey to listeners with the album?
When It Blooms is a story of growth. It compares my journey with that of a plant. The seed stage which is the start of the album and the start of my musical career speaks to a naive, shy, and insecure Nonso. Towards the end of the album, the flower/plant has fully bloomed and is beautiful to look at which is compared to me being more open, mature, and thankful for life.
Where do you want to take your artistry?
I want to always remain an experimental artist. I love having a hint of unpredictability in my music. I think I will forever keep exploring and seeing how I can infuse different sounds with my existing ones.
Why do you make music?
I make music to be able to give back. That is my ‘why’ at the moment. I have learned that I am passionate about kids’ education so we’ve created a foundation called the Hills Foundation. We hope to use this as a platform to give back and sponsor as many children as we can even way past my lifetime.
Listen to “When It Blooms” now…