From Lagos to London and back to Lagos, the genre of Fuji has been making a renaissance all due to one rising superstar.
If you are not familiar with the name oSHAMO, you will be by the end of this calendar year. He’s spent the past five years in London perfecting his craft and returns home to the motherland with a fanbase who religiously follow his footsteps as he rises to stardom.
After memorable shows including the Royal Albert Hall and his own debut headline performance, we caught up with oSHAMO to discuss his latest music, the return of Fuji, show preparations and much more.
oSHAMO! Let’s talk your new single “Shina Rampe”. What gave you the idea for this song and what is the meaning behind it?
“I moved back to Nigeria in November and when you’re abroad for so long, you lose touch with the things that give you inspiration. Me coming back and witnessing some crazy stuff is what gave birth to the song. The English words for Shina Rampe is fornication, when your partner is not being loyal! I’m also back in Nigeria because this is my album year and I’m trying to be more cultural.”
Can you share more on the upcoming album?
“The album is going to be Fuji music. When I was in London, I did my first Fuji record “Superfuji(GOBE)” which went viral. All the years I spent in London, I tried to show my versatility with different genres but then I realised, nothing beats being original and being true to where you’re from. This album is about putting my culture on the map and getting more people informed about the Fuji genre. The afrobeats we listen to today is born from Fuji.”
Can you tell us the story behind the emergence of the name oSHAMO?
“oSHAMO is inspired from Baddoo Olamide. Olamide is a legend for a lot of us and one of his songs that I used to sing back in secondary school, the end of the song used to say ‘oSHAMO’. I kept on singing the song then my friends started calling me oSHAMO until the whole school was calling me that! When I moved to London in 2018, I stuck with the name, and it feels true to me.”
How would you describe a successful day in the studio?
“I’m the type of person that is very selective of the producers I get in the room with. I’m heavy on energy. A successful day would be me leaving the studio with a solid record and connecting with the producer in a way that is deeper than music. It can be from our life experiences or something we both connect to. I can’t be successful by just doing music, I need to have a day where me and the producer share a friendship. That’s what makes it successful for me.”
You’ve had many viral moments online. How important would you say marketing is, to push your music further?
“Marketing in music is very important to get to your target audience. Right now, everyone is gravitating to social media and the use of short-form content. In terms of music videos, you’re only making music videos if everyone wants to see more parts to your song once it’s doing well.
Can you recall when your passion for music started?
“When I started making Fuji! Whenever you’re creating a Fuji record, it’s feel-good music and about your personality shining through. Every time I go to the studio, it’s about me being myself. I’m not really confined to spitting English in my song just to commercialise it. Making Fuji, that doesn’t require me speaking other languages and can still sell to a global market. I’m just more happy to make music that makes my personality come out.”
When did you then know you had the talent to take music seriously?
“I would say I knew I had the talent from 2020 when I started going to the studio more, but I believe there’s still a lot to do. Your talent can always improve and I’m growing and progressing every day. It’s also not just about the talent, but about gathering more knowledge to see how you can deliver on a record.”
You had a memorable 2025 in terms of performances. Between the Royal Albert Hall, headlining your own show and then going back to Nigeria, how was that experience and how do you personally prepare for live shows?
“Before a show, my own ritual is to position myself as a listener. I try to see it from their perspective and them paying for a show and what they would want to see. Going on stage is my own way of escape. I enjoy performing my songs to the crowd as well as the recording process. When you see people’s reactions in person, it’s much more special than seeing people comment online which is nice too! When I’m stage, I give it my all and make sure the preparations backstage is catered to what my fans want to see. Royal Albert Hall is the highlight of my stay in London.”
If you were to introduce a new listener to oSHAMO, which song would be played first and why?
“It depends! I would first ask what genre are you into? If it’s R&B, listen to “Why You Lying”. If they want to party, listen to “Osha–Piano”. “Shina Rampe” is for the Nigerian boys who want to feel cultural. I have songs catered for all listeners!”
What is a major goal you want to achieve this year?
“I plan to have another headline show which will by my third in a row. I believe in building brick-by-brick. Burna Boy is an example which me and my team use. He started in London with 250 people, then 500, then 1000 and now he’s doing stadiums in London! In 2024, I did 500, last year I did nearly 1000 and my aim is to now sell out near 2000-3000. I just want to keep building my audience.”
Who are three artists currently at the top of your playlist?
“I listen to a lot of Wasiu Ayinde, he’s one of the pioneers of Fuji. Fola, I love Fola a lot. I also listen to Rema. The thing about Rema is that he has taught me how to be cultural but also a global icon. He dropped an album in 2024 called HEIS and it’s so cultural. It made me realise that you can have a song like “Calm Down” where people expect you to have that same sound and run with it, but he brought it back to the culture and it was a smash success.”
What advice can you give to those who have the talent but are finding it difficult to reach the masses?
“It’s all about the knowledge you amass and the consistency. If you have the talent but you are not consistent, not hardworking or even disciplined, then it’s just useless. You need to let people know you have the talent and to be disciplined enough to know that there’s going to be bad days as well as good days. Once you have that, you will be successful someday!”
oSHAMO’s latest single “Shina Rampe” is out now and available on all digital streaming platforms.