By Sylvester Kwentua

US-based Nigerian artiste, Udeigwe , real name, Lawrence Udeigwe, is very much aware of the profound impact Nigerian music is making across the globe and he has already perfected plans to join the fray not only by stamping his feet on the local scene but also by waving the country’s flag on the world’s stage.

In an interaction with members of the press attended by Potpourri, in Lagos via FaceTime, to promote his new single, “Today”, Udeigwe, who doubles as a musician and a mathematics lecturer in the United States of America, revealed some things he has done musically and some things he intends to do, to get his music accepted; and how he intends to make headway in Nigeria, music wise.

“The Nigerian music industry is a unique one and I know this. “Today’ was a song I started writing in 2008, during the election of Barack Obama. I wanted a song that reflected the moment, and after writing the song, I felt good about the song but I didn’t feel it reflected how I felt. I felt it was a good song for any other occasion, but it wasn’t an election victory song. So, I shelved it, but I didn’t produce it, until 2014 when I went to the studio to record it. Around 2016, I tried promoting the song in Nigeria, but a few people I met then made me realize that the song was not a Nigerian song, that it sounded more like a live band, which it was, because it was recorded as a live band performance in the studio. However, recently I decided to promote the song. I went back to the studio to remake the song, and I then contacted Myro about it, and he had faith in the song, and now we are doing everything to push the song, and the song is getting a good reception.” Udeigwe began.

“To create an impact in Nigeria, musically, I have a plan of involving radio and television stations to play the song, involve members of the media to promote my songs and also employ the services of music experts. “ Udeigwe,added.

On the type of songs he sings, the mathematist-singer prides himself as a ‘Naija jazz’ musician, or ‘Naijazz’ for short, as he likes to categorise it.

“I sing Afro-jazz fusion but you can call my song, Naija-jazz or Naijazz. The DNA of my music is Jazz, with the infusion of the African elements.” he revealed.
Lawrence Udeigwe, has been into music since 2007. He released his first album in 2008, called “Highlife, soul and ecstasy”.He claims to have worked on it with his friend in his bedroom studio. In 2010, He released another album called “My house”, an album that made him a producer for the first time. 

The outcome of his second album was not too successful according to him. He had a single in the album, called ‘reflection’, which he said he promoted in Nigeria, on some TV stations and radio stations. He released another album in 2018, called ‘Rhythm sustained’, the album he said leaned more towards jazz, and it did well. The jazz community in New York rated the album high, a four out of five. It was jazz music with some elements of African music.

Expressing his great desire for his music career, he said: “In 5 years, I’d love to be leading a successful internationally known group that does well both on big stages and small listening rooms, and has enough materials to release an album each year for the next 10 years.”

Speaking recently from his base in the US, Lawrence Udeigwe, who goes by the creative name Udeigwe, described music as his natural first love and talked about how much work he had put into developing his music career despite being a mathematician.

“I released my first album in 2006 and formed my first band in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in 2007. So I’d say at least 16 years’ worth of slow but steady work. Lol. 

“I am also a university professor so I am not able to devote 100% of my time to music, but my grind has been steady.

“I used to release music under the pseudonym Lorens Chuno. But in the past few years, I started to see the need to have a more encompassing name that encapsulates my personal, academic, and artistic life,” he said.

This new single ‘Today’ has a rich flavour of Jazz, and this Manhattan College professor of mathematics artist, also wants music lovers and his fans to enjoy the classic mix of afrobeats. He also highlights an important fact that his music takes on “a wide range of issues that contemporary African deals with.”

Udeigwe describes the Nigerian music industry as “flourishing and actually had a lot of growth since it started, and the sound is a little more diverse now.”  

On rating the Nigerian music industry in the global music space, Udeigwe said:” In terms of danceable tunes, it occupies a good piece of space. I think there is still a huge unoccupied space that Nigerian music could be filling – we’re still yet to tap into our potentials when it comes to listener-friendly music and purely instrumental music, even though we had traditionally had those kinds of music across all the ethnic groups of the country.” 

He looks forward to collaborations with some established Nigerian musicians, as he expressed his thoughts: “I hear Ladipoe on a song I’m currently working on. I hear The Cavemen on another song I’m working on. Others include Tiwa Savage, Flavour, and Niniola. But to be honest, I’d be honoured to work with any of the established folks.”

Udeigwe nurtured his music career by continuously working on his singing, piano playing, and song writing. He would progress with everything to “stay mentally and physically sound” and get a great management and PR team for steady and remarkable growth. 

With a PhD in mathematics, Udeigwe would simply remain with mathematics if he were not doing music.

Though a native of Enugu State, Udeigwe and his six siblings were born and raised in Makurdi, Benue State. His father ran a provision store and a dry-cleaning business while his mother managed a successful tailoring business until retirement.

Udeigwe attended St Theresa’s Primary School in Wurukum Makurdi, and Mt St Gabriel’s Secondary School Makurdi, the same high school that Nigerian music icon, 2Baba(Innocent Idibia), attended.

He left Nigeria for the United States in 2000 for his university education and has remained there since then. 

His consciousness for the love of music started while he was in junior high school, when he joined the school choir. That love blossomed when he finally got to the United States, where he decided to pursue a career in music. 

Asked about the distinctive difference between ‘old school music’ and what obtains now, Udeigwe said: “I think most old school musicians have a wider range of inspiration. At the same time, it may not be fair to compare the two eras since technology has changed so many things including music making tools.”

His love for music is the sanity that good music gives, besides the entertainment enjoyed