In an eloquent, light-hearted Southern accent Odiri Dafé prides himself on being a true gentleman and a Mississippi native. When asked why his roots are such an important part of his everyday pursuit of music he explains, “well, the music we know today developed in New Orleans and the Mississippi delta…I am just proud to be a part of what started here and to have the opportunity to add a piece to the musical puzzle.†The son of a native Nigerian father and a Southern born-and-raised mother, the 22-year-old singer possesses talent well beyond his fledgling years. His undoubtedly god-given voice soothes the listener with grace and a surprising technical proficiency. While his singing pursuits have spanned the board as of late, Odiri is finding solace in his sturdy foundations laid by many of his musical inspirations including Flack, Hathaway, and Wonder.
His affair with music began at an early age in a Southern Missionary Baptist church in Mississippi, but the veritable nuptials took place when he discovered classical vocal performance at the age of 13. He developed the rich, round, and well-tuned classical sounds of Roland Hayes and Paul Robeson such that he won a slough of invitations to the American Choral Directors Association's Honors choir beginning in just 8th grade. While his proficiency in music was unquestionable, he also displayed facility in tennis, training and competing with some of the best juniors in the country and eventually teaching. He also pursued foreign language study, being named a gold medalist for 4 years in a row by the board of administrators for the National Latin exam ultimately being named a National Merit Scholar upon graduation.
He began matriculation at Howard University in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2003 on a full scholarship, majoring in Classical Civilizations with a concentration in Latin language study, but he could not shake the music bug that had affixed itself so firmly in his heart. He became the premiere bass soloist of the Internationally acclaimed Howard University Choir in his very first year there; holding audience at the Kennedy Center Honors gala, Rosa Parks's funeral at the Capitol Rotunda, and Ossie Davis's memorial service, to name a few.
Upon entering his third year of study at Howard, under the advisement of several physicians, Odiri made the decision that nagging conditions with his health had to be addressed, and he left school to return to Mississippi. After months of painstaking physical therapy, epidural injections, and countless pain medications for his back and knees, relating to a hereditary condition compounded with a decade of wear and tear from competitive tennis, it was decided that he'd have to go under the knife. He underwent two surgeries simultaneously and found himself “stuck†back in Mississippi with a lot of time on his hands, but this scenario would soon reveal a life-changing musical awakening and the forming of a new persona and life direction.
To the benefit of those of us who enjoy vibrant, soulful, and powerful music, the "awakening" he experienced allows me to now introduce you to Dafé, the newest soul sensation who emits intriguing complexity with a voice that makes you stop in your tracks. Speckled with Ella's virtuosity, Donny's emotive ability, Sinatra's ease, Mayer's musicality, and golden vocals that can only be attributed to him, Dafé projects his own unique blend of sweet, southern R&B/soul sure to capture the hearts of many.
