When Judah was in the 4th grade, he fell in love with music after attending a jazz band concert. He saw how horns came in and the percussion section picked up the rhythm, it was the first time he ever connected with music and the rest is history.

Born Oluwagbemiga Judah, the gifted artist, who moved to the United States at a tender age, learned to play the saxophone in order to join the jazz band. He ignites a fire on the stage whenever he performs and has been seen in concert live in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, Harlem etc.

Judah has continued to form an enticing soundscape for Afrobeats fans across the world and rapidly built his own fan base. In this interview, he spoke about his beginning, major projects as well as his creative process.

What is your main inspiration?
When I was in the 4th grade, I went to a Jazz Band concert and the second the horns came in and the percussion section picked up the rhythm, I fell in love with music. I knew from that moment I would one day learn the saxophone and that music would be a big part of my life. I didn’t actually start creating my own music and recording my own vocals until I was in high school, but that experience was the first time I ever connected with music and fell in love.

My main musical inspiration is Michael Jackson. If we speak of what it means to be a complete, full musician and an amazing human being, Michael Jackson is that person. He’s my inspiration because his life literally belonged to music, and though it was tragic, it inspires me to see somebody with such arduous love for his craft, his fans, and his ability to alleviate the stress and problems of others with his talent. Michael Jackson will forever be one of one.

Describe your creative process when you write new music
My style of music is unique, it’s a blend between Afrobeats, Afropop, and hip hop. In most of my songs, I incorporate more than one genre and, in most cases, more than one accent. For example, I’ll sing a pop rap style hook and then layer the verses with a rough Nigerian Afrotrap cadence. It sounds a bit confusing but everything new is confusing at first, I feel like it’s a new style of making music, blending accents and genres in one record.

When writing new music, I tend to catch a burst of inspiration, and that can come from a multitude of things. I like to listen to the instrumental alone in a dark room and then let my mind go to work. If nothing comes out naturally at the moment, I just continue to go about my day. In my most recent release, “Can’t Let You Go” I wrote my verse while I was finishing a workout. I literally stopped mid-workout, caught the inspiration, wrote the verse in 10-15 minutes, and went back to working out.

What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years?
In the next 5 to 10 years, I would love to have critically acclaimed awards and achievements, multi-platinum albums and singles, and different tours and shows worldwide. Aside from music, I also have many philanthropic ideas and projects that I would love to embark on once I have a bigger platform and more resources.

Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I enjoy meditation, reading, watching historical documentaries, and a healthy debate over popular topics or a Socratic discussion in a room of intellectuals. I love to always expand my mind and learn something new, so most of my interests and hobbies are centred around that.

How do you balance between music and other obligations like work, family?
Over my career, I’ve had to learn how to implement an effective balance and not sway too much to either side, whether it’s my music or personal life. Additionally, I also have other financial in business ventures outside of music. So it was tough, especially last year when my career started to rise, learning how to balance everything together. I can’t give an effective answer on how I balance everything because it’s an ever-changing process. I am daily learning how to better balance my personal life with my professional life with my financial aspirations.

What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
One thing that I realized is unique to me and very few people is my ability to physically see music. It almost sounds crazy when I explain it, but whenever I hear instrumental or raw instruments playing together it’s like I can almost see the waves that vibrate from each instrument depending on the pitch, tone, and speed of the rhythm. I’m a music nerd as well, and I studied music theory, so I’m well versed in the technical facets of being a musician.

Which instrument is your favourite to play and why?
My saxophone is and will always be my favourite instrument to play, and really my favourite form of musical expression. I don’t know how to quantify it with words, but all I can say is that most times when I play the saxophone, I am able to release a feeling that I can’t poetically describe. When words fail me, there’s a certain undertone and deep whine in the alto sax that speaks for me.

Should we be expecting a new song soon?
You should be expecting an album soon! I know I have some fans that are upset with me because they’ve been waiting patiently for my album for the last year, but it will be well worth the wait, as every piece of this album has been put together correctly and with caution. But while it is in its final stages of production, you can be expecting a new music video in the month of February!

Meanwhile, you can check out his latest song “Can’t let you go” on YouTube and other streaming platforms.