Music
Take a trip with Delly Black as he shares his musical Journey, aspirations and New single set to take the industry by storm.
After years of being the undisputed torchbearers of the foremost music genre from Africa, Nigeria’s very own “Afrobeats”, perhaps even as they are clinging to glory, it is time the likes of Davido and Wizkid give way to a newer generation of musicians, such as the new school afro-fusion act, Delly Black. Afrobeats as a genre has experienced tremendous growth in the last decade, with its sound mesmerizing the world and bringing attention to our industry and sound. That sound is now refining itself, even as more artists dare to try for a more diverse fusion of sounds, rhythms, and wider audiences with the likes of Burna Boy, Rema, Omah Lay, and others. With the stage perfectly set, it feels like now, rather than sooner, is Delly Black’s time, even as he steps into big shoes filled with afrobeats top dogs.
“Music has always been with me. It is not something I’m afraid of experimenting with,” he says.
From the eastern part of Nigeria but raised in Lagos, Delly Black has experienced the classic multi-Nigerian cultural story interfused with British heritage, having spent several years schooling in Bournemouth and now living in London, a cosmopolitan city.
La Familia
The Igbos are a unique tribe in Nigeria. Famed for their entrepreneurial, hustling, and never-giving-up attitude, that is not the only thing about them that catches the eye. Ever heard of the “Ogene Sound?”That’s classic Igbo music. It is one that Kcee, Flavour, and other current leading Igbo-originated artistes have infused into their music, and in recent times, the “Oja,” another Igbo music instrument, has been blended with Afrobeats in an afro-fusioned, igbonized versi
Oliver De Coque, Osita Osadebe, Onyeka Onwenu, Sir Victor Nwaifo… these are just a few of the great Eastern musicians whose sounds, cultural symbolism, and style, formed the encore of Delly Black’s music impression.
La Familia unlocked a world for Delly Black. Hailing from a family with historically proud musical roots and from a tribe with music embedded into the very fabric of their culture, it was a love that was unending. He simply knew he had to do music. While his afro-fused, afrobeat harmonization marks him as a fluid artiste, his music still retains the traditional Afro-pop instrumentation.
Lagos
For many Nigerian artists, Lagos is their dream. If you break into Lagos, you’re just a step away from reaching the crème de la crème of Africa’s biggest music industry. Even for those born in Lagos, it is sometimes hard to break in. However, what the culture does for them is best captured in the spirit of resilience, the story of striving and breakthrough, which is a common characteristic of Afrobeat. It is this Lagos upbringing that has remained a solid backdrop for Delly Black’s artistic expressions, even as he fuses other cultures and experiments with other sounds. Still, he insists that he is never far from his roots.
“Lagos is my home. It is not just a place, but a spirit. Everywhere I have been, I always take pride in the fact that I am a Lagos boy. There is that part of you that knows Eko is afrobeats. Even as my present environment inspires me a lot, I keep getting inspiration by drawing from my experience in Lagos.”
A New Sound
The track that has set Delly Black on a new trajectory is his latest single “BELA”. A post-graduation project he embarked on. It is not the first female praising rendition by an African artiste, but its uniqueness rings in Delly’s delivery. The choice of sub-bass guitar, acoustic violin, synths,, and kicks laced with sonorous singing, provides him with a recipe for afro-fusion’s undefined next era.
“Basically, I wanted to try something different. I constantly try to evolve my music, even though I primarily do Afrobeats. And that is why I like to explore. I believe I am on a journey that is just beginning, and I do not have to restrict myself to just a pattern, even if it might have worked for others. Whenever I want to make music, I draw inspiration from diverse cultures and experiences. It is all part of the creative process. ”
The Next Step
“For me, the journey has just begun. I have created some memories thus far, but I feel there is much more for me to learn and experience, and of course, I’m just at the beginning of my career so I’m all prepped up,” he says, his eyes dreaming as if to look deep into the future.
As other new school acts continue to push the boundaries of competition in an ever-competitive industry, Delly Black is not listening to the noise around him. His goal, for him, surpasses what targets others might have. His taking his steps one after the other, even while others appear to be running away, is also powered by this belief—this guttural instinct that his time will come and his music will find the people he makes them for. ”
Ultimately, music just like other forms of art, is a chance for him to tell his story. To express himself. Unlike the professional world, here he can be himself. Express himself in whatever form and find joy. It is the world of Afro-Beats.
“I just want to be happy, express myself and do music. I know without music I’d still be able to make something out for myself. Either through fashion, or somewhere in the business world. But this, what i’m doing now, has always been the dream and i want to live it while putting smile in people’s faces”
