Spotlight: Obai

I had the pleasure of attending Obai’s press conference with 1824s last week to discuss the release of his debut EP svnteen. The new release follows his singles ‘Missed Call’, ‘Girls Like You’, ‘The River’ and ‘Dancefloor’. His music could best be described as an uplifting and inspiring mix of classic RnB with a heavy Sudanese influence. As the up and coming singer himself says, he sees it as a privilege and mission to bring his culture closer to his audience. He describes his music as intimate storytelling full of pride for his heritage. The EP is Obai’s way of holding up a beacon for everyone in his generation – a symbol that everything is possible if you only believe in it. 

Set on being Gen Z’s next big star, he takes his inspiration from artists like Frank Ocean and Bryson Tiller. Obai’s talent for crafting catchy tunes goes all the way back to his childhood in Phoenix, Arizona. His siblings introduced him to R&B and pop from the likes of the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, whereas his parents introduced him to classic Sudanese music. To this day he draws ideas from those dynamic melodies and incorporates them into his own sound. At age 13, he started writing and recording his own music. Back then he would reach out to various blogs and music publications to network and get his songs out there. 

Thanks to social media, he has now been signed to Geffen Records for a year and is ready to take the scene by storm. His musical knowledge and songwriting skills have greatly improved over the years, and his album svnteen takes the listener on a journey through all the hard work and dedication it took to get there. For Obai, the thriving Arizona music scene isn’t about competition, it’s a melting pot full of inspiration and support –  a community of like-minded individuals that’s ready to explore. As the artist’s star status arises, he emphasizes that his family keeps him grounded and his best friend, who is also his art director, travels everywhere with him. His passion for music and drive to make it are palpable in the way he talks. His goal is to build a legacy through his music and have his culture connect with fans – even if that means playing in hotel lobbies (as he jokingly remarked.)

The 18 year old’s single ‘The River’ was recently included in Season 19 of Grey’s Anatomy, he’s also been featured on CBS’ morning show and the number of streams on the video for his most recent single ‘Dancefloor’ are skyrocketing into the hundreds of thousands. Now is definitely the perfect time for him to release his debut album. Obai’s itching to release more and more material throughout the year and let his audience be a part of his world.

Being signed truly was only the beginning for him. His first live gig of the year will be on the 24th of February with a lot more to come.