OZIOMA, the Rhythm Curator

My name is OZIOMA, on socials I go by @chinasa_n

Ozioma likes to talk about everything that involves creativity, especially music and she’s trying to get deeper into tv/film..

What do you do?

That’s a hard question. Basically I like to talk about everything that involves creativity, especially music and I’m trying to get deeper into tv/film. Music journalism is definitely a hard field to be in but there is so much good music to be shared!

What do you think is the most important element of building a loyal audience in the music and culture space?

Apart from good music, I’d say an important element is being present with your fans, whether that’s checking in online, sharing behind the scenes and meaning behind your work or giving back in other ways. There are unobtrusive ways to show appreciation and share art beyond what’s released and I think audiences really respond to that openness.

How did you first get into writing and covering music and artists?

I’ve loved writing ever since I could remember but I first got interested in writing about music when I heard of an artist in my community. She was a friend of a friend. Her music was fabulous and ethereal but because she was African, I felt her music was underrated. So I took it upon myself to start pitching to outlets I thought would appreciate her vision and somehow I got accepted. It was an amazing feeling but what was even more rewarding was the chance to pick the artist’s brain during the interview and immerse myself into her world to write the piece. I knew then that I had to keep doing this. The artist’s name is Turunesh, check her out!

With balancing your 9-5 job with your passion for creating content about music, What does a typical day look like for you?

I have a very typical schedule depending on my deadlines and work events. During my lunch break, I’m usually doing one or more of these: checking my email, reviewing my editor’s notes or posting music content. After work, I’m often headed to a concert or film - for work or fun or both. If I have a close deadline, I head to a café to write. If I have none of these, then I tackle my very long list of errands.