“OneDa’s story is so clearly mirrored in her music: a sprightly flow preaching a message of empowerment, enveloped in a dark, raucous soundscape…interlacing vibrant, punchy lyrics with that classic drum & bass sound has given OneDa a new lease of life.”
– DJ Magazine –
An artist who refuses to be boxed in, OneDa’s music speaks for itself. Always beginning with her own intrepid demeanour and dexterous wordplay, her tracks incorporate elements from the hip-hop and drum and bass scenes of her home city of Manchester before adding an eclectic mix of afro-trap and tinges of afrobeats that lean into her Nigerian heritage. Oneda’s expertise transcends mere lyrical skill; it involves effortlessly merging her chicaning poetic verses with the ever-changing rhythm of shifting beats. Her boundless linguistic talent distinguishes her as a unique force of nature and a master craftswoman. Named by The Face as one of the key MC’s at the forefront of the drum ‘n’ bass renaissance, OneDa is a multihyphenate who has long focused on empowering others. Now, she is speeding off the starting grid on her own with her self-produced debut album, ‘Formula OneDa’, via Heavenly Recordings.
Growing up inspired by fiery American rappers such as Eve, Nas, Missy Elliott and Lauryn Hill, her signature Mancunian drawl inflected with Pidgin English results in something that is quintessentially OneDa. Raised in Hulme in a churchgoing, strictly religious Nigerian household, her heritage is a strong feature of her sound, with a mission to put aspects of her true self in her music. With a musical background that started with learning to read music at age six, moving to Gorton age seven and performing in gospel group ‘In Depth’, OneDa found her way in Manchester’s hip-hop scene. For years, she toured as lead rapper with The Mouse Outfit then more recently found herself drawn into the city’s thriving drum and bass scene that has produced the likes of Zed Bias and Trigger. Her signature #MannyOnTheRise tagline is a regular feature in her work and social platforms. “Manchester’s my birthplace, it’s the place where I fell in love with music,” she says. “I see Manchester as still a part of myself, even though I am a Nigerian woman, but this has been my home forever. I see myself on the rise, so Manchester comes with it.”