Born into a musical family in Nigeria, Jable Osai, also known as Ogranya, is a remarkably talented musician gradually making his mark on the global music scene. Meet the master of Nigeria's neo-soul wave.
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00:00 ♪ You make me feel the rhythms of the universe ♪
00:03 ♪ I don't need much time for the worst ♪
00:05 ♪ It's like you've most likely been cursed ♪
00:09 - Finally, funk and soul has come home.
00:12 ♪ If you're not around, you're voodoo on the low ♪
00:14 - There's a saying,
00:16 "He who writes the song of the nation, moves its soul."
00:19 - His soothing music has got him climbing global ranks.
00:22 ♪ I know how to walk with you ♪
00:25 ♪ If you don't show me who you are ♪
00:30 - This soulful musician, born Jebo Osaie,
00:35 but fondly known as Ogranga,
00:37 was born into a musically inclined family
00:40 following his father's footsteps.
00:43 - My father used to perform music
00:46 with a band called Blackstones back in the '70s.
00:48 And pretty much he's my first influence with music.
00:53 So obviously I have direct access,
00:58 I have direct access to that generation, to that sound.
01:02 The '70s has influenced me a lot.
01:05 ♪ That's why I wanna keep you to myself ♪
01:08 ♪ And nobody else ♪
01:10 But I still like to employ balance.
01:14 I don't know how to completely dive into that era
01:18 in terms of the rebelliousness of the aesthetic
01:22 and branding and all of that.
01:24 But in appreciable doses, I borrow from that time.
01:29 ♪ No mistake, it's somebody ♪
01:33 So how the youth connects to my music?
01:36 First of all, I'm still relatively young,
01:39 I'm still a youth.
01:40 So in that regard, I feel like, yes, the youth will connect.
01:43 But beyond that, I draw inspiration
01:49 from my everyday experience.
01:51 And I feel like at Tehato Life,
01:55 we're all experiencing the same thing,
01:58 even though it varies in specifics and details.
02:03 - Nigerian music genres are taking global center stage.
02:08 One of these genres being the Alte music sound,
02:11 which is a fusion of Afro beats, Afro soul,
02:14 hip hop, R&B, and other beats.
02:17 They say music connects people,
02:20 and its beauty is that it carries messages.
02:22 ♪ Up all night, it feels like insomnia ♪
02:24 ♪ Maybe it's the lights ♪
02:25 - I feel like what makes me unique,
02:28 or what makes my music unique is my songwriting.
02:31 I put in a lot of time, a lot of energy,
02:36 a lot of effort into making sure every word,
02:40 every syllable, every note is inch perfect.
02:44 It's like some songs, I write them in five years,
02:47 some in five months, some in one day,
02:51 but I put in time 'til I'm satisfied inside.
02:55 So I guess that's what makes my music unique.
02:58 - They say music connects people,
03:00 and its beauty is that it carries messages.
03:02 And musicians are the ones who use sound
03:05 to reach our souls with their music,
03:07 just like Ogranye is doing.
03:09 ♪ See the wonder what you did ♪
03:13 - I draw my inspiration from my music, from everything.
03:17 Make Monkey No Go Market Go.
03:19 I've clocked it somewhere in my head.
03:22 And one day when I'm writing a song,
03:24 I will lean towards that statement.
03:26 So it's in my everyday interaction,
03:28 I meet people, I hear their stories, I connect with it.
03:32 I'm basically trying to write songs
03:35 that everyone can listen to and find themselves in.
03:38 So that's the heart of my inspiration for music.
03:41 So in my everyday life, I find something,
03:45 a story, something that I draw inspiration from.
03:48 - Ogranye studied architecture in Ghana,
03:53 however, later pursued a career in music
03:56 when he returned home to Nigeria.
03:58 ♪ For you I pray for heaven ♪
04:01 ♪ Or one hell of a life ♪
04:02 ♪ You bring out what feel you ♪
04:03 ♪ You make one hell of a wife ♪
04:05 - The shift from architecture to music was inevitable.
04:09 So quitting my 95 to do music, a lot changed.
04:14 The security of 95 you have, first of all,
04:17 that is stripped away from you when you decide to go,
04:20 when you decide to go into music
04:21 where you're pretty much starting.
04:24 No regrets, but I would change things.
04:26 Like I'm currently in this phase
04:28 where I'm looking for the best way
04:31 to have the best of both worlds.
04:32 - Embracing one's talent and history
04:36 is an important part of Ogranye's life and storytelling,
04:40 which he does through his music and passion for the arts.
04:43 - Both sets of grandparents when I was born
04:45 named me Ogranye individually, like separately.
04:49 They named me Ogranye and to me,
04:53 it just felt more, it felt like a more true name for me.
04:58 So that's why I decided to,
05:00 I would like to be known as what,
05:03 the first name that was properly given to me.
05:04 So that's why I decided to go with Ogranye
05:07 and Ogranye means wealth, it means prosperity.
05:11 I was born at a time where my parents quote unquote,
05:14 made it and yeah, that's where that name comes from.
05:19 - But it's not wealth that the soul touching musician
05:22 is looking for, Ogranye is aiming to another level.
05:25 - In terms of aspirations and recognition,
05:29 I feel like the height of it or the place I would go
05:33 that would make me feel very accomplished
05:37 and successful in music is if I would been a Pulitzer
05:41 prize, Nobel Peace Prize award,
05:43 I would pat myself on the back.
05:46 (laughs)
05:47 Yeah, that's it.
05:49 - This multi-talented musician is a force to be reckoned with
05:53 and his music is definitely worth a listen
05:55 as his sounds are different and relatable
05:57 across various age groups.
05:59 ♪ I really care for you ♪
06:02 ♪ So just take care of you ♪