SIJI AWOYINKA

The second born of twelve children to Nigerian émigrés in London, Siji spent much of his early childhood in Lagos and London before coming to the US to further pursue his musical ambitions. His own cultural heritage combined with the political and social movements of the age, exposed young Siji to the insurgent, politicized music of the Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti and Juju king, Sunny Ade, as well as the soulful grooves of Marvin Gaye, Al Green, and Otis Redding.  His parents, in particular, his father, loved music, but like most children of hardworking immigrants, Siji was urged by them to pursue a career in the professional fields of medicine or law.  But the lure of the music  proved too strong.  

His bold and visually arresting videos have appeared on a number of major networks including MTV, BBC, VH1, BET and many others.  Elder’s Corner is his documentary feature debut. His recent collaboration with New York producer/DJ Alix Alvarez, yielded the crowd pleasing, dance floor hit, Ijo (Sole Channel Music, 2011).  It's critically acclaimed accompanying video, was shot and directed by Siji in Lagos and colorfully showcases some of the popular dance trends in the busy metropolitan.

Siji's latest work 'Sunchild EP' remains his most personal work to date. It is largely a musical chronicle of events captured over the course of his recent journey back to his ancestral home in Nigeria, having spent well over 2 decades away. Although Siji does not consider himself an activist, he does sing about love, freedom, and self-empowerment.  In this way, his music does inspire us to act, to observe, to love, to sing, and most of all to dance.