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William Onyeabor

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William Onyeabor Verified artist
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Background information
Born 1946 3, 26
Origin Enugu, Nigeria
Died 2017 1 , 16 (aged -71 )
Genres

Afro-funk[1]

Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)

Vocals

Years active 1977–1985
Labels

Wilfilms

Website williamonyeabor.com

William Ezechukwu Onyeabor 26 March 1946 – 16 January 2017) was a Nigerian funk musician and businessman.[2] His music was widely heard in Nigeria in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite his success, he remained an enigmatic, private, and reclusive figure.

Overview

Onyeabor's songs are often heavily rhythmic and synthesized, occasionally epic in scope, with lyrics decrying war. Onyeabor himself and female backing singers provided vocals. In the 2010s, some of his songs appeared on various compilations, most frequently his biggest hit, "Better Change Your Mind", which appeared on Africa 100, World Psychedelic Classics 3: Love's a Real Thing – The Funky Fuzzy Sounds of West Africa on Luaka Bop,[3][4] and Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story of 1970's Funky Lagos on Strut Records.[5]

Biography

Onyeabor was born into a poor family, but became financially successful enough to travel to Europe to study record manufacturing.[6] Some biographies claim that he studied cinematography in Russia, returning to Nigeria in the 1970s to start his own Wilfilms music label and to set up a recording and production studio. He was later crowned a High Chief in Enugu, where he lived as a businessman working on government contracts and running his own semolina flour mill.[7][6] His business successes saw him named West African Industrialist of the Year in 1987.[6]

According to the Luaka Bop record label, Onyeabor "self-released eight albums between 1977 and 1985 and then became a born-again Christian, refusing to ever speak about himself or his music again." The label reported that through attempting to speak with Onyeabor himself, and by talking to people who seem to have firsthand knowledge, it tried to construct an accurate biography of him for 18 months, without success.[8]

In 2014, the music website Noisey, affiliated to Vice magazine, released a 31-minute documentary entitled Fantastic Man that documents Onyeabor's history and legacy as well as Noisey's attempt to track him down for an interview.[9] 2014 also saw a touring supergroup called the Atomic Bomb! Band come together to play Onyeabor's music at a series of concerts and festivals around the world. The group is led by musical director Ahmed Gallab[10] and his band Sinkane and includes David Byrne, Money Mark,[11] Damon Albarn, Pat Mahoney, Dev Hynes,[6] Alexis Taylor, Charles Lloyd and Amadou and Mariam.[12] Other admirers of Onyeabor's work include Dan Snaith, Four Tet and Tune-Yards.[6] His song "Fantastic Man" was featured in a television commercial for Apple's iPhone 7 Plus in 2017,[13] as well as in a 2023 commercial for H&M[14], and a 2025 Casamigos commercial.[15] In December 2014, Onyeabor made his debut radio broadcast on the Lauren Laverne Show on BBC 6 Music, where he stated "I only create music that will help the world," and announced that he had plans to release new material.[16]

Onyeabor had four children. One of his children, Charles Onyeabor, is also a musician.[17]

Following a brief illness, on 16 January 2017 Onyeabor died at his home in Enugu, Ezechukwu Palace.[18][19] He was buried nearby on 26 May.[20]

Discography

References

  1. ↑ William Onyeabor | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links. AllMusic
  2. ↑ Donohue, JohnDoctor Who. The New Yorker. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2021
  3. ↑ Pareles, JonThe Temptations of the Power Ballad. The New York Times. 13 February 2005. Retrieved 27 July 2010
  4. ↑ Barclay, MichaelA whole new beginning; New New Pornographers, no coup for Trews and some funky good times. 25 August 2005. Retrieved 27 July 2010
  5. ↑ Kara, ScottVarious – Nigeria 70. The New Zealand Herald. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2010
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Lynskey, DorianWilliam Onyeabor: one of music's most insoluble puzzles to the end. Theguardian.com. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017
  7. ↑ "A William Onyeabor Experience" Archivedon 5 March 2016, Rough Trade Records. Retrieved 11 October 2013
  8. ↑ "Who is William Onyeabor?" Archivedon 25 February 2021, Luaka Bop Records. Retrieved 11 October 2013
  9. ↑ Fantastic Man – A Film About William Onyeabor. YouTube, Retrieved 19 March 2014
  10. ↑ RIP William Onyeabor. Davidbyrne.com. 18 January 2017
  11. ↑ The Songs of William Onyeabor, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The New York Times. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2014
  12. ↑ Empire, KittySunn O))); Atomic Bomb! review – cacophony in the key of ))) major. Theguardian.com. 23 August 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2017
  13. ↑ Apple wins ADC award for 'Barbers' iPhone 7 Plus ad, named Brand of the Year. AppleInsider.com. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2023
  14. ↑ H&M TV Spot, 'Back to School: Bus Runway' Song by William Onyeabor. iSpot.tv. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023
  15. ↑ Casamigos Tequila TV Spot, 'Anything Goes With My Casamigos: House of Friends'
  16. ↑ World Exclusive: William Onyeabor talks to Lauren Laverne Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4. BBC. Retrieved 8 November 2025
  17. ↑ Alake, MotolaniLegendary William Onyeabor's son, Charles Onyeabor sees his song hit No. 12 on Spotify's top 100. Pulse Nigeria. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2023
  18. ↑ Legendary Nigerian musician, William Onyeabor dies at 72
  19. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NPR
  20. ↑ The Funeral of William Onyeabor. williamonyeabor.com. Retrieved 9 November 2025
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Rubin, MikeAn Elusive Mystery Man of Music. The New York Times. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2017
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 Beta, AndyReviews: William Onyeabor Box Set. Pitchfork.com. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2017
  23. ↑ Who is William Onyeabor? Tracklist. Williamonyeabor.com. Retrieved 19 January 2017
  24. ↑ William Onyeabor Crashes in Love – Volume 2. Rough Trade Records. Retrieved 14 October 2021
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