Obongjayar, born on 16 October 1992, is the stage name of Steven Umoh, a Nigerian-born singer, songwriter, and performer based in London. He is known for music that moves between Afrobeat, soul, hip-hop, spoken word, alternative pop, and electronic sounds. Over the years, he has built a reputation as one of the most original voices in modern British music.
Profile Summary
| Full name | Steven Umoh |
| Date of birth | 16 October 1992 |
| Place of birth | Calabar, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| State of origin | Cross River State |
| Partner | N/A |
| Children | N/A |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, performer |
| Labels | September Recordings |
| Net worth | $500,000 – $1 million |
Early Life and Education
Obongjayar was born in Calabar, Nigeria, and grew up in a setting that strongly shaped his sound and storytelling. As a teenager, he moved to England, where he spent time in Surrey and later studied in Norwich. Those moves exposed him to new cultures and musical influences, which later became central to his style.
His early life was not simple, and he has spoken in interviews about family struggles, faith, and the experience of adapting to life in different places. Music became both an outlet and a way of making sense of those changes.
Before fully settling into his current artistic identity, he experimented with different sounds and personas until he found the voice that fit him best.
Career
Obongjayar began releasing music in the mid-2010s and gradually attracted attention for his unusual delivery and fearless approach to genre.
His early projects helped introduce him as a distinctive new artist, but his profile grew much wider through collaborations and strong solo releases. He worked with artists such as Little Simz, Fred again.., Pa Salieu, and Danny Brown, which brought him to a broader international audience.
His debut studio album, Some Nights I Dream of Doors, arrived in 2022 and received strong praise for its emotional depth and sonic range. In 2025, he released Paradise Now, a project that pushed his sound further and confirmed his place as a major creative force.
Across his career, he has shown a rare ability to blend political ideas, personal reflection, and experimental production without losing accessibility.
Personal Life
Obongjayar keeps his private life largely out of the public eye. There is no widely verified public information confirming a partner or children.
What is clear is that his personal experiences often feed directly into his music. He has described his work as deeply shaped by memory, migration, and the process of finding his voice. That personal honesty is one reason his songs feel intimate even when they are built on bold, genre-bending production.
Net Worth
Obongjayar’s net worth is estimated at around $500,000 to $1 million as of 2026.
Discography
His discography includes a growing body of EPs, singles, and albums that reflect his evolution as an artist. The most important solo releases associated with him are:
- Bassey
- Which Way Is Forward?
- Sweetness
- Some Nights I Dream of Doors (2022)
- Paradise Now (2025)
He has also appeared on a number of notable collaborative tracks, which have helped expand his audience.
Awards And Nominations
Obongjayar won the 2021 Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for “God’s Own Children,” which he shared with Barney Lister.
He was also nominated for the 2026 Headies Awards in the Best Vocal Performance (Male) category.
