“Bearing, moveable, and deep.” That’s how Nonso Amadi describes his new Afrobeats-fueled EP — a body of work he hopes will move beyond borders and strike a chord with the Nigerian diaspora in Canada.
The Afro-fusion songwriter captured audiences globally with his 2023 debut album When It Blooms, a project he classifies as more R&B and soul-leaning. Where his first project was more light-hearted and poetic, he says he wants to shift the rhythm in his forthcoming EPTo Cry a Flood, offering a more evocative introspection yet still remaining sonically upbeat.
“I wanted to create something that people could move to,” Amadi said to Now Toronto. “So you’re dancing and you’re crying type thing.”
To Cry a Flood, he explains, is rooted in the middle ground between his pulsing Nigerian upbringing and the moody Toronto sound. Inspired by Wizkid and Drake, Amadi’s music mirrors the concept of migration itself, and he says he hopes to be the bridge between both cultures.
“This project is intentionally made so the Lagos, Nigeria audience can feel like they’re part of what’s going on,” he explained.
“I want to represent Nigerians properly out here. I want them to connect with me… when they step into the borders of Canada, they feel like they have someone out here that they can connect to, and someone that has a story that aligns with theirs.”
Amadi has already released two singles as a lead-up to the highly anticipated project; “PILLOW,” a yearning song about sharing space with someone you love which has already broken into the top 20 of Nigerian radio charts, and most recently, “DIVE IN,” a heartfelt story inspired by Tems’ “Love Me JeJe,” about giving full devotion to a love interest.
“‘DIVE IN’ is you telling a girl that, ‘Look, I’m ready to fully commit. I’m ready to dive in with you. I’m ready to give it my all… I feel people back home connect to it. It has that West African influence, which is a very big deal for me.”
The Nigerian crooner’s love for intricate sounds goes back to childhood, around age six or seven he says, when his sisters would take over the television to watch music programming. Amadi recalls his desire to watch weekend cartoons being dismissed as his siblings projected MTV and Channel O, filling the air with the biggest hits from Alicia Keys and Craig David. He notes that moments like those were just seeds being planted for what would later bloom to be his passion. But soon, his ambitions would also be challenged.
Amadi moved to Canada in 2016 to study engineering design at McMaster University, after completing a chemical engineering degree at Swansea University in the U.K. Though his academic path seemed worlds away from music, his passion never faded. He continued releasing songs on SoundCloud as a hobby until one track unexpectedly blew up, racking up over a million streams. That moment pushed him to take music more seriously, though not without some hesitation from his father.
“I called my dad saying, ‘I want to go do a show in Lagos.’ My first ever headline show for 1000 people. And he was like, ‘You’re not doing that. You’re going to go find a job,’” Amadi shared, and said things shifted once his father actually saw his potential onstage.
“I invited my dad to come see the show, and he actually shed tears that day. He was super emotional to see people singing songs that he doesn’t even know, but it’s from his son. Ever since that day, it’s just been nothing but support from both my parents.”
Offstage, Amadi channels his energy into HILLS, a charity initiative he founded to support children in Nigeria, Canada and across the world. Through HILLS, he funds educational programs, mentorship opportunities, and community events, an extension of his belief that art should move people in more ways than one.
“I realized I’m so, so passionate about kids, young kids,” he said, adding that the organization hosted a recent fundraising event that distributed donations to Black families nationwide. “We’re going to be doing more of these HILLS events and continue giving back.”
As To Cry a Flood prepares to make its way into the world, Amadi says he’s most excited for current and future fans to experience an uncovered side to his diasporic-fusion sound, one where rhythm, emotion, and identity meet.
“This is something experimental, something different from what you’ve heard from me, and I feel like it’s exciting,” he said. “Tune in, have a good time, and also try to pay attention to the words, because there’s some deep meaning and stories behind it.”
Amadi’s To Cry a Flood releases on all streaming platforms on Nov. 14.
