Wunmi – The Afrofunk Queen returns with a bang

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Wunmi on stage with Tosin on the drums and an Orchestra in New York – Eyes of a Lagos Boy

In recent years Ibiwunmi Omotayo Olaiya popularly known as Wunmi has wowed audiences from Aukland to Zanzibar, Sao Paolo to Detroit, New York to Lagos with her stagecraft, costumes, powerful singing and amazing dance moves. She delivers challenging and empowering lyrics with total conviction, woven into an innovative soundscape.

Wunmi is currently set to release her long awaited sophomore album titled See Me. Recorded in Ghana, the sound draws from many sources: Afrobeat, house, funk, high life, drum & bass, soul and is crafted by the finest musicians. Wunmi wrote the album with co-producers/composers, Kwame Yeboah and Jeremy Mage.

The Afro-Funk star, born in London, raised between Lagos and the UK, now living in New York stayed longer than usual in Lagos this year due to COVID-19 and said, “it has turned out to be a blessing.” Wunmi closed the Eko Theatre Carnival last August in a psychedelic, energetic show that made the Lagos crowd in Bariga scream and beg for more. She revealed to eyesofalagosboy.com, “I have always dreamt to return home to Lagos. This year has been a dream come true, collaborating with Segun Adefila and his troupe (Crown Troupe of Africa) remains priceless.”

Wunmi’s early recordings were realized as a featured artist on the tracks of house music producers Masters at Work, Pasta Boys, Osunlade and Bugz in the Attic —through her reworks of Fela Kuti tracks ‘Expensive Sh*t’ and ‘Zombie’.

Since her debut album ALA (African Living Abroad) in 2006, she has been touring and participating in festivals, live shows around the world working with numerous artists in the process, including six-time Grammy winner Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Roy Ayers, King Sunny Ade and Kesiah Jones.
In 2015, Wunmi released the singles ‘Emergency’ and ‘Dont Look Away’ featuring the legendary Roy Ayers on vibraphone and vocals. Wunmi’s 2016 collaboration with South Africa’s House music duo Black Motion titled ‘Omo Dudu’ was the lead single off their platinum album.
Wunmi is also a gifted dancer, she toured with WOMAD in UK and Japan as a solo dancer and travelled around the world as Ornette Coleman’s dancer/muse. Back in 1989, Wunmi was the dancing silhouette in the video of global hit ‘Back to Life’ by Soul II Soul. In 2020, Wunmi opened and featured in Beyoncé’s multiple award winning project Brown Skin Girl music video, fresh and relevant as ever.
Added to being a dancer – musician, Wunmi is a costume designer of repute. In New York, she partnered with RK Brown, Marlies Yearby, Alvin Ailey, Debbie Allen and others. She designs and makes her own stage costumes, her Wow Wow fashion line is produced in partnership with artisans in Nigeria and Togo.
Enjoy ‘Fit Body’ off Wunmi’s upcoming Album See Me.

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