Afro Soul Stories

Sep 30, 2026 · 41m

What does home mean when your music has carried you across three continents? Cameroonian balafonist, composer and music educator Obase-Aboli joins Sewor Okudzeto on Afro Soul Stories to talk highlife, belonging and the business of music.Obase-Aboli's journey runs from Cameroon to Abu Dhabi, Ghana and now the UK. He explains how he plays two balafons side by side — one tuned for the "white keys", one for the "black keys" — so he can play every note with a full band. He talks about why four years in Ghana and its highlife tradition reshaped his sound, how Cameroon holds nearly every form of balafon found across the continent, and why musicians need to understand that music is a business with a brand behind it.We also talk about his band Ban'tikar – The African Spy Band and the question at the heart of their new project: what happens when you're not fully home here, and no longer fully home there?📺 See the balafon in action — watch the full video episode on YouTube: [ADD YOUTUBE LINK]🎵 Follow Obase-AboliInstagram: @obaseaboliofficialWebsite: https://abolimusic.com🎧 Follow Afro Soul Stories so you never miss an episode, and leave a rating — it helps new listeners find conversations with artists shaping the sound of the African diaspora worldwide.🎙️ About Afro Soul StoriesAfro Soul Stories, hosted by Sewor Okudzeto, explores the roots, rhythms and creative journeys of African and diaspora artists — where music meets memory and culture meets innovation.📺 YouTube: @Afro-Soul-Stories📸 Instagram: @afrosoulstories | @sewor_music🌍 https://www.afrosoulstories.com | https://www.seworokudzeto.com✉️ admin@afrosoulstories.com | sewor@seworokudzeto.com

Sep 23, 2026 · 37m

Steelpan artist, composer and educator Damoi Morgan joins Sewor Okudzeto on Afro Soul Stories to explore the remarkable history and evolution of the steel pan.Born in Brooklyn with Trinidadian and Jamaican roots, Damoi reflects on his journey from school music rooms in New York to research and performance across Senegal, South Africa and London.We discuss the steel pan’s transformation from an instrument shaped by colonial suppression into a global symbol of Caribbean creativity, alongside Damoi’s own artistic development, his album Reflections Abroad, and the experiences that continue to shape the way he composes, performs and teaches.A conversation about music, migration, heritage and the continuing evolution of one of the world’s youngest instruments.

Sep 23, 2026 · 35m

Gbogboade joins Sewor Okudzeto on Afro Soul Stories to discuss his journey from Nigeria to the UK and the evolution of his distinctive sound.Born in Port Harcourt and shaped by Lagos, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist blends Neo Soul, Afro Fusion and downtempo influences into music that feels intimate, reflective and entirely his own.We explore his growth as an artist, the 2025 EP Where Do We Go?, and his latest 2026 project, Bastard!.One of the most compelling new voices emerging from the Nigerian diaspora.

Jul 30, 2026 · 1h 2m

What if the music you love most — Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Afrobeats, Amapiano — all came from the same place?Ethnomusicologist and author Doye T. Agama joins Sewor Okudzeto on Afro Soul Stories to trace the real history of West African music — from ancient traditions to global dominance, and how it survived, travelled across continents, and came back transformed.Doye's book The Sound That Would Not Die is one of the most comprehensive accounts of this migratory story we've come across. This conversation covers the circuit that connects Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe — and how it has been running for centuries.If you care about where the music actually comes from, this one is essential listening.Get Doye's book: https://amzn.eu/d/038LfjroAbout Afro Soul StoriesAfro Soul Stories, hosted by Sewor Okudzeto, explores the roots, rhythms and creative journeys of African and diaspora artists — where music meets memory and culture meets innovation.Follow us on YouTube: @AfroSoulStoriesInstagram: @afrosoulstories | @sewor_musicVisit: www.afrosoulstories.com | www.seworokudzeto.comContact: admin@afrosoulstories.com

Jul 16, 2026 · 58m

Kwame Yeboah is one of Ghana's most accomplished musicians, producers, arrangers and musical directors. From his roots in western Ghana, through studies in Denmark, to an international career working with artists including Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), Craig David, Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas, Sola Akingbola and many more, his journey spans decades of creativity across Africa, Europe and beyond.In this episode of Afro Soul Stories, Sewor Okudzeto sits down with Kwame to discuss his remarkable career, the global rise of African music, the revival of Ghanaian highlife, and the experiences that have shaped his sound.The conversation also explores Kwame's debut solo album, In His Own Time, and Arkava—his direct-to-fan platform designed to help artists build meaningful relationships with listeners while creating alternatives to the traditional streaming model.This is a conversation about musicianship, heritage, ownership, and why preserving African musical culture has never been more important.In this episode:Growing up in Ghana's highlife traditionStudying music in DenmarkHugh Masekela's InfluenceWorking with Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), Craig David, Pat Thomas, Ebo Taylor and moreThe global growth of African musicRecording, touring and musical directionIn His Own Time – Kwame's debut solo albumWhy Arkava puts artists and fans firstThe future of African music

Jun 24, 2026 · 1h 29m

Wanlov the Kubolor has spent nearly two decades making albums most artists wouldn't touch — one about illegal gold mining years before it became a national crisis, one about Ghana's anti-LGBT politics, a whole catalogue of "card" albums each tackling a different piece of social commentary.In this episode, Sewor Okudzeto sits down with the Ghanaian-Romanian rapper, producer and filmmaker for a full career retrospective: the FOKN Bois origin story with longtime collaborator M3NSA (the duo behind Coz Ov Moni, the world's first pidgin musical film), his production work with Stevo Atambire and Alostmen, his more recent work with Lamisi on her Real World Records project Let Us Clap, his move into directing over 100 of his own music videos, and the night FOKN Bois played one of their most provocative songs to 5,000 people at the Afrika Shrine in Lagos.We also get into why he's pulled most of his catalogue off Spotify on principle, his early influences from Ghanaian highlife legends, and what it means to build a career on saying the things other artists won't.Listen to Wanlov's music on Bandcamp: wanlov.bandcamp.comAfro Soul Stories — hosted by Sewor Okudzeto — explores the roots, rhythms and creative journeys of African and diaspora artists.

May 18, 2026 · 46m

In this special tribute episode, we honour the life and legacy of Ebo Taylor — Ghanaian guitarist, composer, and one of the founding architects of highlife and Afrobeat music. Ebo Taylor passed away on 7th February 2026, aged 90, leaving behind six decades of music that shaped the sound of an entire continent.We sit down with Kweku Aacht, representative of EBOFEST — the international festival dedicated to Ebo Taylor's legacy — to talk about the man, his music, and the upcoming celebrations honouring both his life and 100 years of highlife music.From his collaborations with Fela Kuti in 1960s London, to producing Pat Thomas and C.K. Mann at Essiebons, to being sampled by Usher, the Black Eyed Peas, and Kelly Rowland — Ebo Taylor's influence stretches further than most people realise.EBOFEST 2026 Events:📍 22nd May — Jazz Café, London📍 10th July — The JAGO, London🌍 27th–28th August — Saltpond, GhanaMore info: www.ebofest.comAfro Soul Stories is hosted by Sewor Okudzeto — exploring the roots, rhythms, and creative journeys of African and diaspora artists, where music meets memory and culture meets innovation.

Apr 29, 2026 · 51m

From Lagos to the Grammys: Tempoe on Afrobeats, Global Hits & Creative Growth | E24Grammy-nominated Afrobeats producer Tempoe joins Afro Soul Stories for an in-depth conversation on his journey from Lagos to the global stage.Best known as the producer behind the worldwide hit “Love Nwantiti” — a record that has generated billions of streams — Tempoe shares the story behind his rise, his creative process, and what it really takes to build music that connects across borders.In this episode, we also explore his recent experiences during Grammys Week in Los Angeles, and his work on Omah Lay’s latest project Clarity of Mind, offering insight into the evolving sound of Afrobeats and the mindset required to stay ahead creatively.This conversation goes beyond the music — touching on discipline, identity, and the drive to keep pushing forward in a global industry.—🎧 Afro Soul Stories explores the journeys of artists, producers, and cultural voices shaping Africa and the diaspora through music, storytelling, and creativity.Follow and share if you’re tapping into the culture.

Apr 22, 2026 · 56m

In this episode of Afro Soul Stories, I sit down with author and musician Antonio Michael Downing, also known as John Orpheus, to explore the story behind his book Black Cherokee.We dive into themes of identity, migration, and what it means to live between Trinidad and Canada—navigating multiple cultures while forming a sense of self. Antonio reflects on how storytelling becomes a way of understanding belonging, memory, and history.We also explore his work as a musician, and how creativity flows between writing and sound, shaping a dual artistic practice that spans both literature and music.At its core, this conversation is about heritage, voice, and the spaces we occupy between worlds.