Omawunmi is the confident, friendly, type; the life of the party that knows how to have a good time. It is evident from her calibre of friends - Naeto C and Dr. Frabz - in the building, her infectious laughter, idiomatic joke telling and constant imitation of my accent.
The insane collection of high-heeled shoes displayed in her bedroom and dangerously short dresses are another dead giveaway. All of this works in her favour; in an industry where female artists are jostling with the men for recognition and respect, she has positioned herself as the little sister and the inevitable next big thing.
The Songstress
She has been singing for as long as she can remember. With no formal musical training, she explains that she was not born with a good voice, yet worked and practised to get to where she is vocally. "I've been singing for as long as I can remember, in the bathroom and at church. It was an Anglican church but I'd still sing once in a while."
The rising star made her debut appearance on the reality show competition, Idols West Africa, and as the first runner-up she took a chance to try her luck in the music industry.
She left her job working at a Port Harcourt law firm and deferred her plans for admission into the Lagos Law School. As the 12th child of 14 children, Omawunmi originates from a close-knit family scattered around Warri, Abuja, the U.K and the U.S.
She explains that her mother is warming up to her new-found musical success, "She likes it but she just wants me to realise that I still have to go to law school, whether I like it or not."
Nigeria's Next Rated
Omawunmi was recognised by her peers at the 2009 Hip Hop World awards held in Abuja this year, and admits to having difficulties explaining the exhilaration she felt.
"Considering the fact that I am only two years in the industry, I felt really honoured, surprised and excited all together, I was just walking around talking to everyone, even the people who didn't want to talk to me, I was talking to them."
She took home two awards in the categories of Best Female Vocal Performance and Next Rated, the only category that comes with a car. Bits of her acceptance speech have been quoted in pop culture conversation and she is about to follow in the footsteps of the previous winners in her category.
"The category for next rated is an indication by your peers that you are the next best thing to come out of the industry. Asa won in 2006 and Wande Coal won 2008 so it means that there is a chance I will be the next thing to blow; it just makes it more scary."
Wonderwoman
The first single from her album has been warmly received by the public and she explains her album has a lot more to offer. "I grew up appreciating all genres of music. I can do just about anything and you will find that my album is quite eclectic. It has kwaito, techno, reggae, funk, neo-soul, high life, just about everything."
Omawunmi is an avid music lover with eclectic tastes and a soft spot for female crooners. "I listen to everything but I'm more about my old school music. To get to me as a new school artist, the music has to have an old school feel."
Her favourites range from Onyeka Onwenu to Zero 7, Brenda Fassie, Fela, PM Dawn, Christie Essien, India Arie, Maryam Makeba. "I think that their music is long lasting and timeless and I do not want to make music that people listen to for a while and then forget. I have to do something that, 10 years from now, they are in the club and, at least, still bobbing their heads."
Get In The Music
"The Nigerian music industry is becoming very flexible and there is good music out there." Nigerian musicians are innovative and continue to build upon the niche carved by their predecessors within the African music industry. Omawunmi's single "In the Music" has a South African flavour.
"The biggest issue we have really comes down to distribution and piracy." Omawunmi expounds this thought in Pidgin English, as so much can be lost in translation, "Make them see the work wey dem dey do. Make e no seem like dem dey do work for another person."
It can be challenging as a woman in any industry and Omawunmi has come a long way in the boys club of Nigerian musical phenoms. "The fact that I am a girl, I have to work twice as hard. I am a product of a reality show and people expect that you should be able to skyrocket from there but the thing is, you have to pay your dues. You have to work hard and if you don't, market go fall press you."
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