Artist of the Week: Onikan Is Finding Her Voice Through Music

Meet Onikan: Finding Her Voice Through Music

For Nigerian singer-songwriter Onikan, music is more than sound. It is a way to express emotions, explore identity and communicate experiences that words alone may not fully capture.

Born Timilehin in Lagos and currently based in Abuja, Onikan is building her identity as an artist through a creative journey shaped by music, movement, visual art and writing. Her approach reflects a desire to create from a place of authenticity rather than fit into a particular mould.

As part of the Creative Business Academy for Africa (CBA for Africa) 2026 Talent Development Programme, Onikan continues to develop her artistry while exploring how her experiences and influences can shape a sound that feels distinctly her own.

A Creative Journey That Started Beyond Music

Before music became her primary form of expression, Onikan was already exploring different creative outlets. Hip-hop dance, drawing and writing were part of her early interests, giving her different ways to understand rhythm, movement and storytelling.

Her relationship with music also developed through years of playing the drums, an experience that continues to influence how she approaches sound. Rather than focusing only on vocals or lyrics, she pays attention to space, rhythm and the feeling created between musical elements.

Growing up around church music also played a role in shaping her musical foundation. Combined with her interest in hip-hop culture and the artistry of Michael Jackson, these experiences helped form her understanding of music as both personal expression and performance.

For Onikan, creativity has never been limited to one discipline. Each experience has contributed to the artist she is becoming.

The Influences Behind Her Sound

Onikan’s music draws from a blend of Afro-fusion, alternative R&B, soul, jazz and Afrobeats. Her sound brings together soulful vocals, subtle percussion and spacious production, allowing emotion to remain at the centre of the listening experience.

Her influences reflect that range. From hip-hop’s relationship with rhythm to Michael Jackson’s fearless approach to performance, she draws inspiration from artists and creative cultures that treat music as a way to communicate something personal.

Rather than crowding her songs with too many elements, Onikan often leaves room for the music to breathe. Silence, pacing and atmosphere are important parts of her creative process, helping her build songs around feeling as much as sound.

As she puts it in her artist statement:

“It lives between emotion and atmosphere. I don’t force a direction. I build feeling.”

That philosophy offers a glimpse into how she approaches her craft: allowing each song to develop naturally while remaining connected to the emotions behind it.

Music as a Form of Self-Expression

A defining part of Onikan’s artistic identity is her commitment to authenticity. Her music is not simply about creating a particular sound; it is also about finding ways to communicate her perspective and experiences.

This approach is reflected in another statement from her artist profile:

“I’m not performing for approval. This is music as expression, identity and lived experience.”

It is a perspective that places creative freedom at the heart of her journey. With influences spanning different genres and art forms, Onikan continues to explore what her music can become without losing sight of the person behind it.

Her visual presentation also contributes to this identity. The imagery surrounding her work, including leather styling, a beanie, a red curtain, a radio and a chair, forms part of a considered creative world that extends beyond the songs themselves.

A New Chapter With SATURN

Onikan’s latest project, SATURN, marks another step in her evolving musical journey. Released on October 16, 2026, the seven-track EP brings together her interest in atmosphere, emotional expression and a blend of contemporary sounds.

The project features:

1. “OPEN”

2. “FIRE & ICE”

3. “LIKE DAT”

4. “GANGSTAR”

5. “REASON”

6. “HUNDRD”

7. “DUKES UP”

Rather than defining her artistry by one release, SATURN offers another opportunity to hear how her creative ideas are developing. It sits within a growing catalogue that includes earlier singles such as “Lies,” “2nd Chance,” “Sirius” and “Surrender.”

For listeners discovering Onikan for the first time, the project provides an entry point into her musical world and the different influences shaping her sound.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO SATURN

Onikan’s Creative Development

As part of CBA for Africa’s 2026 Talent Development Programme, Onikan is developing her artistry alongside other emerging creatives.

Her journey reflects the importance of giving artists room to explore their sound, understand their strengths and communicate their stories with greater clarity. With her background in multiple creative disciplines and her interest in music as personal expression, Onikan brings a perspective shaped by more than one artistic influence.

As she continues to grow, her challenge is not simply to make more music, but to keep discovering the most honest ways to express herself through it.

What’s Next for Onikan?

Onikan’s story is still unfolding. From her early experiences with dance, drawing, writing and drums to her growing catalogue of releases, each stage has contributed to her evolving identity as a singer-songwriter.

Her willingness to explore different sounds while staying connected to emotion and authenticity makes her journey one worth following. With SATURN introducing another chapter in her catalogue, listeners have more opportunities to connect with the ideas and creative choices behind her music.

For this week’s ZagaEmpire Artist of the Week, Onikan represents an artist finding her voice on her own terms — bringing together different influences, personal experiences and creative disciplines to build a musical identity that continues to evolve.

Follow Onikan on Instagram: @Onikantheone

 

Written by: GENERAL ZAGA