Born in Lagos and raised in Dublin, Monjola moves between an effortless rap flow to smokey falsetto without making a thing of it, pulling from church music, Kings Of Leon and Kid Cudi in unexpectedly equal measure. The Cudi influence isnât just a reference point either, he joined Cudi for seven dates across Europe, which is about as direct an endorsement as it gets.
New single âWeight On Meâ is a good place to start. Understated and soulful, itâs a reflection on self-worth, resilience and the burden of carrying unresolved emotions. The rhythmic foundation started life as Monjola hitting a table in the studio, recorded on an iPhone and reshaped from there.
âUsually I hide behind melodies or energy, but this time I wanted to be completely honestâ, he explains. âEven though the lyrics come from a heavy place, the song still feels uplifting, like pushing through something instead of drowning in itâ.
Monjola is also involved in building the scene that his music is part of. Chamomile Club, the collective he runs with his brother Moio and Aby Coulibaly out of a space on Dublinâs Fade Street, hosts listening sessions and independent events to nurture Irelandâs creative community.
Biig Piig and Coulibaly are both part of the wider Chamomile Records family, a Dublin scene thatâs currently producing more than its size would suggest. âThe scene is growing at a rapid paceâ, Monjola has said. âPeople are making good shitâ. So is he, evidently.
A new EP is on the way, and if âWeight On Meâ is anything to go by, itâll be his most personal release yet, and worth keeping an eye out for.
đ§ Listen to âWeight On Meâ below