Music

TOBi Paints a Candid Picture of Growth and Vulnerability in Debut Album ‘Still’

Posted on by Ify Obi
TOBi Still

Toronto based Nigerian-Canadian artist, TOBi has finally put out his debut genre-bending album dubbed Still.

The album follows a long build-up with the releases of one-off singles like the psyche inspired Sweet Poison, Werking and City Blues. A broad look at the album finds TOBi experimenting with various sounds from Rap and RnB, to Jazz and Afrobeats spiced with a bit of Yoruba while taking listeners on a journey through his life, inspirations and aspirations.

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This album was years in the making with several iterations throughout. STILL being true to my life story, it was best for it to be split into 3 chapters of learning and unlearning; Searching, Conflict, and Salvation. With it finally completed and seeing the light of day, I have so many people to thank on this. It feels pretty surreal thinking about the collection of humans that have contributed to this beautiful body of work. First my executive producers @davidleigh_ and @jontanners for seeing this thing from inception to completion and staying up late nights to hone in on concepts to sequencing and everything in between. @natesmithvi thank you for being a constant force of positivity throughout this process and never compromising the vision. @findmason, @jonaboon, @ejjismith, @pipvangenabeek, @takeadaytrip & @russchell, @prodnahum, @therealcvre for contributing to the sound design. @freenlosh and @arthurmcarthur for being toronto legends and working with me on this one. @mixedbydula thank you for coming thru like Horry in 4th with the mixing of this album. @josefadamu and @jeremyrodneyhall for your creative genius and seeing my vision through. @deaddilly for being generous with your time and gifts on the visuals. @illmindproducer for producing, doing sound design and taking a chance on a young to spitter after hearing me freestyle at his pass the aux session one winter night 2 years ago. Thank you @timsuby for the mentorship you provided and the guidance to become a better songwriter in which I’m very grateful. Lastly, I want to thank @jonathandmaster and the rest of the @sameplate and @sonymusicglobal team for believing in my vision and executing on a high level with PASSION. Let’s leave an impact on the world. STILL is out everywhere tomorrow. May 3.

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Speaking with Billboard, he describes the challenges that served as inspiration for the new album

“The process of assimilation into a new culture, not feeling like I belonged for a long time — which has an effect on your core being, your mental health, how you interact with the world around you. [You] feel like, “Yo, like what am I doing here? Where do I belong? Like, where’s my place?”

Featured in the 13-track album are VanJess in the song Come Back Home and TOBi’s mum as well in the song Conflict, Still.

You can listen to TOBi on his debut album Still below: