Born in Enugu, Nigeria, Ch! Nonso is an AfroSoul artist of Igbo descent residing in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand). In releasing his first project as Ch! Nonso, the artist invites us to witness his homecoming and reclamation of the philosophies and stories his name embodies.
Drawing inspiration from sounds that have deep roots in African music traditions, Ch! Nonso’s first foray into music was as a church choir member and later as a member of a boyband in university. Previously he performed under the alias Nuel Nonso as lead vocalist for Ijebu Pleasure Club and has worked with Phodiso, Mazbou Q, New Telepathics and Sola Rosa.
Sonically, Ch! Nonso’s sound is influenced by traditional Igbo rhythms such as Amawbia and Mbaise sounds, Highlife, RnB, Afrobeat, Jazz, Soul and artists such as Femi Kuti, Destiny’s Child, Celestine Ukwu, Plantashun Boiz and Stevie Wonder.
His reflective lyricism provides commentary on straddling multiple cultural influences and making sense of the awkward space between the jarring union of traditional African and Indigenous cultures, colonial influences and Western culture.
