Why William Onyeabor Won’t Perform On Stage

This post is sponsored by our partners, Sydney Festival.

William Onyeabor is perhaps the most mysterious man ever to have fused Afro-funk with space-age jams. After powering through the creation of eight albums over just as many years, he suddenly decided to stop talking — about himself or his music.

According to David Byrne's record label Luaka Bop, who Onyeabor is distributed by and who had been trying to piece together a biography of the elusive artist for the better part of the last two years, the Nigerian musician became a born-again Christian and went hush from then on. Onyeabor refuses to give interviews or play on stage from his hefty back catalogue.

To get a better idea of the mysterious Onyeabor, particularly through his home of Enugu, interviews with his old production colleagues and the likes of Damon Albarn and the Luaka Bop team, check out the Vice-presented Fantastic Man documentary released in February this year (only 30 minutes and well worth your time).

So, why the Onyeabor quest? After the '97 death of Nigerian legend Fela Kuti, Western interest in African-produced disco and funk surged. Luaka Bop's Yale Evelev and Eric Welles Nystrom and music historian Uchenna Ikonne tracked down Onyeabor's phone number. On answer, Onyeabor simply grunted and said, “Why would I want to talk about that? I just want to talk about Jesus.” Then he hung up the phone.

New York Times writer Mike Rubin wrote in 2013 that the 'elusive mystery man' “keeps to his palace in Nigeria watching religious TV, while American fans worship from afar." According to old production buds, he’s recording Gospel music nowadays on his ol’ Moog.

Oneaybor's music exploded in Nigeria in the '70s and '80s. 'When the Going is Smooth and Good' had constant airplay, and was constantly picked on jukeboxes. But even in Nigeria, everyone was scratching their heads over this chartbuster. "He was all around us, but really nothing was known about him," says music historian Ed Keazor. Caribou has been dropping this tune in sets for years, a track he sees having developed the same repetitive techniques as western dance music at the time.

But with music this good, a little mystery isn't going to keep those eight records in a crate. Atomic Bomb! (named for his 1978 album) was devised as a way to recreate the music of the legend in concert, originally featuring the likes of David Byrne, Damon Albarn and the Beastie Boys' Money Mark. It was performed in New York City's Central Park this October with Jamie Lidell, now it's coming to Australia.

In what's certain to be one of the hands-down most epic musical events of Sydney Festival, an 18-strong band made up of artists from all over the world are getting together to jam on Onyeabor’s music at the Enmore Theatre. Led by Sinkane, Money Mark, Luke Jenner (The Rapture), Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip) and Pat Mahoney (LCD Soundsystem), Atomic Bomb! The Music of William Onyeabor will feature special guests in the form of Gotye and the legendary Mahotella Queens.

Atomic Bomb! The Music of William Onyeabor is happening January 16 and 17, 8pm at Enmore Theatre. Tickets $85/77.

By Shannon Connellan and Jasmine Crittenden.