Musical Footprints: Pioneer TEDx Music Performer at the inaugural TEDx Atlanta Women Event – SOAR ’22

Eight years ago, I wrote a blog post on “Three Nigerian friends and their TEDx Talks worth sharing” little did I know that I will be gracing a TEDx stage myself under monumental circumstances. Monumental because this will be the first ever curated TEDx Women event in Atlanta. Usually for a TED or TEDx event, speakers and performers apply and go through a screening and selection process, so I consider it a divinely destined blessing because on the contrary, I was “discovered” through a social media post comment by TEDx Atlanta curator, Jacqui Chew (Thanks Mark Zuckerberg 🙂 ) and thankfully my brand presence and the work that I’d already put out (Consistency is key) contributed to a positive outcome.

So here I was, in a short time span, I was Jacqui’s answer to her last minute prayer. I joined a formidable and impressive speaker roster of 10, I became number 11, not as a Speaker or a Performing Speaker but as a Performer. Alongside these powerful group of female changemakers, I will inspire an audience through songs, to spread their wings to build a more inclusive and equitable world where girls and women can truly soar.

I chose a fan favorite , “Ile” (Home) and to inspire in line of the theme to “SOAR”, I would close out the event with a “grand finale” performance. I chose to specifically write a song for this purpose titled “Loke Loke” which means “Higher Higher” in my Yoruba language. The video is published here. Grateful to have the musical support of my ABiKE Music duo partner, legendary Bayo Bello on keys and steel pan, a unique addition. Here is our Ile (Home) Performance below, please like and drop a comment. My little intro speech that’s missing is here or scan the QR code below to listen

Thankful for the lovely women I met at this event, the very professional TEDx team and grateful and blessed to be part of making history.
TEDxAtlanta is coming back to the Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University. When: Friday, Mar 17, 2023
Theme: We, rise. More info here

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African Steel Pan Player, Bayo Bello, re-emerges on the music scene.

LEGENDARY MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST Bayo Bello‘s name is synonymous with the Steel Pan or Steel Drum, an organic melodious percussion instrument originating in Trinidad, made out of an oil drum with one end beaten down and divided by grooves into sections to give different notes.

Bayo Bello on the Steel Pan.

He is the only known African professional Steel Pannist or Steel Pan Player in the US/Diaspora. Extremely talented, Bayo Bello was surrounded heavily by music while growing up in Lagos, Nigeria where he hails from, he also plays the Saxophone, Keys, Percussions, Flute, Vocals, Guitar and maybe some more that we might not even be aware of.

With fellow PK students during a performance break at the Museum Kitchen Lagos 1982

As a young lad, he was a regular known face at Fela Kuti’s organization and had internal access to the afrobeat pioneer’s presence, music and library where he was heavily influenced by his PanAfrican values and outlook. Bayo Bello’s musical journey started when he enrolled at the renowned Peter King College of Music in Nigeria and was the first student ever admitted into the school. He later became a member of the PK Band playing Afro Jazz music, sometimes covering other instruments when the musicians were MIA. He toured various parts of the country with the PK Band and established a stage presence while developing his musical skills tremendously. Peter King will remain his most impactive musical mentor till date.

At Fela’s Shrine..Just bought my first sax from Brother YS (Fela’s saxophonist)..I was on cloud nine on that particular day after dreaming of owning a sax for about a year… – Bayo Bello

PK Band, Bayo on Sax (Credit: Bayo Bello’s Archives)

He moved to the US in 1984 to continue his education at the Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University) where he studied Accounting. He co-formed a band called Tyehimba while he was there. The band played Highlife, Reggae and traditional African songs. He then picked up playing the Steelpan with Pan People Steel Band in Atlanta and became the Arranger for the Band.

Bayo Bello with his favorite instrument, the Steel Pan

He later played with numerous bands like Addis Ababa (a Reggae band), Panorama Steel Band, Tropical Steel, Mombasa and Songhai International before forming his own band – Crucial Vibes in 1994. Crucial Vibes performed cross-genre music including Highlife, Reggae, Calypso, Soca, Jazz and Bossa Nova. Crucial Vibes was the resident Band for the Jamaica Tourist Board, Air Jamaica and the Jamaican Olympic Contingent. In all the bands, he played multiple instruments including the Saxophone, Pan (Steel Drums), Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Flute and Percussions. Bayo has performed in numerous venues and festivals including the Montreux International Jazz Festival at Piedmont Park, March of Dimes, Cherry Blossom and others in different states.

Jamaica 🇯🇲 Tourist Board

With the Jamaican Athletes – 1996 Atlanta Olympics

He took a pause from making and performing music to focus on fatherhood and raising his two children who are now young adults, a decision he made with no regrets. In the meantime, he changed career paths to become a software engineer/developer while music took a back seat. In 2021, with motivation from Atlanta based Nigerian Singer/Songwriter, Tosinger, he was inspired to come back to the music scene and together they formed a collective duo/band named ‘ABiKE Music’ He plays the steel pan with so much spirit and soul as a soloist with a unique twist, a rare occurrence with steel band players who usually play in a group or orchestra setting.

With the Panorama Steelband in the 90s

Here is an interview where Bayo speaks more about his musical journey.

Bayo is currently working on producing and releasing original recorded music soon. He plays tennis and dances Salsa in his spare time, in fact, he is very well known in the Latin Dance community in Atlanta. What a renaissance man!

Follow on IG @bayobellomusic

Visit www.abikemusic.com

TOSINGER RELEASES A NEW EP TITLED ‘ODE TO ACCRA’

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
From America to Africa, warm welcoming melodies ring true in a new 3-track EP released by Atlanta based Afrofolk/Afrosoul Nigerian Singer-Songwriter, TOSINGER. The new EP titled ‘Ode to Accra’ was birthed and recorded in Accra during a 3 day sojourn. It was inspired by the vibe and love for the city and her people.

The intro on the EP pays homage to Mama Africa, the Motherland, reflecting the sounds of Accra, rightly tagged “City Vibrations”. Track 2 – “Find Your Way Back Home ft Bubunaé” is a folksy acoustic number, a gentle plea to all to connect back “home” and on Track 3 “Se Daadaa Le Wa?” produced by Kunle Kuti which he laced with highlife guitar riffs, Tosinger’s vocals pierces through diasporic time and space as she checks on her audience in her native tongue of Yoruba .. singing “Se Daadaa Le Wa?” which means “Are you doing alright?”.

Ghanaian music artist, Bubunaé who co-wrote and featured on vocals on Track 2 also executively produced the project with Decorusbeats as the music producer. ‘Ode to Accra’ was officially released on June 21st, 2021 and is currently available on all digital platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Bandcamp, Amazon, Tidal etc.

See https://linktr.ee/tosinger for download and streaming options.

Tosinger · Ode To Accra EP

ABOUT TOSINGER
Atlanta based Afrosoul/Afrofolk Indie Singer-Songwriter TOSINGER, has been singing for more than two decades in Nigeria, the UK and now in the US. With a couple of published works to her name, her music displays a heartfelt conveyance of originality and inspirational lyrics.
Tosinger expresses an afrocentric sublime musical flow that is soulful and folksy, sometimes jazzy, with subliminal messages incorporating her Yoruba language and cultural sounds which sits her comfortably in the world music space.
An eclectic artist in her own right, Tosinger is also an actress and an event curator.
For more info, please visit http://www.tosinger.com
Twitter and Instagram @Tosinger

It’s Not Just All About ‘AfroBeats’ – Here’s New ‘AfroJazz’ Music For You from Shola Emmanuel

Hello Friends,

How is your 2020 going? New Year, New Blessings I pray and I have New Music to share with you.

When you hear the names : Orlando Julius, Manu Dibango, Hugh Masekela and Fela Kuti, what comes to mind? You are correct! Classic and Legendary African Saxophonists whose music has influenced the diaspora and the world at large.

These legends were so widely influential and seriously talented that their music has been sampled and international and western musicians yearned to work with them and some succeeded in collaborating with them, thus spreading the impact of African music globally.

Presenting one of such, for our current generation is:

Shola Emmanuel – Afro Jazz Saxophonist and Music Interpreter

Shola Emmanuel

Carrying this musical torch, Nigerian sax maestro, Atlanta based and world traveling Shola Emmanuel is one of the current wave of afro-musicians in the continuing lineup of legends for the  history books, who is also making a mark in the diaspora. It’s not only about “afrobeats” from Africa which is the rave right now, talents abound in all forms of music (from Africa, in different genres) including and not limited to classical, broadway, folk, pop, folk, rock, soul and Shola Emmanuel represents the Jazz world perfectly.

Following his recently concluded sold out, full house concert ‘Kind of Music’ ( see video) he is releasing a single titled “IFẸ ” which means “Love” in his native Yoruba tongue. IFẸ (pronounced “E-Feh”) is the first single to be released off Shola’s ‘Kind of Music’ album. And guess who the female vocals on the track belong to? Yep, you got it right. Yours Truly. 🙂 The lyrics of the song says “Ife Lo L’aye” which means “Love makes the world go round” and ain’t this the truth.

Shola Emmanuel at his ‘Kind Of Music’ Concert, featuring Tosinger on a piece

Click here to stream the IFẸ song when it comes out on January 31st.  Hope you enjoy it. If you do. Feel free to spread the word and share.

Here is a promo file if you want to groove to it and post on your social media to support good music. Promo link here https://sholaemmanuel.com/ife-promo/ 

Thank you friends!

Love, Peace and Beautiful Music,

Tosinger

WHAT IS YONKE THERAPY?

Hello Friends,

Hope this post meets you well.

Curiosity is good, disappointment is also real .. .but the cat will still survive, it won’t die.. so the question will be answered LOL 😀

So what is Yonke Therapy? Yes, that’s the question. Well ‘Yonke’ is just a syllabic exclamatory descriptive word purportedly uttered by the tortoise  to describe a type of dance or the effect of the dance.  The yoruba folklore goes that he danced at a party yesterday and danced too hard his body ached, however, his parents must not hear about it because if they do, he will be scolded. Well, ‘dancing is good, and music is therapy’, combine the two, you get “Yonke Therapy“

a folklore (see ‘tales with tosinger’, the tortoise aka ‘ijapa’ is always mostly the subject of yoruba folklore).

Anyway, I know it’s been a minute on this blog, but the time away in comparison doesn’t beat the release of ‘Yonke Therapy’  which has been two years coming; thanks to a quick email history search that made me realize this.  KiMa Music label is spearheaded by Italian DJ & Music Producer Kilian Taras, who specializes in EDM & House Music,  he reached out to me  that he’d love to have my vocals on a track. And here’s Yonke Therapy for you to burn calories, bounce your soul to or just generally get your dance on :).  And No, we’ve not met in person, thanks to virtual technological communications, we still made musical magic  happen and this afrowoman cover graphic is the most befitting of their afrohouse/tribalhouse track muse, won’t you agree? 🙂 🙂

Yonke Therapy is available on the platforms below and more, and radio edits also available for radio play. Thank you my Italian friends and fans for digging my vibe:), thank you Mr Italian DJS for playing our song and thank you Americans, Africans, British, Asians all around the world who are and will also. 🙂 Ese o!

★OUT NOW★
Kilian Taras feat. TOSINGER “Yonke Therapy”
Remix by Ellis Colin, Rhythm Staircase and Diego Antoine Concha
Available on:
►iTunes

►Spotify

►Junodownload

And many more…

And on Soundcloud

Which one is your favorite remix? 🙂

—– GRAZIE MILLE!—-

Coast To Coast- Are you searching for Love?

Happy Valentine’s Day

Hope you love yourself first

And as you search for love

Coast to Coast

Then you will find it

God’s love – Self Love – Others Love

In that order

Happy Valentine’s Day

Enjoy Coast to Coast – A song about searching for true love

Coast to Coast produced/arranged/written/played by Jazz Pianist Timothy Ogunbiyi featuring Tosinger on Vocals. Recorded at SoundXtreem Studios (Bossbeats) and mastered by Neks

LYRICS
Coast to coast to find love o
North to South to feel some warmth o
Climbed mountains swam oceans odo(streams)
Ife ni mo n wa
(It’s love I’m looking for)
mowi o , mowi o
(I am saying this)
Owo po, tibi wa
(There’s lots of money and I’m romantically able)
Ile wa , olapo wa
(There is a home and lots of wealth)
Wa
(Come)

Tolulope fo igba aya mi
(Tolulope broke my heart)
Lakunle fe da ori mi RU
(Lakunle almost ran me crazy)
Andrew took a piece of my heart
Ife ni no wa lo
(It was love I went looking for)

Nibo nife wa
(Where is love)
Nibo nife wa
Nibo nife wa
Come fill my heart

Love, Peace and Beautiful Music,

Tosinger

NEW LYRIC DANCE MUSIC VIDEO – LA MUSICO

Happy November everyone,

The lyric music video for La Musico is now out. ENJOY HERE and Feel free to spread the joy with your friends! ❤

Youtube link -> https://youtu.be/WLqGM9Z2MAc .

Thank you!

 

and thanks to all who made it happen

La Musico is produced by Bossbeatz, video recorded by Lloyd Mackayi at Terra Cotta ATL, featuring Actor/Dancer Femi Olagoke and Singer Duwa, percussions by Yemi Conga, back up vocals by Kanyinsola, Bass by Funsho Pitan. SoundXtreem Studios. (c) Dreamweavers Entertainment/Tosinger —–

Download on bandcamp at http://tosinger.bandcamp.com and on iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/la-musico-single/id1297458771
cdbaby — https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/tosinger6
Add to your spotify playlist — https://open.spotify.com/track/0W3V0N..

Love, Peace and Beautiful Music,

Tosinger

 

BLOG REPOST – Tosinger releases new single “LA MUSICO”

 

Tosinger releases New Single “LA MUSICO” Afrosouljazz Singer Songwriter Tosinger just released a feel good Latin jazz vibe song that is pleasing to the ears and light to the soul.  It is titled “La Musico” which she says is a song about the joys of music. According to Tosinger, “La Musico” doesn’t necessarily derive from any language in particular even though the first thought would be Spanish. ‘Music-o’ is actually a play on the word “Music” characteristic of African/Nigerian expression of emphasis, i.e always adding “o” to the end of a word or phrase as can also be heard in some parts of the verse of the song. ‘Musico’ however upon research, is literally derivative of an Italian word meaning “expert musician” so it all works. And “La” is just well, what it is, “La”, it works well as a referential preposition and also as Tosinger adds, if you want to hum to music you sing – “La, la, la” :), so it’s all in relation to and about music. The music of the song was produced by versatile Bossbeats of Soundxtreem Studios, and written, arranged and performed by the talented Tosinger herself. Yemi Conga played the live percussions and Funsho Pitan played live on the bass guitar. This will be Tosinger’s 2nd single of the year, the first one was “Heaven Knows” released January 2017 to usher in the new year and ‘La Musico’ nicely rounds it up on a good note and will obviously be a classic for all times. ‘La Musico’ can be downloaded on Bandcamp (and will also be available on all digital platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Soundcloud, Spotify etc) The lyric video featuring dancer and actor Femi Olagoke will be released on YouTube on November 7, 2017. More about Tosinger at www.tosinger.com Follow @Tosinger on social media Listen, Share and Download below– —Thanks for supporting good music.  LA MUSICO by Tosinger http://www.tosinger.bandcamp.com LA MUSICO by Tosinger

 

 

Miss Nigeria USA 2017

Founded in 2014, the Miss Nigeria USA was established with the aim of celebrating the Nigerian woman while appreciating their beauty, talent, skills and other unique attributes and goals she exhibits. The organization plans to achieve their goal through the Miss Nigeria USA Pageant event where contestants will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their physical, cultural and intellectual attributes as they choose a goodwill ambassador who will represent Miss Nigeria USA Pageant and Nigeria as a whole on a positive light.

They aim to be recognized as a leading world organization that empowers young women and supports them towards achieving their individual goals as they promote their culture.

Source: Anyane Photography PhotoBlog ~~~  Miss Nigeria USA 2017

TOSINGER: The ‘Organically Singing’ AfroSoul and AfroFolk Queen of Dreams — afrocipha

My music is inspirational. Genre wise, my style is African, roots, ethnic, folksy and soulful with a contemporary edge. I incorporate my native Yoruba language in my songs. I am from Ogun State Nigeria, West Africa, currently based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. … Tosinger Oluwatosin [in her native Yoruba language Tosin means God is worthy to […]

via TOSINGER: The ‘Organically Singing’ AfroSoul and AfroFolk Queen of Dreams — afrocipha