Tudac pioneers Urhobo Afro-Pop as “Our Father” nears 100,000 streams

In the crowded and fiercely competitive landscape of contemporary Nigerian music, it is rare for an artist to arrive with a genuinely new idea. Tudac, born Oghenevwogaga Daniel Ekwekere in Ughelli, Delta State, has not arrived with a new idea; he has arrived with a new genre. The Delta State-born, UK-based singer, songwriter, and producer […]

In the crowded and fiercely competitive landscape of contemporary Nigerian music, it is rare for an artist to arrive with a genuinely new idea. Tudac, born Oghenevwogaga Daniel Ekwekere in Ughelli, Delta State, has not arrived with a new idea; he has arrived with a new genre.

The Delta State-born, UK-based singer, songwriter, and producer has formally coined Urhobo Afro-Pop, a fusion of the ancient rhythmic traditions of the Urhobo people and the global vocabulary of modern Afrobeats. As a defined musical category, it positions him as its founder, architect, and most compelling proof of concept.

That proof is already resonating. Our Father, the sixth track from his second studio album Epicfany, is approaching 100,000 streams across digital platforms, a signal of a growing appetite for indigenous language expression within contemporary sound.

Tudac’s emergence is not a sudden breakthrough. His journey into music production began in 2007 during the final phase of his studies at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), where he studied Environmental Engineering.

Over the next decade and a half, he honed his craft behind the scenes, building a strong technical foundation in rhythm, melody, and arrangement. It was not until 2023, coinciding with his Master’s degree in Environmental Sustainability and Green Technology from Keele University in the UK, that he stepped into the spotlight with his debut single, My Way.

The result is an artist shaped by both technical discipline and creative vision.

What distinguishes Tudac is not just the music, but the cultural intent behind it. Urhobo Afro-Pop draws from traditional performance elements, particularly the rhythmic patterns of the Ema dance, and blends them with contemporary Afrobeats production, including syncopated percussion, layered hooks, and globally accessible sound design.

Crucially, all his songs are performed entirely in the Urhobo language. His debut album, Evolusion (2024), is widely regarded as the first full Afro-Pop project recorded in that language. While artists of Urhobo origin have achieved mainstream success, few have built an entire sonic identity around the language itself.

Tudac’s ambition extends beyond music; it is a cultural project aimed at giving Urhobo a defined place in global music discourse.

His discography currently includes two seven-track albums and standalone releases that reinforce both range and consistency. Evolusion introduced his sound to a national audience, earning recognition for its cultural depth.

His follow-up, Epicfany—a blend of “epic” and “epiphany”—shows greater sonic confidence and thematic clarity. At its centre is Our Father, a track that reinterprets the Lord’s Prayer through the lens of contemporary Nigerian life.

It is raw, reflective, and deeply personal—less a traditional gospel song and more a lived, everyday prayer. Its growing traction suggests a strong emotional connection with listeners.

Though based in the UK, Tudac’s artistic focus remains rooted in the Niger Delta and the global Urhobo community.

At a time when Nigerian music dominates global conversations, his work raises a critical question: If Afrobeats can define a generation, why shouldn’t the Urhobo language have its own genre?

With two albums and a growing audience, Tudac is not merely posing the question—he is answering it, one song at a time.