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Send us your review:
Describe the atmosphere and live music at a local pub, restaurant, festival, church or temple, club night.... inspire other people to check it out!
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Musician: Josephine Oniyama
Location: Manchester
Instruments: voice, guitar
Music: English folk
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HOW I CAME TO THIS MUSICÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýWHERE I PLAYÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýA FAVOURITE SONG |
  
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 ÌýÌýListen (2'24) to 'Find your own way', performed live by Josephine Oniyama from her album, A Smaller Version of the Real Thing, (Storm Music, 2002)
ÌýÌýListen (2'12) to Josephine Oniyama talk about her music
'By the time I started writing songs, I'd been unconsciously soaking up the influences of Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell but rather than imitate them, I've created my own unique sound.'
How I came to this music:
As a child growing up in the '80's, I was really into synthesiser sounds and elaborate costumes and being from Manchester, I was equally interested in Oasis and Inspiral Carpets. Alongside this, I also feasted on my mother's vinyl. She had a huge collection stored in our front room. She rarely listened to it herself because she was always working so I'd crank up her old record player. She had lots of compilation albums from the hits of the '80's to Bob Marley, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Shirley Bassey and lots of African musicians. My mum's Nigerian.
 There's no doubt that by the time I started writing songs, I had been unconsciously soaking up these influences. I'd also begun to listen to singers like Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell as well as Tracey Chapman. I'd never heard of her until people started comparing me to her. I think she's brilliant but I actually don't think I sound like her or the others at all. But rather than imitate them, I've created my own unique sound.
When it comes to writing songs, I don't have any particular approach. Initially I used to write about death - I had a song called 'The Saint's Wagon' about people bringing out the dead during the time of the Great Plague. 'The Undertaker's Funeral Party' was another one of my morbid ditties. Eventually my mentor and English teacher, Mr Krolla, challenged me to write more about life so now I always write about what I know whether it's relationships or life's ups and downs. Sometimes I get a line in my head and the song develops from that. Other times, I may have the entire melody worked out before I think of words at all. I also work with very experimental musicians like Chris Gorman, Paddy Steer and Tommy Byrnes who are open to new ideas and approaches when it comes to producing songs.
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