.

The BANKY W Brand: cryptic, and intellectual, Banky W is an R&B icon whose brand goes well beyond the music by Oluwafemi

 

    On the 27th of March, i woke up to birthday wishes all over my TimeLine. Banky W turns 31yrs old. I got really excited about writing something on this.  So i opened my notepad... What else can be written about this Brand?. I closed it, put my headphones on with The Weeknd's syrup music "Echoes Of Silence" slowly pouring inside my brain. I suddenly remember listening to a Nigerian remake Rihanna's 'Umbrella'. I and my friend Stupor had a good laugh and talked about the courage the artiste had to remake such a feminine song. I guess that was the motive: to get people talking.. few years after, what we have is a stylish business man, R&B artiste, activist, philanthropist and a Label boss. 

The Brand known as BANKY W

  Banky W, whose real names are Olubankole Wellington was born in the US, moved back to Lagos Nigeria when he was five years old where he began singing in is church choir at the age of 8. He has been around music all his life but started recording at the age of 21. "When I started, we started selling my CDs out the trunks of our cars. In NY, my two friends and I would put our money together and print a couple hundred CDs. We would then go to hair and nail salons in the neighborhood, and beg the owners to let me sing for their costumers and if they let us we would do a little acapella. My friends couldn’t sing so they would be in the background snapping their fingers and I would sing for the ladies and then we’d sell our CDs five dollars a piece. That’s really where my first income from music came from" he told an interviewer for BellaNaija.

After graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New York earning a degree in Engineering, he was working for an engineering company and doing very well at that time. He left the company after short stint to float a company called Empire Mates Entertainment fondly known as *EME* with friends like Tunde, Segun and Tino whom they were all in New York together.

 Getting back to Nigeria, he linked up with the producer with magic fingers ID Cabasa. They grew up around the same neighborhood but didnt know each other untill a friend introduced them. The relationship gave birth to the much talked about "Ebutte Metta" which was warmly received in Nigeria, uk and some other part of the world.

Banky W has taken his striking voice, good looks, self-confidence and fasioned a career as an R&B singer whose music over time sound fresh and classic at the same time. Banky's music recalls earlier generations of African-American R&B music (When he really wants to sing). Many of his songs are cinematic - character - led with details. From the first EP UNDENIABLE in 2003 to THE W EXPERIENCE album in 2010.

     In all honesty, i wasnt a fan of Banky W till i heard "My Regret" from the "Back In The Building" album in 2005. The album got him a couple of nominations and awards but something else got me. He won the prestigious worldwide John Lennon songwriting award in the R&B categoy and went on to sign a publishing deal in the US. Then i said "I should pay more attention to this guys music".

  In my mind, there is something that puts him in the same cirlce with the likes of Neyo, The Dream and a few other writers/singers. In 2010 Banky W dropped the album "The W Experience" which today is the most succesful work from the singer. The album cut across every genre R&B, hip hop, afrohip hop and soul music. Critics raved about the album. His voice, which could rise from deep and dusky to soaring and clear, impressed, as did his clean, traditional musical arrangements, with mixture of yoruba and fluent English on the songs, his delivery on songs were sensational. Almost every tune seduces with catchy hooks and soulful singing that sidesteps the melismatic overkill that’s murdering R&B.

Banky W actually lived up to the hype with a searing, overwhelming, and authoritative performance that harbingers truly great things for years to come. He has worked with several top producers around like Dr Frabs and Cobhams. Won several awards from Best Male R&B Artiste, Urban Independent Music Awards, USA, 2006 to R&B Single of the year, 2010 Hip Hop World Awards for ‘Strong Thing’ to mention a few. Even though his recent efforts were social media driven "Lowkey & Setting P" feeding the commercial side of Nigerian music. I still strongly believe the R&BW album will have something for everyone.

   From the guy who sings at the salon, searched for a deal in 2002 to getting endorsed by Etisalat, Samsung, Coca-Cola and a Label executive, I think you can learn a thing or two from this BRAND as he turns 31. Happy Belated Birthday Mr Banks!!!

Thank you for reading.

Cheers!

PS: Pls wish Mr Banks Happy Belated Birthday and let us know what you expect from the singer in the new album. Make use of the comment box