In 2018, Oxlade was on the brink of giving up on his dreams of being a musician. He had dropped out of school a couple of years into his studies in order to chase the unlikely. When success in music was starting to seem like a far-fetched reverie, then came “Mami Wota” (a song by Nigerian rapper and singer Blaqbonez which featured Oxlade).
From the moment he uttered his first word on that song, it was clear the Nigerian music industry had something special in its midst.
The attention he got reinvigorated him and reignited his belief. His journey, which seemed to be fueled by a pipe dream, has culminated in “Ku Lo Sa”.
Anybody who is a fan of Afrobeats across the world has definitely come across Ku Lo Sa’s buttery melodies. Oxlade’s performance of the song on the Colours show has generated almost 40 million stream on Spotify and almost 20 million views on YouTube.
Positive reviews have been pouring in from listeners and critics alike. The adulations soon extended into bookings to perform at different venues across the world (including being invited on stage by Wizkid recently in France).
It’s been quite a journey for one of Nigerian’s hottest exports in 2022.
Ikuforiji Olaitan Abdulrahman (who we have come to know as Oxlade) was born on 22 April 1997 in Surulere, a residential area of Lagos. After the passing of his mother at a tender age, he was raised by his father and grandmother. His father was a lecturer at Lagos State University, where Oxlade gained admission to study History and International Relations.
He enrolled and spent two years before dropping out to pursue his musical career.
In 2018, he was approached by A&R executive Bizzle Osikoya, right after the release of the aforementioned “Mami Wota”. After his meeting with Bizzle, he signed a management deal with The Plug. Thereafter he signed a publishing, licensing and distribution deal with The Plug Entertainment and a record deal with Troniq Music.
On 27 December 2018, Davido performed with Oxlade at the City of David concert in Lagos, and he opened for Wizkid in London at Star Boy Fest in 2019.
When Oxlade’s song “Away” was adjudged to be one of the best songs of 2020 by the globally renowned Rolling Stone magazine, it was clear that his career was on an upward trajectory that would take him to heights up and beyond.
Those who have been tracking his progress shouldn’t be surprised by his recent explosion. With 2022 drifting to a close, don’t be surprised to see Oxlade headlining major events around the world during the holiday period.
“Ku Lo Sa” is proof that all it takes is one song to transform your fortunes in the blink of an eye and turn you into a global sensation.
