Dami Oniru invited everyone to her first headline show, “Matter of Time: The Experience with Dami Oniru”, on April 7th, creating an intimate, soulful world at the FreeMeSpace, Lekki, where the show was held. It was a marvel of soaring vocals and intense musical direction. Speaking on the significance of the show, Dami Oniru told Bounce “I have wanted to do my own show since 2019. So I am grateful now that it is here because it means that everything that I’ve been working for and towards is finally unraveling. Regardless of how long it has taken, it’s happening and I am really excited.” 

The show started a little before 9:00 pm as the hosts, Amiola Aguda and Valerie Ike, appeared on stage to engage and warm up the audience. With a lot of opinions discussing the lack of mainstream popularity of R&B in Nigeria, Dami Oniru is one of the stars who does not preoccupy herself with prevailing trends. Asserting her individuality and talent, the singer said, “We like energetic music here in Nigeria, but I’m not bothered. It’s about building a community of people who really appreciate my sound and that’s what I’m focused on right now. I know that, eventually, a lot more people will be able to tap into what I do.”

Consequently, the show did not only serve as testament to Dami Oniru as one of the leading R&B voices of our time — it was a paean to the R&B coterie in that it completely obliterated the misconception that good R&B music does not exist in Nigeria. Indeed, there are a lot of exceptional R&B artists in the country who, influenced by a mix of sounds from other genres, are stretching the borders of traditional R&B to birth top-notch tunes while simultaneously drawing from the soulful heart of R&B. “I had three amazing opening acts: Tomilola, Preyé, and Kold AF. I’m a huge fan of their music. I knew that when I wanted to pull off my own show, I wanted them on my stage,” Dami Oniru expressed.

 

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Afro-fusion singer, Tomilola, was the first act of the night who regaled the audience with her lovely performance. Using her vocal flexibility and catchy lyrics, Tomilola was able to kickstart the vibe. Her song, “Let Go”, with highlife duo, The Cavemen, which was a relatable and uplifting track, really set the mood for the night. It can be reasoned as a symbolic representation of what Dami needed from her audience that night: drop the baggage, let go and enjoy the night.

Kold AF was introduced to the stage after Tomilola. To put it simply, Kold makes music that is absorbing and visceral, both rhythmically and emotionally. Even though a few from the audience were not overtly familiar with her songs, no one was exempted from the magnetic pull of her voice, transforming her performance into one that will be fondly remembered. 

Next, Preyé dashed on the stage with a peppy personality and an even peppier outfit. Clothed in a white two-piece embellished with white fluffy fringes, she affirmed that her outfit  represented the title of her new single, “Cotton Candy (Sweet Like)”. Her striking vocals floated around, demonstrating the emotions tied to each song performed.

The gaiety launched and sustained by the opening acts built momentum that synchronized with the climactic emergence of Dami Oniru.  As Dami passionately sang, she assisted her rhythmic melody with a dazzling sequence of mic-twirling and spirited movements, taking the audience on a nostalgic journey that started from her first released song, “Iyawo”, and settled on the songs in her recent EP. Her rendition of “Fallin” particularly stood out as she explained that it was a tribute to her late grandfather. 

The show was a one-night affair that worked to sharpen the desire for more experiences with Dami Oniru. No worries, though. Dami promised that there’s more to come.