Moving to UK made me more African – Singer Ossy Brown

Ossy Brown is a Nigerian-born award-winning Rnb/Pop sensation, prolific singer/songwriter, recording artist, and performer extraordinaire currently based in the United Kingdom. His success has come in waves over the past decade with several hits such as OMG, Love 2x, and Osamudiamhen, proving his prowess in delivering gems as an independent artist.

After treating fans to a delightful experience with his ‘LED’ album recording and concert, Brown moved to the UK in 2021.

Speaking to Guardian Life, he talks about relocation, life in London, music, and what’s next.

Why did you move to the UK?
I moved to the UK in the midst of the Pandemic with the intention to spend time studying and learning new things in line with my goal of becoming a global brand. I have done quite well for myself in Nigeria to the rest of Africa and I felt it was time to take the globe at large so I moved.

In comparison to Nigeria, How has it been living in London?
Life in the UK is a lot different from Nigeria however London specifically is a multicultural settlement so you could easily find your national community and identify with them. For me, I didn’t travel several seas to come and attend my village meeting Laughs, hence, even while I identify with Nigerians, I am more interested in meeting people of other cultures especially those of the indigenes of the land (The English & British). This also includes learning how, why, and when certain things are done or said as well as trying a variety of meals.

How has the music business been for you?
I hoped to have a seamless transition into the creative space which worked quite well as I released my album “LED” and hosted a successful virtual live concert “The LED Experience” in January 2022. Also, I must say, building a team was by far the toughest part for me here, especially because I had no friends or family in England prior to my relocation. It was building from the scratch again and the stress of going through this began to tell on me at some point coupled with the fact that I wasn’t performing live as much as I used to but it’s all good now.

Speaking of your album “LED” how has the reception been?
Overwhelming I must say. Music is indeed a universal language. “Osamudiamhen” a song written with my birth name and not predominantly sung in English has by far transcended my expectations in-terms-of reception. It is currently the most streamed song on the album and quite humbling to hear people (especially non-Africans) say things like “I don’t understand the language, but this song gives me goosebumps”. Other songs from the album are doing well in the charts and has won two international awards already(Maranatha & Rhema Awards).

How has life in the UK influenced your creativity?
A whole lot I must say and it will be very evident in my forthcoming projects. After deciding to make the UK my new base it became paramount that I learnt about the people and their lifestyle in order to cut through with ease. I must importantly state that in the process of doing this, I haven’t lost myself or originality but rather living in England has made me more African than I ever was. While I learn about diverse cultures, I teach mine too and it’s a beautiful exchange with music being a perfect tool.

What’s next? What are your fans to expect from you?
The best version of Ossy Brown! The past two years has been so eventful and defining. I enjoyed the peace of not being in the “spotlight” per se: no paparazzi chuckles, which has allowed me to hence focus on making new music while exploring new horizons in other aspects of life. However, the holidays are over and it’s just about time for some new projects. I love to tell stories with my music and that makes me more of an album type of artiste so y’all know what to expect: I might be releasing two new albums, but let’s keep our fingers crossed.