Beacons: Focus on Andrew Ogun
Written by Isabella Crowther
​
“If we were all cards I’d be an ace,
So bring out the track,
If you’re ready for the race…
but you’re not though.” Ogun, ‘Flair’.
​
Andrew Ogun the artist, activist, fashion creative director, writer and Agent for Change at Arts of Council Wales. You’d be forgiven for asking if there is anything this creative doesn’t do. Ogun has studied in Birmingham, Berlin and London, so why did he choose to come back to Wales? He had this to say about the benefit of being a young artist in Wales, “I think one of the really beneficial things of being a musician, especially one that is working within the MOBO genres, is that you don't have to deal with over-saturation and an overly competitive atmosphere like other places. There aren't thousands of people all trying to break the same scene so that really works in our favour. I also feel like we support each other here in Wales and show each other a lot of love, which is exactly how it should be. You'll see your contemporaries at your shows, sharing your stuff on social media and just genuinely showing support and sharing opportunities. That is what makes a scene vibrant, healthy and allows it to thrive.”
Crafting his music career from 2016, in the trio AFTERPARTY with fellow rapper Tonyy and producer/multi-instrumentalist Goom, the outfit was likened to Outkast and Digable Planets. Their first and only release titled ’Would You Call This Art?’ is raw, unpolished but unique from any other sonic world at the time. After their disbandment, Ogun was exploring different sounds and releasing a single, leading to the EP ‘Flight Mode’. “I was back-and-forth between Berlin and the UK and Paris a little bit as well, so I was really living in transit in a sense. I wanted to capture this sonically and that was the foundation and essence of that project. It was a huge project in regard to time and effort; it took me just shy of 2 years to complete it from conception to release, and obviously COVID-19 struck which set things back a bit.”
Working in the role of Agent for Change at Arts Council of Wales has given him a behind the scenes perspective that few get to observe. He said, “I think it gives me far more scope and understanding of the larger context within which we operate as artists. I also think it has made me more motivated to really support and strengthen the MOBO scene here in Wales because there is so much talent here it's crazy. I've moved away from only thinking about myself and my career to caring far more about the overall ecology of the music industry here in Wales and I'm unsure if that shift would have ever happened if not for my role with the Arts Council. I also think that the role raised my profile on a personal level considerably, so there's more people paying attention to what I do artistically and anticipating what's next.” As Ogun wears so many hats, I asked how he keeps himself replenished so he is better placed to support other creatives. On this, he said he makes sure to meditate and get in time with friends and family, but that it is something he is working on.
With all the experience that he has gained both as an artist and someone who directly supports artists and creatives, his advice is “…ask yourself whether you're in it for the right reasons; don't just do it to do it. Creativity almost always has to come from a place of emotion and craftsmanship before anything else and you can't feign that. I would also say that it's key to network and connect. There's no point in making music in a soloed manner, music is a shared experience so get out there and actually get involved with the scene. I learnt that the hard way initially; I was so focussed on myself and my closest collaborators that I forgot to connect with other people musically so don't be like me. Lastly, make sure you actually have the right skillset for what you want to do in the music industry. Not everyone has to be a rapper or singer or songwriter. Perhaps your strengths are better served on the more business/executive side of things, or maybe you're better served to be a promoter, manager, engineer etc.”
So what’s next for Ogun? ”At this point now, my focus has been on live shows and expanding my reach and finding my audience and my tribe. I have a couple singles and other things in the pipeline, and I'm already conceptually developing my debut album which may or may not be out next year.” Well, I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to hear it!
Bannau Canolbwyntio ar Andrew Ogun
Ysgrifennwyd gan Isabella Crowther
​
“If we were all cards I’d be an ace,
So bring out the track,
If you’re ready for the race…
but you’re not though.” Ogun, ‘Flair’.
​
Andrew Ogun yr artist, actifydd, cyfarwyddwr creadigol ffasiwn, awdur ac Asiant dros Newid yng Nghelfyddydau Cyngor Cymru. Byddwch yn cael maddeuant am ofyn a oes unrhyw beth nad yw'r creadigol hwn yn ei wneud. Mae Ogun wedi astudio yn Birmingham, Berlin a Llundain, felly pam y dewisodd ddod yn ôl i Gymru? Roedd ganddo hyn i'w ddweud am y budd o fod yn arlunydd ifanc yng Nghymru, “Rwy'n credu mai un o'r pethau buddiol iawn o fod yn gerddor, yn enwedig un sy'n gweithio o fewn genres MOBO, yw nad oes rhaid i chi ddelio â gor-dirlawnder ac awyrgylch rhy gystadleuol fel lleoedd eraill. Nid oes miloedd o bobl i gyd yn ceisio torri'r un olygfa fel bod hynny'n gweithio o'n plaid mewn gwirionedd. Rwyf hefyd yn teimlo ein bod yn cefnogi ein gilydd yma yng Nghymru ac yn dangos llawer o gariad i'n gilydd, a dyna'n union sut y dylai fod. Fe welwch eich cyfoeswyr yn eich sioeau, gan rannu'ch pethau ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol a dangos cefnogaeth a rhannu cyfleoedd yn wirioneddol. Dyna sy’n gwneud golygfa yn fywiog, yn iach ac yn caniatau iddi ffynnu. ”
Yn saernïo ei yrfa gerddoriaeth o 2016, yn y triawd AFTERPARTY gyda'i gyd-rapiwr Tonyy a'r cynhyrchydd / aml-offerynnwr Goom, cyffelybwyd y wisg i Outkast a Digable Planets. Mae eu datganiad cyntaf a’r unig ryddhad dan y teitl ‘Would You Call This Art?’ Yn amrwd, heb ei liwio ond yn unigryw o unrhyw fyd sonig arall ar y pryd. Ar ôl eu diddymiad, roedd Ogun yn archwilio gwahanol synau ac yn rhyddhau sengl, gan arwain at yr EP ‘Flight Mode’. “Roeddwn yn ôl ac ymlaen rhwng Berlin a’r DU a Paris ychydig bach hefyd, felly roeddwn i wir yn byw wrth deithio ar un ystyr. Roeddwn i eisiau dal hyn yn sonig a dyna oedd sylfaen a hanfod y prosiect hwnnw. Roedd yn brosiect enfawr o ran amser ac ymdrech; cymerodd ychydig yn swil o 2 flynedd i mi ei gwblhau o'r cenhedlu i'w ryddhau, ac yn amlwg fe darodd COVID-19 a osododd bethau yn ôl ychydig. "
Mae gweithio yn rôl Asiant dros Newid yng Nghyngor Celfyddydau Cymru wedi rhoi persbectif y tu ôl i'r llenni iddo nad oes llawer yn ei arsylwi. Meddai, “Rwy'n credu ei fod yn rhoi llawer mwy o gwmpas a dealltwriaeth i mi o'r cyd-destun mwy rydyn ni'n gweithredu ynddo fel artistiaid. Rwyf hefyd yn credu ei fod wedi fy ysgogi mwy i gefnogi a chryfhau golygfa MOBO yma yng Nghymru oherwydd bod cymaint o dalent yma mae'n wallgof. Rwyf wedi symud i ffwrdd o ddim ond meddwl amdanaf fy hun a fy ngyrfa i ofalu llawer mwy am ecoleg gyffredinol y diwydiant cerddoriaeth yma yng Nghymru ac rwy'n ansicr a fyddai'r newid hwnnw erioed wedi digwydd oni bai am fy rôl gyda Chyngor y Celfyddydau. Credaf hefyd fod y rôl wedi codi fy mhroffil ar lefel bersonol yn sylweddol, felly mae mwy o bobl yn talu sylw i'r hyn rwy'n ei wneud yn artistig ac yn rhagweld beth sydd nesaf. " Wrth i Ogun wisgo cymaint o hetiau, gofynnais sut mae'n cadw ei hun i ailgyflenwi fel ei fod mewn gwell sefyllfa i gefnogi pobl greadigol eraill. Ar hyn, dywedodd ei fod yn gwneud yn siŵr ei fod yn myfyrio a chael amser gyda ffrindiau a theulu, ond ei fod yn rhywbeth y mae'n gweithio arno.
Gyda'r holl brofiad y mae wedi'i ennill fel artist a rhywun sy'n cefnogi artistiaid a phobl greadigol yn uniongyrchol, ei gyngor yw “… gofynnwch i'ch hun a ydych chi ynddo am y rhesymau cywir; peidiwch â'i wneud i'w wneud yn unig. Bron bob amser mae'n rhaid i greadigrwydd ddod o le emosiwn a chrefftwaith cyn unrhyw beth arall ac ni allwch feignio hynny. Byddwn hefyd yn dweud ei fod yn allweddol i rwydweithio a chysylltu. Nid oes diben gwneud cerddoriaeth mewn dull unigol, mae cerddoriaeth yn brofiad a rennir felly ewch allan yna a chymryd rhan yn yr olygfa mewn gwirionedd. Dysgais fod y ffordd galed i ddechrau; Roeddwn i wedi canolbwyntio cymaint ar fy hun a fy nghydweithwyr agosaf nes i mi anghofio cysylltu â phobl eraill yn gerddorol felly peidiwch â bod fel fi. Yn olaf, gwnewch yn siŵr bod gennych y set sgiliau gywir ar gyfer yr hyn rydych chi am ei wneud yn y diwydiant cerddoriaeth. Nid oes rhaid i bawb fod yn rapiwr neu'n ganwr neu'n gyfansoddwr caneuon. Efallai bod eich cryfderau yn cael eu gwasanaethu'n well ar ochr fwy busnes / gweithredol pethau, neu efallai eich bod yn cael eich gwasanaethu'n well i fod yn hyrwyddwr, rheolwr, peiriannydd ac ati. ”
Felly beth sydd nesaf i Ogun? ”Ar y pwynt hwn nawr, byddaf yn ffocysu ar sioeau byw ac ehangu fy nghyrhaeddiad a dod o hyd i'm cynulleidfa a fy llwyth. Mae gen i gwpl sengl a phethau eraill ar y gweill, ac rydw i eisoes yn datblygu fy albwm cyntaf yn gysyniadol a allai fod allan y flwyddyn nesaf neu beidio. ” Wel, nid wyf yn gwybod amdanoch chi, ond ni allaf aros i'w glywed!
