Igbo Highlife is a genre of contemporary music that combines highlife and traditional Igbo music. Highlife is a form of West African music and dance that originated in Ghana in the late 19th century and was later introduced to Nigeria in the 1930s.
Highlife has undergone significant changes since its introduction to the Nigerian music scene. Igbo highlife musicians were at the forefront of these changes. They brought a revival to Highlife: a distinctive sound with an acoustic combination of rich voices and instruments such as Gene, Ichaka and Oja, as well as guitar and piano.
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popular Igbo artistes featured in this compilation include Oliver De Coque, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, Bright Chimezie, Ali Chukwuma, Mike Ejegha, Sir Warrior, Oriental Brothers and more.
conductor Stephen Osita Osadebe, whose career has spanned four decades, is one of the genre’s most notable composers and performers. Osadebe’s discography is filled with numerous hits including the 1984 hit “Osondi Owendi” which made him a pioneer of the Igbo highlife genre. His diverse work has been admired by musicians and audiences in Nigeria, a regionally divided country.