June 14, 2025 • 9 mins
Interview with Ola Onabule - On the phone with David Serero - The Culture News
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies and gentlemen, Good afternoon, Welcome on the Culture News.
My name is David So we wrote and have the
pleasure to have to do on iHeart Radio on the
Culture News. A wonderful, wonderful singer. He is a British
Nigerian singer songwriter called Alla On Nabule Olla On nabule
whom we love so much. A wonderful artist who has
(00:24):
performed all over the world and has done absolutely beautiful material.
He is releasing, in collaboration with the Swiss guitarist Nicholas Meyer,
a new album called Proof of Life, which is coming
out on June thirtieth of this year, twenty twenty five.
(00:44):
A beautiful album of these two great artists. We're so
glad to have today. Over the phone, alla on Nabule Olla,
how are you today.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I'm very well and good David. Thank you so much
for having me on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Listen, it's a pleasure. I love to hear your voice.
I love to have you. It's really really an honor
to be with you today, So thank you so much.
I know you're in the studio and between two takes
you're making this interview, which I hope we'll put you
on the right food to start again. So I would
(01:18):
love to know more about yourself. Can you tell us
maybe where you're from and how did you start music
in the first place.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Well, as I described myself a British Nigerian, I was
born in the UK to Nigerian parents. I grew up
partly here and partly in West Africa. I was destined
to live my life as a lawyer. I come from
a family of professionals, lawyers, accountants, financial people, and that's
(01:51):
what it was decided I was going to be. I
signed up for law school. In my third year, I
discovered jazz music and I dropped out of law school
and I've been making albums, touring the world, singing, writing
my music, which is a mixture of jazz, world music,
African music and just yeah, just living the last few
(02:16):
few decades, just performing everywhere I go.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Wow, And indeed I see you performing with the jazz
squal it but also with big Symphonic orchestra. So this
beautiful rendition of What's going on by Martin Gaye, what
a beautiful piece. And I love to see you singing
with the Symphonic orchestra, this great pop standard as well
(02:42):
it's it's absolutely wonderful. But today you are coming to
us with the beautiful, beautiful new piece with this great
Swiss guitar player named Nicholas Meyer. Can you tell us
how that collaboration was born?
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Well, it started during the pandemic. During the pandemic, I
put on a series of live stream shows from my
studio and we had a guitarist who we were working with,
but on one of the occasions he couldn't make the
live stream. So I said to the bass player, we
need someone very very quick. He canceled a day before.
(03:22):
We need someone very quick, and he said, oh, you've
got to meet my friend Nick. The moment Nick and
I started playing together working together, we knew instantly, you
know how you know these things, you know, We just
knew that, oh, we're going to be working together for
a long time. So as the pandemic came to an end,
I thought we could go our separate ways and just
(03:43):
you know, never meet again, or meet very occasionally. So
I suggested, why don't we write an album together. Let's
just start writing something and see what happens. And once
we started, we didn't stop, even though we had busy schedules.
That took us in different directions across the world. Whenever
we were back in London together, we'd get together, write ideas,
(04:06):
try out ideas, you know, exchange ideas, and slowly we
built this album.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Well and indeed it's nothing but a success and really congratulations.
So how does it feel for you as a singer
to perform with the guitaries versus when you are performing
with an orchestra, you're performing with a piano player, or
with a jazz squad. How does it feel?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
It feels like like we're tapping into something that is
so old and so historic and so organic, because you know,
guitar and voice, stringed instrument. You know, just a strumming
guitary instrument and a voice is probably one of the
(04:51):
first combinations of music that was ever made on this planet.
So it feels very real. It's very easy to explore ideas,
especially with it's just one person, one very like minded,
a person that you have a strong sympathico with. It
felt very natural, very organic. So yeah, very enjoyable. It's
(05:14):
very different from the symphonics. I love the symphonics, but
the personal, quiet nature of just the voice and the
guitar is will always be a winner for me.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Wow, And I love how you said that. It's probably
one of the first combinations of you know, voice and.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Guitar, you know I ever created.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
I think you're absolutely right, and it's absolutely right. So
I was also always wondering how these started, you know,
like one guy said, let me use that string. Oh
my god, we have different notes. Let's see how he
it all started, you know, with fire, and you know exactly.
(05:56):
So before we start to say goodbye to each other
and we start to play some of your great music,
what is next for you?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Well, we're going to launch the album at the end
of August and then we'll start doing some dates across
you know, Europe to begin with, and hopefully further. But
in the meantime, I'm also writing my next album and
I'm also about to embark on a project with a
(06:25):
national big band jazz orchestra of Portugal. So I've got
those two things that I'm kind of working on at
the moment because I have to kind of devise a
project for them which will ultimately end in a record
in a recording whilst at the same time working on
my next album. So it's very busy.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Well, my brother will be there to definitely applaud you
in to support you in your phenomenal singer and you're
bringing I think you knew, you know, a new voice, color,
a new a new signature, a new cachet you know
in your voice. And I think these Nigerian roots that
(07:13):
you have mixed with the British elegance that we know,
I think brings a unique combination and your sympathy and
your generosity make it all shine through. So really, congratulations
for your music, for what you do, and it's it's
always a pleasure really to to to have you. I
(07:34):
want to say a big thanks from my dear friend
of Crossover Max and Zachary who made that possible. Always
learned to thank the people who make things possible. So allah,
my brother. What can we wish you? Oh?
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Well, I would want to say a huge thanks for
making time for me today, David really really appreciated, lovely,
lovely ably to speak to you, and I look forward
to speaking to you more and I wish you great,
great and incredible things as well.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Thank you very much, God bless you, my friend. Well,
this is your show. You have the keys, okay, you
have you can come in and it belongs to.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
You, you know. Oh, you're so kind.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
It's yours.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
It's your show. You know.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
You don't need the no pr nothing, You have the
hit of the station.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
You know. Thank you, sir, Thank you all right.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Ladies and gentleman. My name is David serial right. It's
such a pleasure to have to do the one and only,
the one and only. I'm saying this is allah on,
so let me spell it for you. Ol l A
O n A b U l E a wonderful, wonderful
singer and keyboardy songwriter many many more things also did
(08:49):
this album with Nicholas Meyer, great guitar player, and the
new album is set to release thirtieth. The name of
this album is called Proof of Life, and you will
have a real proof that life is amazing by listening
to this beautiful album by our dear friend ala on
(09:10):
Abule statute. Right now is an excerpt of it. Don't
go anywhere. It's a beautiful day.
Ladies and gentlemen, Good afternoon, Welcome on the Culture News.
My name is David So we wrote and have the
pleasure to have to do on iHeart Radio on the
Culture News. A wonderful, wonderful singer. He is a British
Nigerian singer songwriter called Alla On Nabule Olla On nabule
whom we love so much. A wonderful artist who has
(00:24):
performed all over the world and has done absolutely beautiful material.
He is releasing, in collaboration with the Swiss guitarist Nicholas Meyer,
a new album called Proof of Life, which is coming
out on June thirtieth of this year, twenty twenty five.
(00:44):
A beautiful album of these two great artists. We're so
glad to have today. Over the phone, alla on Nabule Olla,
how are you today.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I'm very well and good David. Thank you so much
for having me on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Listen, it's a pleasure. I love to hear your voice.
I love to have you. It's really really an honor
to be with you today, So thank you so much.
I know you're in the studio and between two takes
you're making this interview, which I hope we'll put you
on the right food to start again. So I would
(01:18):
love to know more about yourself. Can you tell us
maybe where you're from and how did you start music
in the first place.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Well, as I described myself a British Nigerian, I was
born in the UK to Nigerian parents. I grew up
partly here and partly in West Africa. I was destined
to live my life as a lawyer. I come from
a family of professionals, lawyers, accountants, financial people, and that's
(01:51):
what it was decided I was going to be. I
signed up for law school. In my third year, I
discovered jazz music and I dropped out of law school
and I've been making albums, touring the world, singing, writing
my music, which is a mixture of jazz, world music,
African music and just yeah, just living the last few
(02:16):
few decades, just performing everywhere I go.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Wow, And indeed I see you performing with the jazz
squal it but also with big Symphonic orchestra. So this
beautiful rendition of What's going on by Martin Gaye, what
a beautiful piece. And I love to see you singing
with the Symphonic orchestra, this great pop standard as well
(02:42):
it's it's absolutely wonderful. But today you are coming to
us with the beautiful, beautiful new piece with this great
Swiss guitar player named Nicholas Meyer. Can you tell us
how that collaboration was born?
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Well, it started during the pandemic. During the pandemic, I
put on a series of live stream shows from my
studio and we had a guitarist who we were working with,
but on one of the occasions he couldn't make the
live stream. So I said to the bass player, we
need someone very very quick. He canceled a day before.
(03:22):
We need someone very quick, and he said, oh, you've
got to meet my friend Nick. The moment Nick and
I started playing together working together, we knew instantly, you
know how you know these things, you know, We just
knew that, oh, we're going to be working together for
a long time. So as the pandemic came to an end,
I thought we could go our separate ways and just
(03:43):
you know, never meet again, or meet very occasionally. So
I suggested, why don't we write an album together. Let's
just start writing something and see what happens. And once
we started, we didn't stop, even though we had busy schedules.
That took us in different directions across the world. Whenever
we were back in London together, we'd get together, write ideas,
(04:06):
try out ideas, you know, exchange ideas, and slowly we
built this album.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Well and indeed it's nothing but a success and really congratulations.
So how does it feel for you as a singer
to perform with the guitaries versus when you are performing
with an orchestra, you're performing with a piano player, or
with a jazz squad. How does it feel?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
It feels like like we're tapping into something that is
so old and so historic and so organic, because you know,
guitar and voice, stringed instrument. You know, just a strumming
guitary instrument and a voice is probably one of the
(04:51):
first combinations of music that was ever made on this planet.
So it feels very real. It's very easy to explore ideas,
especially with it's just one person, one very like minded,
a person that you have a strong sympathico with. It
felt very natural, very organic. So yeah, very enjoyable. It's
(05:14):
very different from the symphonics. I love the symphonics, but
the personal, quiet nature of just the voice and the
guitar is will always be a winner for me.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Wow, And I love how you said that. It's probably
one of the first combinations of you know, voice and.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Guitar, you know I ever created.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
I think you're absolutely right, and it's absolutely right. So
I was also always wondering how these started, you know,
like one guy said, let me use that string. Oh
my god, we have different notes. Let's see how he
it all started, you know, with fire, and you know exactly.
(05:56):
So before we start to say goodbye to each other
and we start to play some of your great music,
what is next for you?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Well, we're going to launch the album at the end
of August and then we'll start doing some dates across
you know, Europe to begin with, and hopefully further. But
in the meantime, I'm also writing my next album and
I'm also about to embark on a project with a
(06:25):
national big band jazz orchestra of Portugal. So I've got
those two things that I'm kind of working on at
the moment because I have to kind of devise a
project for them which will ultimately end in a record
in a recording whilst at the same time working on
my next album. So it's very busy.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Well, my brother will be there to definitely applaud you
in to support you in your phenomenal singer and you're
bringing I think you knew, you know, a new voice, color,
a new a new signature, a new cachet you know
in your voice. And I think these Nigerian roots that
(07:13):
you have mixed with the British elegance that we know,
I think brings a unique combination and your sympathy and
your generosity make it all shine through. So really, congratulations
for your music, for what you do, and it's it's
always a pleasure really to to to have you. I
(07:34):
want to say a big thanks from my dear friend
of Crossover Max and Zachary who made that possible. Always
learned to thank the people who make things possible. So allah,
my brother. What can we wish you? Oh?
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Well, I would want to say a huge thanks for
making time for me today, David really really appreciated, lovely,
lovely ably to speak to you, and I look forward
to speaking to you more and I wish you great,
great and incredible things as well.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Thank you very much, God bless you, my friend. Well,
this is your show. You have the keys, okay, you
have you can come in and it belongs to.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
You, you know. Oh, you're so kind.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
It's yours.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
It's your show. You know.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
You don't need the no pr nothing, You have the
hit of the station.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
You know. Thank you, sir, Thank you all right.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Ladies and gentleman. My name is David serial right. It's
such a pleasure to have to do the one and only,
the one and only. I'm saying this is allah on,
so let me spell it for you. Ol l A
O n A b U l E a wonderful, wonderful
singer and keyboardy songwriter many many more things also did
(08:49):
this album with Nicholas Meyer, great guitar player, and the
new album is set to release thirtieth. The name of
this album is called Proof of Life, and you will
have a real proof that life is amazing by listening
to this beautiful album by our dear friend ala on
(09:10):
Abule statute. Right now is an excerpt of it. Don't
go anywhere. It's a beautiful day.
Popular Podcasts
Fudd Around And Find Out
UConn basketball star Azzi Fudd brings her championship swag to iHeart Women’s Sports with Fudd Around and Find Out, a weekly podcast that takes fans along for the ride as Azzi spends her final year of college trying to reclaim the National Championship and prepare to be a first round WNBA draft pick. Ever wonder what it’s like to be a world-class athlete in the public spotlight while still managing schoolwork, friendships and family time? It’s time to Fudd Around and Find Out!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!