Offiong Bassey

Official Biography (courtesy of Offiong Bassey)

She was born with a story on her lips, a tune in her ear, and the purpose implied by her name, Offiong Bassey, God’s Moon, on her heart.  Music and storytelling for Offiong have always been second-nature: “I inhale my surroundings and exhale melodies.  I perceive my world and create another with rhythm and harmony.” 

Singer, songwriter, producer, and poet, Offiong Bassey is an exciting new artist that draws upon the numerous influences that have touched her life.  As the first generation from her Nigerian family born in the U.S., the soul, jazz, gospel, and Latin music of America reside within her just as comfortably as the musical traditions of West Africa.  She brings to them her unique ear for harmonies and phrasing, her ground-shaking, power vocals, and her unmatched versatility to create music that is fresh, inspiring, and just plain fun.

Though her sound is one-of-a-kind, Offiong has had many teachers.  The first of these was her namesake, her grandmother, who would sing her traditional songs from their Efik tribe, imparting to Offiong the power of music and the richness of her cultural heritage and storytelling tradition.  At a young age, Offiong began to see her name, God’s Moon, as a call to be a reflection of her creator’s light, as the moon is to the sun, through story and song.

That call continued to sound in her ear like an endless melody that she heard in everything, as it guided her on her path.  Along the way, she found further inspiration in other great teachers, artists ranging from Angelique Kidjo, Miriam Makeba, and Fela Kuti to Rachelle Ferrell, Lauryn Hill, and Jonathan Butler.