Alkebulan had the chance to interview Oshun. This conversation took place in a cab on their way back from a photo shoot. The two beautiful girls; Niambi and Thandi enlighten us about their journey thus far.
As you may know Oshun will be performing this coming sunday at Melkweg amsterdam.
This was a perfect recipe for destiny.
One of our questions was how did they get there? Well, both girls had the amazing opportunity to attend NYU. After hanging out for a while they noticed the way their voices complimented each other. Add a producer and voila! But this career didn’t just happen overnight however. Oshun just released their third album Bittersweet vol 1. After a lot of hard work. Producing some of their work and writing. Also growing as artists, they are a force to be reckoned with. Alkebulan can confirm Bittersweet vol 2 to be a fact. Now let’s get to know the girls more.
Is it me or are you two girl’s not the standard african american female most people would perceive one to be?
Oshun: No, certainly we aren’t but there are more communities throughout the country that aren’t the spokes persons of the african american community but unfortunately we aren’t the norm in this age of media.
Religion wise how were you brought up?
Oshun: We weren’t specifically brought up with one religion. We were very much raised to nurture our spiritual freedom and be influenced and inspired by different cultures and spirituals systems but some of the specific thing that we were inspired by is Yoruba and even elements of indigenes believes.
It seemed that this was something you both discovered and did research on and then connected with.
Oshun: We didn’t grow up with all the answers. So this still is something we have to figure out and build our own personal relationship. So saying that we grew up in these type of spaces is only saying that we are familiar with it. It still is a journey.
What was the reason you decided to finish your degrees at NYU?
Oshun: By he time we got there, it had already taken us so much. NYU isn’t an easy school to get in. Not to mention the racial obstacles that we had to overcome by the people who came before us for us to even be able to take up space there. We definitely had moments that we wanted to drop out but we had a lot of support from our family.
What was Oshun’s first success?
Oshun: When we completed our first ep. Our first real body of work. We took a bus to DC and recorded the first songs in a bedroom studio.
What is the connection with West Africa?
Oshun: In a literal way we are direct descendants of Guinea.
Have you ever received backlash for your image or music?
Oshun: We actually experience most of that the past year. Females were especially angry because of us exposing skin. Our song are played a lot on Vice. So we know exactly when we play it because we get messages like “go back to Africa” in dm’s.
What is the meaning of the white contact lences that you guys use?
Oshun: The etherial energy that we represent.
What are the future plans for Oshun
Oshun: We want to build a union. We want to create a save place.
How did you collaborate with Jorja Smith
Oshun: We opened for her and that’s how a relationship developed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eTeEVbqFig
