Brymo

Since the middle of the 2000s, Brymo has shaped a singular approach that merges R&B, rock, Afro-beat, and additional strands. The Nigerian songwriter and vocalist placed his outgoing character at the center of his work, addressing personal relationships and broader social concerns on his 2013 release Merchants, Dealers & Slaves.

Born Olawale Ashimi in Nigeria’s Lagos State in 1986, he began capturing his own material during his early teens after his mother’s Fuji performances sparked his interest. When attempts to form bands with friends came to nothing, Ashimi struck out alone, leaving college to devote himself entirely to music. Adopting the name Brymo, he issued his debut album, the R&B-flavored Brymstone, in 2007. Signing with Chocolate City in 2010 led to the 2012 appearance of The Son of a Kapenta, yet disputes with the label prompted an early exit from the agreement. He then issued his third album, Merchants, Dealers & Slaves, on his own in 2013, refining his voice through pop arrangements that incorporated African folk elements.

Over the following years Brymo maintained a consistent output, delivering the fourth album Tabula Rasa in 2014, the sexually charged Klĭtôrĭs in 2016, the jazzier Oṣó in 2018, and the eclectic, exploratory seventh album Yellow in 2020. Alongside these solo projects, he became a member of the alternative rock ensemble A.A.A. and released his first book near the close of the 2010s.