Look out! Gen Z has a new musical sensation to add to their roster: Obai. At only eighteen years old, he has already begun paving the way to join the ranks of the legends. With a soulful tone and a clear passion for music, Obai beautifully blends R&B and pop to create something all his own. Working with accomplished artists like Bryson Tiller, an experience Obai describes as “a full circle moment,” we’re excited to put him and his new EP, svnteen, on your radar!
Right off the bat, one thing you should know is that Obai is also a powerful storyteller. Not only through his music but his captivating visuals, he will take you on a journey from the first note to the last.
I’ve always wanted my music to kind of act as some sort of beacon of light. I feel like art in general is a powerful gift. I feel certain people can express themselves in certain ways… I can express myself through music. So the best way I feel I can express myself and have relatability is through song.
Obai on creating music
A true testament to his storytelling is through his music videos. For example, his music video for ‘girls like you’ weaves you not just through the beauty of the Arizona sights but through the beauty and simplicity of being with the one you love.
‘girls like you’
We went to this Papago Park area. It’s in deep Phoenix. That was dope; the scenery was crazy. I think one thing about Arizona that most people don’t really realize is that we have the best sunsets, so it was perfect for the video.
Obai on the setting of the ‘girls like you’ music video
Growing up on a mix of different genres, including hearing his sister play popular boyband *NSYNC and his brother throwing 2000s R&B into the mix, Obai described himself as “a melting pot of everything he’s consumed.” We can definitely hear these influences in tracks such as ‘girls like you’ and others released in his debut EP, svnteen, which is out now!
Fun fact: When the EP first came into fruition, Obai was leaning towards the title “daydream” because he felt that it described what he was feeling at the time. He later landed on the title svnteen to truly reflect what he calls, “My worst year, but also my greatest year… but also my most mid year. I felt all types of emotions that year… I was experiencing a bunch of stuff I’d never experienced before ’cause of the position I’m blessed to be in.” He hopes that people can listen to it, think back to their own time at seventeen, and find something they can relate to as well.
One of our favorite tracks from svnteen is ‘dancefloor’ because of its infectious energy and Obai’s silky smooth vocals. As the name suggests, ‘dancefloor’ is one of those songs that makes you want to get up and move; for us, it’s definitely a stand-out from the project. You may even see some familiar faces in the video.
‘dancefloor’
With every song you’ll see a good visualizer. A great visualizer, hopefully. If you look at the ‘dancefloor’ music video, there’s some artists that I made sure to put into the video… I love Arizona creatives. I feel like everybody’s kinda tapped into each other.
Obai on his visuals and working with other Arizona creatives
For Obai, though? His favorite is ‘journals’ because of his personal connection to the track. “It’s one of the most personal to me. I talk about my mom. I talk about where I come from… I’m speaking from the heart.”
What started as ideas in his bedroom flourished into something even greater. The creation of the project took him to places like Miami and Atlanta, working with multiple creatives to reach the end product: svnteen, which we’d claim is a sonic masterpiece from beginning to end.
Serving as a trailblazer in Gen Z, taking inspiration from artists like Frank Ocean, Don Toliver, and PARTYNEXTDOOR, Obai is set to become an inspiration for others along the way because of his unmatched authenticity.
Authenticity is one of the most powerful things you can possibly come across to someone, especially when you’re making music. So if you’re coming off as authentic off top you already have a great personal connection with the person you’re trying to make the music for. Not even that, if you’re making music for yourself there’s more a chance that more people will connect to that.
Obai on authenticity
According to Obai himself, this is only the introduction. He’s continued to work on music that he’s excited about. What’s got us excited? Obai just dropped a brand new video for his song, ‘weekend,’ which is also available on the EP. It’s incredible! That means if we have more releases like this to look forward to in 2024, count us in!
‘weekend’
I want to branch out to more experimental sounds. I also want to build a bigger universe… I want every video to get crazier and crazier. I’m excited to get going on the artistic part of my journey.
Obai on plans for 2024
What do you think, bees? Are you set to listen to more Obai this year? Stream svnteen by Obai right now, and let us know your thoughts in the comments. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @thehoneypop!
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