Onyi Moss is a British Nigerian singer-songwriter from Manchester, UK. She’s a powerhouse creative known for her unique style in storytelling using visually appealing imagery. With influences ranging from the likes of Tracy Chapman and Eva Cassidy., she takes on an introspective approach to her songwriting. Onyi is a modern-day throwback to the lost era of classic singer-songwriters.
Her highly anticipated heart-felt debut single single 'In Your Eyes' was playlisted by 30+ big radio stations such as BBC Radio 6 (Steve Lamacq), RTÉ Radio 1 (the biggest station in Ireland), RTÉ2XM, North Manchester FM and many more. Onyi has also been backed by respected music bloggers/tastemakers such as 'LeFutureWave', 'Last Day Deaf', 'Nya Crea', 'Caesar Live N Loud', 'Lauty', 'UNXIGNED' and 'HQ Indie' and more: Second single ‘Miracle Man’ is out September 10th! With elements of folk blues, it's about breaking free from a noxious relationship. It is a song about liberation.
Tracy Chapman is undoubtedly a sonic influence, with the inclusion of fast-picked guitars, quaking vocals and most importantly the story-telling talents. Moss includes all of these gifts but her influences are so plentiful and her artistry such a cornucopia of talented vocalists and writers for decades, it’s a disservice to name just any two artists that maybe are behind shaping the path that Moss follows. Her sound is a garden of influences and inspirations beyond just the music world. There’s indie in a Mumford and Sons kind of sound then to the powerhouse women of the 90s such as Chapman and Alanis Morrisette. The song is hard to nail down because it is so unique in all the pieces you’re hearing. Luckily this leading you to focus on the lyrics, certainly a strong suit of Moss.
The message of the song is to reenter into a world where you remember that no one can be your miracle, no one can be the be-all end-all to who you are as a person. It’s refocusing the lens back on yourself. The strength of Moss’ voice coincides with the build of the song and with small strums and hesitancy at the beginning, the lyrics and the music lead the listener on her same path of self-discovery. It’s something that is lacking in pop music today and probably why the epic songwriters such as Chapman have so much airplay still and are named in the influences of Onyi Moss. Pop music can take you on an adventure in sound but Moss does so much more than that with the words which could be isolated and still have a slow-burning affect on the listener. There’s no doubt there is a creative mind behind this work who’s itching to take the audience deeper behind the stories of her life and with that potentially help guide people through some of her same struggles.
By Amanda Collins
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