With pulsating waves to open the track a top a mid-body beat, Nigerian-Canadian Ọlá‘s seductive tones bring us into the story with the self-aware lyrics, “I left harmony, to entertain your world.”
Ọlá has been pursuing music professionally since 2018 under different monikers (something they reference as their past lives) and has since chosen to reclaim his true name Ọláwálé, Ọlá for short.
Back To Harmony marks the reinvented artists debut creation, aside from a rare 2020 demo on Spotify. The ethereal and therapeutic song has fused elements of avant-pop and r&b.
Ọlá wrote, performed and produced his new single ‘Back To Harmony’ and the track was mixed and mastered by DOPE ROAD (Kaye Fox & Marvin Hollie), who have credits and experience working with Kanye West, J Cole, Nas, Chrisette Michelle, Big Sean, Post Malone, Swae Lee and more.
We love the layered harmonies and creative journey that Ọlá brings us on. The pulsing waves that vibrate throughout the song are really hypnotising and we look forward to more from the Nigerian-Canadian rising star.
Speaking on the track, Ọlá says, “the song carries the message of addressing the current inequalities in building generational care for one another and for the planet, but it’s also about my personal journey leading to the reclamation my name”.
“I had to grow up too fast, constantly expected to take care of everyone else first while socially rejected, so there was a lot of grief there,” says Ọlá. “My Blackness was trauma, and although there has been some pushback, ‘Back To Harmony’ is me choosing to be more than that and make myself a priority. I have become hyper-independent, which I am working on healing.”