Coachella proudly unveils Oluseye Desmond Sodamola, Afrobeats’ most globally recognised Nigerian DJ, famously known as SPINALL, as the first Afrobeat DJ to grace the Coachella Valley Music and Art Festival.
The festival will witness Spinall’s electrifying performances across two consecutive weekends, specifically on Saturday, April 13 and 20.
This monumental announcement marks a significant milestone for DJs, producers, and artists hailing from Nigeria. As Afrobeats takes centre stage at Coachella, DJ Spinall is set to command the Sahara Tent, a stage designed to push the boundaries of high-energy music and explore the intersection of technology and art, promising fans an unparalleled experience.
Following the announcement, SPINALL expressed his excitement, stating,
“This is a monumental moment for Afrobeats. As our distinctive genre continues to captivate global audiences, stages like Coachella provide a platform to celebrate our growth and inspire us further to showcase our art and culture to the world.”
The revelation comes on the heels of Nigeria’s remarkable contributions to the global music scene, with Spinall playing a pivotal role in elevating Afrobeats on the international platform.
Spinall’s trailblazing journey continues, having achieved recognition as the first Nigerian and Afrobeats DJ featured in the esteemed British electronic dance and clubbing magazine Mixmag’s list of the top 25 DJs who defined the year 2023.
Additionally, he holds the distinction of being the first Nigerian to captivate the audience at the illustrious Glastonbury Festival in the UK, following in the footsteps of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, who paved the way for other Nigerian artists like Wizkid and Burna Boy.
Oluseye Desmond Sodamola was born in Lagos and he is the third of five siblings. He attained his primary and secondary school education in Lagos State, then moved to Ogun State, to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Olabisi Onabanjo University,where he received his BSc degree.
He first gained prominence in 2004, while working as a radio DJ at Raypower 100.5 FM, Spinall studied at Tenstrings Music Institute.He later joined Industry Nite where he promoted underground talents at the weekly platform.
In 2014, he launched TheCAPMusic, a record label/management company. In the following year, he signed producers to the TheCAPMusic. Top Boy as he is popularly called, released his first hit single “GbaGbe E” in 2014 featuring Burna Boy. He has collaborated with other acts such as 2Baba, Wizkid, Wande Coal, Davido, Mr Eazi, Tiwa Savage, Kizz Daniel, and many more.
In 2015, Spinall became the first African DJ to perform at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, with other supporting acts to join Spinall on stage including Davido, Sarkodie, R2Bees with host Eddie Kadi. He is also the first Nigerian DJ to tour 5 cities in United States, including New York City, Miami, Houston, Austin, and Washington, D.C. In 2017, he was the official DJ for BET Awards in Los Angeles, California. The award was aired across the globe, which also gained him worldwide attention as a Disc Jockey pioneering Afrobeat to the world. On 21 April 2019, Spinall became the first Nigerian DJ to headline a show at XOYO in London and the first Nigerian DJ to perform at the Glastonbury Festival on 29 June 2019.
On 13 February 2023, Spinall shared the official art cover to his sixth studio album on his various social media.
According to Bomi Anifowose from African Folder, DJ Spinall’s Top Boy album borrows a rich collage of African sounds mingling with Western music elements such as synths and electronic chordophones, certifying the body of work as yet another successful sonic experiment.
He has performed in several popular events and shows since his rise to stardom, performed in events like:
BET Awards 2017 Official DJ (2017),Mixmag New York Gig (2017),MixMag “The LAB” New York (2018), Africa All Star Music Fest Toronto (2018), One Africa Music Fest, London (2018), Glastonbury Festival (2019), Afro Nation, Portugal (2019), Afro Nation, Ghana (2019), Bruno Mars Live and Exclusive, Sydney (2022), MTV Europe Music Awards, Germany (2022) and many others.
In anticipation of Spinall’s Coachella performances, fans are invited to share their preferences for Afrobeats songs they’d like to hear on the grand stage on social media via @spinall.