Ndidi Onukwulu, also known as Ndidi O, is a JUNO-nominated artist who’s been making music for more than 20 years and has six albums to her credit.
Born in British Columbia, she found her voice at open mics in New York, discovered her sound in the heart of Toronto’s blues and folk scene, and fine-tuned her live show around the world. She’s on her way to Alberta for four live shows. We asked her about her versatility, her recordings, and why her next record might surprise even her loyal fans.
Ndidi has built a career out of bucking trends and defying expectations. Just when you think you know what her musical style is, she changes it up. The song “Hands High” leans into blues rhythms and phrasing, while “Engine Gone Cold” starts off with acoustic guitar but then turns into a pop song with moody harmonies.
To move among different musical styles is a point of pride for Ndidi. “It’s quite intentional,” she says, “that I don’t align myself with any particular genre. I make music because that’s my calling. I make it for myself, because I have to get it out!”
Her refusal to be categorized easily is also central to her identity. “I am a mixed ethnicity artist,” she says. “Because of how I look and how my voice is, people expect certain things, but I see the world from so many different perspectives. I play and write what speaks to me. I’m intentionally doing it because if I, as an artist of colour, don’t take up space in these genres that have been traditionally closed to people like me, how will other people know that it’s okay to do it?”
Her latest album, Simple Songs for Complicated Times, was recorded in Nashville, at Steve Dawson’s studio, The Henhouse. Ndidi calls it a “comforter” of an album, and says, “The messaging is straightforward, and the sound is very warm. I wanted to make a cozy little album, to talk about what it’s like to be in this phase of life. It’s my favourite record to date.”
As for what’s next, Ndidi O is looking forward to four shows in Alberta in April. And count on her to surprise audiences again with her next album. It will include Irish and alt-country sounds. She says, “I stay true to who I am, and I experiment. I’m not going to stop!”
Ndidi O plays Lethbridge April 2, Calgary April 3, Edmonton April 4, and Demmitt April 5. Find info at ndidio.ca
“In May” is from Ndidi O’s latest album, Simple Songs for Complicated Times.
