Oxlade

Ikuforiji Olaitan Abdulrahman, best known by his stage name, Oxlade, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter signed to multiple record labels. He rose to fame after releasing his hit track, Away, which appeared on the Rolling Stone 50 best songs of 2020 list.

How old is Oxlade?

The singer is currently 25 years old (as of 2022), having been born on 22 April 1997. Where is Oxlade the musician from? He was born and brought up in Surulere, a residential area of Lagos. He grew up under his father and grandmother’s care after losing his mum at a very young age. Oxlade’s dad was a lecturer at the Lagos State University, the same institution Oxlade later enrolled in.

What tribe is Oxlade?

The renowned singer is of Yoruba descent. The Yoruba ancestral homeland spreads across the southwestern parts of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. There are currently more than 35 million Yorubas.

Career While most of Oxlade’s fans probably know him for his secular songs, the renowned singer began his musical journey in church. He was a junior choir leader at his local church when he was about ten years old.

This puts him in the company of other celebrated Nigerian artists whose musical journey began in the church. These include Don Jazzy, Chidinma, and Wizkid. Years later, Oxlade transitioned from gospel to secular music, a move that was massively unpopular among his kin. His father and maternal uncles were overly critical of the decision to the point where they stopped providing any kind of support.

Oxlade then dropped out of Lagos State University to pursue his career. At the time he dropped out, he was enrolled in a History and International Relations degree program. The singer’s big break came when Blaqbonez offered to work with him after listening to one of his tracks.

The two worked together and released a track titled Mamiwota that became an instant hit. This marked a new page in Oxlade’s rise to prominence in the Nigerian and global music industry.

Oxlade’s Away track and Oxygene EP

The beautiful track was written and sung by Oxlade in 2020. It was part of his debut EP titled Oxygene. The EP (extended play) comprised six songs; Away, Kokose, Weakness, Hold On, Tables Turn, and O2.

Oxlade’s O2 and Away tracks were particularly successful, with the latter garnering more than 3 million views a year after its release. Oxygene combines sounds and rhythms from neo-soul, Afropop, and R&B and blends them into some of today’s best-sounding tracks.

Away, the first track off the album with a video is beautifully scripted and shot in the coastal town of Cape Coast in Ghana. The song revolves around a guy waiting for his lady love to join him. He then whisks her away on a trip as her parents look on.

Who signed Oxlade?

In 2022, Oxlade signed to Epic Records, a renowned recording label owned by Sony Entertainment. The signing was announced via a Twitter post by Epic Records. The record label also teased the release of a new single by Oxlade on the post.

After joining Epic Records, the singer also joined Columbia Records by extension. The record label is also a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. Epic Records was founded and operates under Columba Records. The latter is renowned for signing hugely successful singers, including Mariah Carey, Future, Camilla Cabello, and Travis Scott.

Oxlade’s latest single, Want You, was released on 19 March 2022 under the Epic Records label.