Singer-Rapper-Activist Tunde Olaniran Takes Pursuit Of Boldness Beyond Flint
With Meghna Chakrabarti
Singer, rapper, activist Tunde Olaniran is bringing his Flint, Michigan, sound to the national stage.
Guests
Tunde Olaniran, singer-songwriter, producer, choreographer, activist. Native of Flint, Michigan. His new album “Stranger” was released in October. (@tundeolaniran)
On Point Playlists: Tunde Olaniran
From The Reading List
NPR: “Don’t Be A ‘Stranger’ To Tunde Olaniran” — “A Flint native who’s become a staple of Detroit’s music scene, Tunde Olaniran knows his way around hyphens: A singer-rapper-activist-choreographer-producer-you-name-it, he presides over a bighearted sound and style that revolve around spirited statements of affirmation, a sprawling artistic palette and the pursuit of boldness in every sense of the word.
“The irresistible 2015 anthem ‘Namesake’ (from Transgressor, Olaniran’s auspicious debut) helped raise his profile via word of mouth and placement in an Apple ad. Now, he’s returned with his second album: Stranger, which expands on themes of individuality and ambition as channeled through hard-won self-belief. Amid arrangements that feed off a spirit of zippy elasticity, the singer ruminates on his pursuit of belonging (‘I’m Here’), risk-taking (‘Vulnerable’) and the strength humans need in order to strive and thrive (‘Mountain’).
“But Stranger isn’t all pep talks and soul-searching: In ‘Celine Dion,’ for example, Olaniran has a blast bragging about a flair for low-budget fashion while name-dropping the titular singer — not to mention Lady Gaga and Tilda Swinton. ‘Coins,”‘as its title suggests, is a springy ode to getting paid, albeit one that finds a way to name-drop Steven Universe. It all adds up to a finely calibrated mix of purpose and playfulness, executed to stylish perfection.”
WDET: “Flint Native Tunde Olaniran Reflects on Big Year for His Music” — “Our region has been known for generations as a hub of innovation in music. Artists from our area are part of a family tree — a continuum of musicians who redefine or shape their genres for the generation to come.
“That includes Tunde Olaniran, a Flint native and a musician with a physical presence that’s as eclectic and boundary-pushing as his music.
“This year, he released a new album of personal and entrancing stories on Stranger.”
Paper: “Tunde Olaniran Is Running Up That Hill” — “Tunde Olaniran, a queer musician and activist based in Flint, Michigan isn’t afraid of a challenge, especially when it comes to making art. In addition to his own work, Olaniran produced rapper Mona Haydar’s viral track ‘Hijabi,’ which was widely praised as a top feminist single of the decade, and he directed the video for it.
“Olaniran’s new album Stranger is out October 5 and it fiercely addresses matters of the heart, systemic injustice, and self-esteem over clanging, wildly experimental electronic arrangements, and rapped and sung verses.
“His newest single, ‘Mountain,’ continues in this vein, though it initially started as a country song about staying motivated. ‘I was in the studio and my friend Seth Anderson said, “You can’t just stop halfway up the mountain! You either climb or fall,”‘ Olaniran tells PAPER. ‘I realized that creating music and art was worth some sleepless nights and uncertain times.’ ”
Allison Pohle produced this show for broadcast. [Copyright 2018 NPR]
