MUSICIANS TO KNOW: OGI
OGI
Born just outside of Chicago and raised in Wisconsin, Ogi is an LA-based Nigerian-American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Initially aspiring to be a lawyer, Ogi took a leap of faith to pursue her creative passion for music after an endorsement from GRAMMY® Award-winning producer No I.D. who discovered one of her covers on social media. Ogi’s music is raw, honest, and effortless as her smooth vocals glide on every track. Her debut EP Monologues has garnered 8.8M+ global streams to date and she has opened for Snoh Alegra, Mahalia, and Paramore on tour just this year alone.
SHEER: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
OGI: I’m Nigerian-American, born outside of Chicago and raised in Wisconsin. I’m the second born of four kids, and I don’t have a favorite color.
SHEER: How did your cultural/family upbringing in Wisconsin influence you creatively, if at all?
OGI: I think it really allowed me to be comfortable on an island, for better or for worse. Being in Wisconsin, especially in middle school onward, made me feel like the alien that people accepted. And because of that, I would end up doing a lot of my exploration at home because that’s where I felt safe rather than through experiences with my friends. It was in the basement of my family home that I would look up videos of gospel musicians alone and mimic them over and over again. I would watch 106 and Park with my older sister and listen to music that none of my white friends heard of. The cold insulated me, and that’s when I started curating my influences.
SHEER: What would you say was the defining moment that led you on the path to becoming a full-time musician?
OGI: When No I.D. was like, “you can do this.” Like, this time last year I was supposed to have had my JD. I was a political science major in college when people from the music industry started hitting me up. Music was always a passion of mine and I always felt like I could do it for a living, but I felt like I needed to be “practical.” I needed that validation to make the jump.
SHEER: Your debut EP Monologues is such a smooth and sultry record that showcases your unique sound beautifully. When and how did you know the project felt right and was ready to be released?
OGI: When I felt like there was nothing else to add. A lot of these songs came from a cappella demos that I made in my room and I wanted to maintain the integrity of those demos, so that meant that we couldn’t go too crazy.
“Being in Wisconsin, especially in middle school onward, made me feel like the alien that people accepted. And because of that, I would end up doing a lot of my exploration at home because that’s where I felt safe rather than through experiences with my friends. It was in the basement of my family home that I would look up videos of gospel musicians alone and mimic them over and over again. I would watch 106 and Park with my older sister and listen to music that none of my white friends heard of. ”
SHEER: How do you approach blending genres so effortlessly and what advice would you give aspiring musicians who don't fit into any specific box or genre?
OGI: Really think about the thing you like about a few genres and see how they work together. It’ll definitely take some trial and error, but soon enough you’ll be able to make the mixture smooth.
SHEER: You performed at the BET Awards this summer and recently toured with Mahalia and have a tour with Paramore this fall. What excites you the most about performing and what do you most look forward to about going on tour?
OGI: It’s the surprise of what the crowd is going to be like. I feel like performance is a conversation with a collective person that can only speak in yays or nays, but somehow it still has a personality. I think it’s fun to engage them, though, whoever they are. I’m also in an interesting position because the vast majority do not know who I am most of the time. My goal is to make them never forget me by the end of the set.
“Music was always a passion of mine and I always felt like I could do it for a living, but I felt like I needed to be ‘practical.’”
SHEER: What part of your creative process brings you the most joy?
OGI: Realizing that two ideas fit perfectly together. It is SO exciting when an idea that you’re not sure about ends up being the thing that a song needed. Like, I start shouting, I become a neanderthal when that happens.
“ I feel like performance is a conversation with a collective person that can only speak in yays or nays, but somehow it still has a personality. I think it’s fun to engage them, though, whoever they are. I’m also in an interesting position because the vast majority do not know who I am most of the time. My goal is to make them never forget me by the end of the set.”
SHEER: How do you stay grounded as a musician?
OGI: My family and friends would NEVER allow me to get big for my britches. They’ve seen me in too many embarrassing moments to ever let that happen.
SHEER: What do you envision for the future of your music?
OGI: Exploration. I’m trying my best to not create expectations, but all I can say is that I’m going learn something new every single go.
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Photography by Dana White
Nada Esmaeel’s work is alive and vibrant, rich in detail and color. In addition to paintings, illustrations and animations, she has also designed 3D gaming environments where woven rugs hang from the walls and colored lanterns are strung across an intimate courtyard. But in each of these varied mediums, the subject is almost always Palestinian people and their culture.