Born in London, England, To Nigerian parents, OLA (full name Olatunji Olugbenga Omotayo Olanrewaju Adetokunbo Abdul Majeed Onabule) spent his formative years in Nigeria( 7-17). A highly artistic and creative individual he always knew he would be a performer of some kind, but seeing the legendary James Brown in Concert in the mid seventies removed all doubt in his mind that he would be a singer. His first band, The Diplomats, formed in his mid teens, was seriously influenced by the JBs and many other seminal funk and soul bands of the Seventies.
OLA returned to Britain in the late seventies, required to pursue a public school and then university education that would ultimately lead to a degree in Law, However it was not the Bar that had the strongest hold on Ola's attention but the Jazz bars and Music Venues of London. In his Final year, he dropped out of Law school, enrolled himself at art college and joined every band on campus, from Jazz to rock, funk to folk and beyond! He taught himself guitar and started writing songs which he solo performed at gigs in around London. Soon he was collaborating with other musicians on the circuit and in the early nineties demos of his songwriting efforts came to the attention of Elektra (US) boss Bob Krasnow who signed him to the British wing of the company. Frustratingly the deal ended a year later. OLA spent a few years dodging a host of fairly dodgy deals, surviving in the session wilderness by supplying backing vocals for the likes of George Michael, KD Lang, Simply Red and Michael Ball, singing many a well known Ad jingle and voicing documentaries and TV links (something he still does a fair bit of!)... until he had the bright idea of setting up his own label to develop and release his own material. And he called it Rugged Ram Records (so named, by friends, after his irrepressably, and some would say, characteristically stubborn Aries determination to do whatever he set his mind to!).
OLA released his first single "You'd Better Believe" in the summer of '94 to critical acclaim soon followed by strong radio support. playlisted on Jazz FM, Kiss FM, choice FM and many other specialist radio stations as well as a 'new artists' Playlisting on BBC radio 1. The track was licensed to several compilations and synchroniseed to a number of films (Tres Pas Catholique, Spin) and TV programs (The Bill and East Enders). OLA seized the moment to release his first album "More Soul Than Sense" to an equally positive response. OLA's recording career has since spawned three other well received albums. "From Meaning Beyond Definition" (1997), "Precious Libations for Silent Gods" (1999), Ambitions For Deeper Breadth (2002) and the brand new album for 2004 "In Emergency Brake Silence" due a September 2004 release...WATCH THIS SPACE!!!.
OLA has painstakingly built himself a reputation in Britain. His music has been licensed for inclusion on several compilation albums in several countries. He has opened for and guested with artistes such as Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight, Diane Reeves, Al Jareau, Patti LaBelle Tower of Power, Joe Zawinul and Roy Hargrove. He has collaborated with others such as Courtney Pine, celebrated black theatre - Nitro and world event organisers Serious. In 2003 he was commissed to write an aria for the Royal Opera House which was performed by opera rising star, the tenor Hugh Francis in the Linbury Studio of the ROH As an independent artist it is rare indeed to receive a full equipment sponsorship, but OLA has been very fortunate to receive a massive amount of support from Shure Microphones for the recording of his fourth and fifth album. His 100 or more live performances a year are second to none. His four octave ranged voice is described by The Voice magazine as "achingly beautiful and passionate in it's every expression" and "a lived in, soul drenched, well mastered instrument". by Blues and Soul Magazine. Versatile enough to be turned into a fully fledged funk tool that can have an audience up on it's feet and grooving in no time at all. His songwriting is rich in melody, set to complex yet infectious rhythms tinged with the influence of his African roots. His lyrics are incisive and true without contrivance or self-consciousness yet they tackle subject matter as diverse as socio-political commentary to lovelorn heartbreak as skilfully as the best in the genre. His stage craft reveals effortless charisma and sex appeal. His band regularly features some of the finest musicians in the country.
It is no wonder then that many in the music press and his many loyal fans around the country and beyond feel that with OLA they are in on what is possibly the best kept secret in British Music!
Maria Avgoulis 2004 |
