Dayo Ayodele touches base with his roots

After a long stay in the United States (US) with a successful career in music, founder of popular Afro-Indie band Afrosonic, Dayo Ayodele, is back in the country to promote his trade again. After making appearances in a few public outings, particularly 50th birthday of Joke Bakare, wife of business mogul, Muyiwa Bakare, Ayodele appears ready to take the industry by storm.

Ayodele who said he has been keeping in touch with the developments in the music and movies scene said he’s really excited with the success in the Nigerian creative and entertainment space, saying“ the Nigerian music and movies are grabbing attention on the global stage and fast-taking their place.

Nigeria’s ‘afrobeats’ is being played in clubs and radio stations all over and the iconic status of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti has inspired many productions, including the popular broadway production, FELA! The legend’s music is also being studied and performed by many bands internationally. It’s a big deal. Felabration is not only being celebrated in Nigeria but globally” he enthused.

Although his parents wanted him to study medicine, Ayodele said he learnt African drumming from his grandmother at the Apostolic Church services, he attended as a boy. He would later proceed to America to study filmmaking, taking classes at Columbia College Hollywood and USC.

Asked what inspired his forming the Afrosonics, Ayodele said “As a child, I saw a lot of commercials on TV that spoke about teaching the world how to sing in perfect harmony.” For me, the commercial suggested a world far beyond anything I had experienced. What impressed me most was the image of people of different races and cultures holding hands suggesting that it’s a big world and we all have to live in peace and unity.”

After he had moved to Boise, Idaho, Ayodele drew on that idea to start Global Lounge, a nonprofit organisation that seeks both to foster cultural awareness and to help refugees and immigrants acclimate to life in the US. He also brings that spirit to Afrosonics, which combines African music with funk and jazz.

According to him “Afrosonics fusion of musical genres reflects the influence of Fela, who pioneered Afrobeat. My mother grew up with the Kuti’s. As a child, she lived in a Christian boarding house run by the family. Dayo never had a personal connection with the Legend except a few times that he came around the house to greet his mom and stuff. But he did grow up listening to Fela’s music and also considered him ‘the main news source’ during a time when Nigeria suffered from strict censorship, military coups and high-level governmental corruption.”