Owelu Dreamhouse might be a new name to many, but their sound carries something of a familiarity. It’s not without a uniqueness though, and the stories of band members Nkechi Anele and Nic Ryan have birthed this new project of incredible eclecticism.
Having shared their premiere release African BaBa in August 2024 – a three track EP that brought forth the sound of Owelu Dreamhouse – Anele and Ryan have since released three singles as they sit on the precipice of their first full-length LP, arriving today, Friday, February 6th.
The project brings together Anele and Ryan’s musical interest overlap in soul, latin, and funk, their devoted relationship strengthened by their time together in Naarm/Melbourne outfit Saskwatch as well as Anele’s exploration into her Nigerian and Irish heritage with Ryan’s foray into new styles of production.
The result is a sweepingly, diverse 12-track arrangement that coalesces afrobeat, soul, latin and more speaking to the intricacies of both of their beings.
Owelu Dreamhouse, the self-titled album is a reflection of the community they have built and have been supported by at various points along their respective and entangled journeys.
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“In the process of making this album, we have built a community,” outlines Anele. “And I never knew that that was an aspect of creating a band. Because we have a really big community of musicians that are new and some that we've known for ages that have come in and out of this project.
“And so, the album itself is not only about the friendship that we have and my identity, but it's about this feeling of being called back to the village. being called to return home and return to your identity and to really celebrate it and embody it.”
It’s no wonder the sound of the album ranges across such a broad spectrum of sonic territory, for Anele and Ryan have had such distinct contributions affect their arrival to eventually come together as the project Owelu Dreamhouse.
“The first bands I was in were rock bands,” explains Anele. “Every time I would try and be a rock singer, people were like, ‘You sound so soulful.’ I'm like, ‘No, I'm a rock singer.’ And I had to swallow the soul pill and admit that, yeah, soul was my jam.”
“My foray into performing live was with Chilean musicians doing Cuban music,” adds Ryan. “And then from that, I just grew a love of salsa. And a lot of the salsa is influenced by West African sound; it comes from West African music originally. Over the years, I just collected a lot of salsa records.”
But the connecting point in music for the duo really assumed form in this love from South American music, and its origins that reside in West Africa.
“Nick and I have like a really shared love of South American music,” explains Anele. “There's obviously a West African diaspora through that. And also looking at the jazz scenes that are coming out of the UK.”
For Anele though, the establishment of Owelu Dreamhouse was also about facilitating an enquiry into her lineal heritage, and finding power in her voice.
“I reached a stage in my life where I really wanted to delve into my African heritage,” Anele notes. “I felt really scared about it though. I thought, well, music is this avenue that I've always felt safe, and it's always my singing voice that has been the strongest centring point. I've had the strongest sense of identity through singing. For me to sing is to be my authentic self to people.
“In Owelu Dreamhouse, my difference isn't something that I feel any shame about any more, and talking about my culture and my identity isn't something that feels like a chore. I'm very proud of who I am and I'm also really proud of the work that Nick and I have done in this band.”
Within this newfound pride and sense of self sits an emerging confidence in how her voice is worthy and can have impact too.
“I've been craving to have a female representation, like a really strong female lead and realising that there was a space for me, there's a huge space for me. In fact, so big that there's other Igbo and Nigerian artists that I've met through creating this project and they've also pushed us forward in the way that cultivates and nourishes the imagining that we have for this band.”
The blossoming emergence of Anele finding her voice, in many ways, has allowed for the multicultural representation and threading of the band to contribute to the holistic sound of Owelu Dreamhouse too.
“Having so many people in the band that come from multicultural, multiracial backgrounds and actually representing the sound of the music behind Owelu Dreamhouse, the project is always just becoming more. Through this, and the way the musicians contribute we’ve opened it up to having the freedom of fusion.
“It being our project, we decided very early on that there were no rules and we could push the songs as far as we wanted to. We just let our imaginations run free and try things that we hadn't necessarily played in bands ourselves.”
But despite the omnipresent imagining, Ryan is aware that the music still sits within certain parameters of what music is, that is to say that this record isn’t ‘experimental music’.
“Each song is wild and out there, but it's more like the album crosses and shapes genres and things. We're not hitting buckets of water instead of drums or putting our trumpet in the bathtub, like truly experimental musicians. We're still within the confines of time, space, and the moment.
“Ultimately though there is an element of where you can hear our friendship and the friendship that's in our band, in the music, it's the first time that you're hearing our voices, like genuinely hearing us.”
This is just the beginning for Owelu Dreamhouse who have big plans ahead for recording music and playing shows. They’ll be performing an in-store launch at Melbourne’s Northside Records – the label behind their release – at 6pm on Friday, February 6th, with an album launch slated for The Night Cat on April 4th.
Owelu Dreamhouse’s self-titled album is available now, with tickets to their album launch show also on sale now.
Owelu Dreamhouse – Album Launch
Saturday, April 4th – The Night Cat, Melbourne, VIC
With Karate Boogaloo, Tiana Khasi & DJ Mz Rizk
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
