It's interesting.
You talk about wanting to move to LA.
Like begging, you know, Mom and Dad,
"Look can we--can I go to LA?"
And I'm like, "Can I have a sleepover?"
That's where I'm coming from, and you
want to move to a different state and a different city.
You got sleepovers?
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
You're so lucky.
[MUSIC]
Dude, great to have you here.
Thank you.
It's an honor and a pleasure to be here.
It's great have you here in the studio
the Saints Channel studio talking with O/B/A.
Yes, sir.
Can I ask you, is that an acronym?
Let's start right with the name.
OK, so my name's Oba, and that means "king" in the Nigerian
language, and so I just thought, hey,
let's put some slashes in between
and make it like the date.
I love it.
So every day is O/B/A. This year's my year.
I don't know if you want to claim that.
And the next.
And the next couple of years maybe, on and on and on.
Let's start there, how have you been,
man, as a musician and a performer
when you don't have the opportunity
to be live with folks?
Man, it's been interesting, you know.
Like I had the opportunity to perform a couple
live-stream shows, one at the Rise just in Orem.
So that was really cool.
Yeah, so it's been fun.
It's been different.
It's been unique.
On that occasion, we literally--one artist had like
a 30 minute slot, and then the next artists would come.
And there would only be like maybe two or three people
videoing, and then everyone else would be watching live.
So it was, it was different.
How do you get a feel for that though?
Because you're not able to feed off the energy of a live
crowd there.
I don't know.
I do remember sometimes it feeling awkward.
I feel like I feed off of the energy of the audience.
So that's definitely, like, my style.
So it was definitely, like, a growing moment,
you could say, to just perform by myself and with two
other people.
But I had a good time.
And that's what my shows are, it's a good time--and my music.
You come from a musical family, you know that obviously.
The Bonner Family, you hear that,
and a hush falls over the crowd.
Just a tremendous amount of respect for a musical family.
Thank you.
Also, is there pressure?
So I was a recording artist before the Bonner Family was.
OK.
So I've always like--
Before it was cool.
Yeah.
I mean, I guess.
How do I word it?
It's like I'm used to performing,
so there's always been pressure being a singer.
So it's just we just have fun together.
So it's not really like, is there pressure?
We just love each other and just love to--any excuse to be
around each other, we'll take it.
So when we're performing together,
that's family hanging out.
So I wouldn't say there's pressure,
but I definitely do fight for my solos.
So I'm trying to figure out--
so there's pressure there, because I
gotta get my slot on the album.
OK.
So I got to do my vocal leases right
before I go in the studio, try to get my part.
I'm just kidding.
So within family, that experience not only to be
a part of a family--we think of memories, our past,
our growing up, and that kind of stuff--but there's something I
think that's next level to it when you're performing,
when there's music, when you're expressing and being vulnerable
with each other through that.
You'll definitely be called out if you mess up on your solo.
That's just how it goes.
But it's with love, you know, and it's seldom.
I think--we've been singing ever since we were kids, you know,
so we know our place in terms of like, OK you sing this part.
You sing that part.
I'm going to nail this part.
This dude, Conlon, he always nails that part.
Give him the high notes.
Give him the tenor, the high tenor, first tenor roles.
And, Yunga, she's incredible at runs, give her that you.
Yahosh, he knows how to warm up a crowd really well.
So everyone has their roles.
And when times are like, "Well this is super--like oh, man,
big mess up," it's out of love.
So we get through it together.
But you navigated the waters of going solo
before the family was even doing anything official.
Why?
Man, it's just a love that I've always had.
I remember begging my parents when I was like eight,
"Please, Mom, please let me move to LA.
Please.
Please."
And I was just begging and begging,
and she finally accepted when I was about 14.
It's just a desire I've always had.
It's interesting, you talk about wanting to move to LA.
Like begging, you know, Mom and Dad,
"Look can we--can I go to LA?"
And I'm like, "Can I have a sleepover?"
That's where I'm coming from, and you
want to move to a different state in a different city.
Yeah
You got sleepovers?
Oh my gosh.
You're so lucky.
Was it a thing where when she acquiesced
you got to go by yourself?
Did the family move?
Tell me a little about that journey.
So my parents let me go on my own.
My brother lived there in Burbank.
So I moved in with my brother.
We were roomies.
And so I literally had to learn how to do things on my own.
I had to learn how to take public transportation on my own
to get to school.
Ride the bike on my own.
I was so used to--I was a spoiled little kid.
I was the youngest kid.
And so "Mom, I got to go somewhere."
"OK, let me drop you off."
So I had to learn how to sell tickets at shows.
I had to learn--I had to find my own backup dancers
at my school.
And even though that was so hard, it was so fruitful.
And so I'm just grateful for those moments
of just being tested and the tribulation
of learning how to grow up.
When mom finally said yes, what was that like?
It was like, "Oh my gosh, is this really happening?"
It was just an overwhelming feeling of like,
"Thank you, Mom.
I knew you trusted me."
It was just an overwhelming feeling of just, "Wow."
But you finally get the opportunity to do it,
and you would hope--though it never is the case that
it's like, "She said I could go, and then the rest was a golden
paved path to success."
I'm sure it wasn't that way.
It's definitely been--it's not easy.
It's not easy, but they say, what,
it takes--to become a pop star, to get to that point--the
average amount of time it takes is 10 years.
And so I've loved the journey.
You know, I've loved it, and I've
cherished it because it's developed
who I am as an artist.
And I think that's when you know you love something.
It's when you spend so much time on it,
and you wake up still wanting to do that thing,
you know, and just have so much energy
to go out and do it again.
To perform again, to sing again, to record again.
Just so many so many moments like that.
For so many musicians, it's such a bittersweet experience
with their first song that they ever wrote.
Do you remember?
Some look back at it and go, "Oh it's
so cringy" or "What a basic--" Do
you remember your first song?
OK, so the first--when I moved to LA I recorded a song,
and it was called "Let's Get Down."
And I wrote it.
And, you know, I'm new to the creating music game, right?
For the most part.
So it was like, when I made the song, it was hot, it was great,
and I don't even think of what it was saying.
I didn't even think--what I wrote wasn't what came across.
So I auditioned--my freshman year in high school--I
auditioned for the talent show, and I've always made the talent
show.
I slayed that audition.
I sang my original song, "Let's Get Down."
I was dancing.
(SINGING) Let's get down.
Let's get down.
And I didn't make it, and come to realize,
I talked to my brothers and sisters, and I'm like,
"Yeah I was singing my song, 'Let's Get Down,'" and like,
"Wait, what?
What's the song called?"
"It's called 'Let's Get Down.'" "Send me the song."
And I come to find out, oh shoot, they probably thought
it was not what I was thinking.
Let's have a good time--that's what I was thinking.
Let's have a good time.
But let's get down, I guess that's a--what do they call it?
Euphemism?
Double entendre?
I don't know, man.
So I felt so bad.
I told my teacher, like, "Why didn't I make it?"
She was like, "Well maybe look at your song choice."
I'm like, "Oh, can I do a different song?"
And it was too late.
So lesson learned.
So when you came back the next year were you able to make it
into the talent show?
You know what, I changed schools.
I changed schools so I never got the opportunity.
I probably went to like five different high schools.
How come?
We just moved a lot.
You know, I think my mom wanted to give me
different experiences.
I did home school once, where I only turned in my packets,
like, once a week to the teacher.
I went to Hamilton High School, which is really cool.
It was an arts-type of school.
Cool.
So I think my mom just wanted to make sure I
had different experiences.
Utah was great though.
My senior year, I went to Timpview High School,
and I consider myself a, you know, a Utah native,
man, ecause I spent most of my life in Utah.
And it was just--they were just so open and welcoming.
When I came my senior year, you would
think that everyone would have their clique, you know.
But I made friends with this group, that group.
It was like, "Yo, what's up, dog?
Where you been?"
It was really such a great experience.
You're lucky in that the experience
of going to different schools and feeling like you're
accepted.
So many people in the world today,
it feels like they try something new,
and it takes a while to be able to make friends,
to be able to get in with a group.
It's a struggle.
Have you always been able to connect with people?
I mean it got harder and harder.
I think as you--in high school, you know, as you get older,
you become good friends with people.
I totally see that.
When you have a friend you've been with since freshman year,
and here then this new kid comes.
Like, "OK, bro.
Cool, yeah.
You're only here for how long?
OK, cool."
And I was only there for like a year.
I think as I got older, it was harder.
Because the group was--I don't know.
I guess it was just--I don't know, but I was OK.
I still made a number of friends,
but it got less and less.
Until I went to Timpview, then it
was like I was a freshman again.
So shout out, Timpview.
The Underbirds.
Shout out to you guys.
So I think I was used to it.
I've moved around a lot my whole entire life.
I've lived--I was born in Las Vegas, moved to Utah,
then Arizona, New York, Utah, California, Utah.
So I was just so used to it.
Some times were harder than others, but I had my family,
you know.
That's something that didn't change.
My family came with.
So I had constant friends there, and I
was fortunate to make a few friends on the way.
How much did your music play into being able to transition?
Did you find, sort of like, either faith
or hope within lyrics or being able to perform?
It was more of an innate feeling.
What do you mean?
Growing up in a musical family, music, for me,
it was just in me.
I mean, it was more like it was a feeling that I've always had.
My love for music just drove me.
So if I was listening to music on the radio,
if I was singing with my family, if I was recording a song,
it was who I was.
So it just naturally drove me however I did it.
I love being able to hear the different trials, transitions,
but then just coming back to center where it's like,
yeah, I'm fine.
I know I'll be all right.
I've got a family and being able to do that.
You know I've had you in here now for several minutes,
and you haven't sung anything.
So I'm going to put you right on the spot.
OK.
Tell me a little bit about the song you're going to sing.
I am glad to sing.
I'm glad to sing for you, man.
I am singing "They Don't Know."
And this song is an original.
You know, it really is about--I wrote this song because there
is a girl I was dating, and we would always get back together.
Like we'd break up, and we'd get back together.
And people on the outside never really understood it.
Like "What the heck, man?"
You know, like, move on.
I think this song--that was definitely inspired by that
because I believed it.
She believed it, but everyone else,
you know--and maybe rightfully so--they were thinking "Is this
really a good idea?"
But to us, they didn't know.
They don't know what we have.
And so that's really what this song is about,
"They Don't Know."
[MUSIC - "THEY DON'T KNOW] (SINGING) Today was so alive.
You've got my heart on revive.
Explain how you can read my mind, my mind.
And when you whisper in my ear, I hear your voice like guitar.
I stay awake with you all night, all night.
They see why you're music to me, play that chord.
But they don't see why you're right beside me.
'Cause they don't know.
They don't know.
You know.
They don't know.
You know.
They don't know.
But they'll know soon enough.
They don't know any better.
No matter, we won't wait up.
No we won't.
We'll stay in love and kill some time, some time.
They see why you're music to me, play that chord.
But they don't see you're right beside me.
'Cause they don't know.
They don't know.
You know.
They don't know.
You know.
They don't know.
You know.
But they'll know soon enough.
Love that dress you wear.
Won't leave for nothing, no way.
Know that you like [? shoe wear?],,
just max my card out always.
Yeah.
They see why you're music to me.
But they don't see why you're right beside me.
'Cause they don't know.
They don't know.
You know.
They don't know.
But they'll know soon enough.
Today was so alive.
You've got my heart on revive.
Explain how you can read my mind, my mid.
Thank you.
Jadonie on the guitar.
Yeah.
That's pretty awesome.
Thank you.
To me there is nothing worse, I think,
than being misunderstood, right?
Absolutely.
Within that song you talk about not understanding, not
getting where people are coming from, as far as that goes.
And on a national level right now, there's
very much a conversation where people are trying
to understand each other.
They're not understanding each other,
and I'm not speaking about one particular thing in general.
How can we understand people better,
and what role do you play in that?
I mean, I think the gospel of Jesus Christ
is so essential to all of this when you think of, you know,
having faith, and love, and charity.
Charity is the pure love of Christ.
So when you think of that pure love,
that's something that we hope to attain because Jesus has that.
Yeah.
And so I think if we can all just
have genuine love for one another,
we'll understand one another, you know?
So that's how I honestly feel about it.
I feel like it matters more than ever, right?
It's always mattered.
Yeah.
It's always been very important.
Yeah.
But everybody's participation in it in this day and age,
it just seems like it like it means more,
it carries more, and feels more.
It's so cool to see.
It's honestly cool to see what, I mean--Jadonie,
what are your thoughts on it, man?
It's so cool, just everyone coming together.
I'm just grateful.
It's an interesting situation which you find yourself
in where there are probably a lot of--if we can just,
you know, talk about it--where a lot of people are saying,
"O/B/A, how do I do this?
How do I engage in it?
I want to learn more?
I want to be able to be respectful and be loving,
but I don't really know."
When people reach out to you, what are you saying?
Man, I think when it comes to just being one to listen,
that's so amazing.
And just express how you feel, you know, whatever that is.
Let us all learn from each other, and let us all grow.
That's how I feel.
I feel just speak your mind.
Speak your mind, and don't worry.
It's all good.
I love you, and we're going to get through it together.
Do you feel like through your music
you're able to change hearts and minds?
Man, I mean, absolutely.
Absolutely.
The song actually I'm going to sing is one I don't sing often.
And especially as O/B/A, I just do pop, hip hop music.
But I love to sing this from time to time.
It's so, it's just, I just love the responses
I get in terms of just how it made people feel nd
how it made me feel.
And then we can develop a close-knit relationship
just from talking about Jesus Christ.
Tell me what the song is.
It's called "He Smiles at Me."
It was written by my oldest brother, Mallaby.
Want to do it?
I mean, yeah.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Can I take my top hat off?
I'll take your hat.
I'll make sure it's in a safe space.
OK.
Cool.
A song written by your brother is a pretty unique experience
to be able to perform that.
That's got to be cool.
Yeah, when I was--when I moved to LA, he was actually writing.
And he was just on this wave of making Christian songs,
and so I came with him.
And when I heard this song that he had already recorded,
I was like, wow.
It just touched my heart, you know.
The song is called "He Smiles at Me."
If I was there when Jesus was crucified,
what would it be like?
What would He have said to me?
And so my brother, I feel like he was inspired
when he wrote this song.
And I love sharing this song.
Let's do it.
Yeah.
[MUSIC - "HE SMILES AT ME"]
(SINGING) I won't forget the day that
darkest shades of gray and the mountains crumble to the sea.
I wish that I could take back all the sins
I made 'cause I don't want you to bleed for me.
These tears I cry, you're the reason
why I give my life to you.
He smiled at me as He waved goodbye.
The suffering.
My God, my God, please bring Him back to Thee.
As they take His life, He gave it all.
And now, I watch Him as He smiles at me.
He smiles at me.
Oh.
If I was there that day, would I have called your name?
I think I might have been too ashamed.
I stand for you today.
I'll never turn away.
And I won't forgot the price you had to pay.
These tears I cry, you're the reason why.
I give my life to you.
He smiled at me as He waved goodbye.
The suffering.
My God, my God, please bring Him back to Thee.
As they take His life, he gave it all.
And now, I watch Him as He smiles at me.
They nailed Him to the cross, pierced Him through the side.
Heaven's heavy clouds, they begin to cry.
He promised He'd live again.
He broke the chains of death.
He bled for me till there was nothing left.
He smiled at me as He waved goodbye.
The suffering.
My God, my God, please bring Him back to Thee.
As they take His life, He gave it all.
And now I watch Him as He smiles at me.
He smiles at me.
Thanks.
Yeah.
The visuals portrayed from the lyrics of that song
are tremendous.
I can't even imagine as you sing, putting yourself
in that place of being able to speak to the Savior.
The connection that you feel through the music, that's
powerful.
Thank you, brother.
To be able to paint a picture of the Savior's
mercy, of the Savior's love, is not an easy task.
Yet you did it.
Mallaby.
I should take credit.
I wrote the song.
But you embody it.
Thank you.
Any chance I get--when that opportunity comes up where I
can sing that song, I'm like, "Please, let me."
Because wouldn't it be so cool to live in Jesus Christ's time?
Just to feel that, to feel a glimpse of that
is overwhelmingly spiritual to me.
As Christian people, we sort of understand the Savior
and have had an experience and a life
with knowing the Savior, right?
But to those who haven't had a connection,
to be able to find the Savior through what you're saying.
That's pretty amazing.
And Lauren Daigle does it all the time.
She does it all the time.
I feel like you probably do it all the time too
and don't give yourself that credit for it.
Well, hey, thank you.
I appreciate it.
Compliments make you uncomfortable.
I can tell.
I'm going to reel it in.
All right.
So let me ask you this, has it always been rosy?
I mean not always.
It hasn't always been rosy.
You know, there's been times where
I wonder if God's listening and if He's there for me.
But I feel like as I strive to do the right things, you know,
He's there.
And especially when you really need Him,
my experience is He shows up.
And it might be different for everyone else, the way
they communicate with God.
But I just know how I feel, and I know when it's Him.
I truly believe that.
Tell me about a time He showed up.
I mean my mom is definitely, I feel like--my senior year,
it was hard.
It was hard.
At Timpview, there's no Ds at Timpview.
It's hard.
Shout out to Timpview.
I love Timpview.
Jadonie went to Timpview too.
I love all public schools.
Sure, all public schools equal.
Timpview we like a little bit more.
Sure.
But what was so hard about it?
It was hard because math is not my strongest suit.
And don't laugh.
OK?
It's hard.
I see you laughing.
I'm not.
It's not cool.
OK.
So no, it was really hard because I
am really bad at geometry.
And so my mom, what she did is she would--she said, "Hey,
I'll give you $2,000 if you graduate."
And so I quit my job.
I'm like, $2,000 is way better than $7.25 an hour.
And she came to classes with me.
Wow.
So she came to my English class.
She came into my American literature class.
She came into, of course, my math class.
And it was very embarrassing, but I was
like, "OK, Mom, you can come."
And she came.
I feel like without her presence,
it just--I know Jeffrey R Holland,
he talks about how a mother is like a messianic figure.
And I feel like if she wasn't there,
I wouldn't have graduated.
She came up with this brilliant idea to buy flowers,
but it was in a bowl, like a big flower for all my teachers.
So I had literally like five bowls of flowers.
Giving them to every teacher like, "Thank you so much."
I passed all of those classes, but I also worked really hard.
I had like three tutors.
My mom got me a bunch of tutors in math.
So I needed three tutors to graduate.
Why did she care so much?
That's just how she is with all the kids.
If she sees a kid falling, she'll move.
We'll get up and move for one child.
That's what she did for one of my brothers.
Yahosh, actually, because she wanted
him to be around a better group of friends.
This was when he was like in seventh grade,
and he transformed just like that, you know.
So she's just that type of mother.
Kids first.
Do you have a family?
I mean, no.
So let me ask you this then--
Do I have like a wife and kids?
Yeah, like a wife and kids.
So as you look as you look forward to having something
like that, you'll certainly carry a part of your mom
into that experience.
I definitely will.
I hope I can live up to my mom.
I hope I can do that.
I don't know if I will because she
has such a heart and such a gift of loving others and doing
so much for others.
And so I'm really appreciative of her and all
that she's done for me.
She's my biggest fan.
I love one of the things that you said,
and just to speak it back to you because I
feel like there's so much truth in it, she just showed up.
Right?
So much of life is just showing up.
Right?
Not giving up.
Absolutely.
Have you ever given up on anything?
Gosh, on my math tests.
And then when she showed up, everything was cool.
She really pushed me to get good grades,
and I spent the extra hours to understand.
And the beauty of math is once you get it, you get it.
And so once I got it, I was able to do it.
But I had to go through three tutors to do that.
I think if you have someone that just shows--when you have
someone by your side who really loves you--sometimes I forget
how much I can have an impact on someone's life.
And my mom at that moment had a huge impact on my life
and always has.
I hope it's not a crude question, but I am curious.
What did you spend the $2,000 on?
Gosh, on my mission.
Oh, yeah?
On my mission.
OK.
And I wasn't even planning on going.
I wasn't even planning on going.
I feel like there's a story there then.
Gosh.
So before, it was like a series of things.
Just people in my life who I saw going on missions.
I have a best friend who said he was going to go,
and I never understood.
I was never planning on going, but he was like, yeah.
He just had his mind made up. so And just some other experiences
that just made me think, "Lord, should I do this?"
And just some spiritual moments where I felt like I
shouldn't stay.
I shouldn't stay.
So not necessarily go.
Yeah, it was like, you need to get up out of here.
So that was my experience.
And I wanted to be obedient.
I think more than I wanted to go,
it was I wanted to be obedient.
And I did.
I'm grateful I did.
So yeah, I never got a chance to spend that $2,000 on anything
else.
So I just put it towards the mission.
As you look at life now, certainly
tons of examples from family, being
able to perform with family, the lessons from Mom,
her showing up, and you move forward into what's next.
What is next?
Man, O/B/A EP.
That's next.
Just more music.
Let's talk musical influences.
Where do you draw that from?
I'm a big fan of Usher.
Just the way he's been able to mold himself over time.
I think it's--you know you're good at your craft when you can
continue to revamp and to sculpt your artistry.
And that's what Usher has done for 15, 20 years.
He's had a song with Tyrese, and he's had a song--what was that?
In the early 2000s?--and he's had a song with Justin Bieber.
That's a long period of time, and two different artists.
Anything that would surprise me?
Gosh, man
(SINGING) I just met you.
I don't know.
This is crazy.
Oh, you're a Carly Rae Jepsen fan.
(SINGING) --A radio show.
So let's sing together maybe.
I'll sing with you.
You want to sing something?
Yeah.
What do you want to sing?
You want to have him back us up?
I'll do it.
I would love it.
What you got?
You want to just do the chorus to "They Don't Know"?
"They Don't Know"?
Yeah, sure.
Yeah, let's do it.
Do I know "They Don't Know?"
No, no.
We're just going to freestyle.
We're going to make up a song.
OK.
Great, this always goes well.
OK.
I'll start.
You'll probably finish too, just so you know.
OK.
You have to get at least two lines in.
OK.
Ready to go?
Yeah.
[MUSIC]
(SINGING) Richie and I, we're singing a song.
We can do this all day long.
Just hopped on my ride like a mini Pablo.
Too sweet, ooh peach cobbler, talkin' smack,
no stop 'em, this day on my YouTube channel
can't stop 'em, more views, more cuties I do see,
she just might choose me, oh my gosh, I don't know.
I come through killing the show.
Willing the brawl if you willing to go.
I'm spending the dough, synonym of me is invincible.
Lyrically, I pity the flow.
Got a flow so hot, I call equator.
I got a flow so nice, I call it neighbor.
What's up, neighbor?
Yeah.
Are we going to keep going?
I was ready.
I was ready for the downbeat of the chord.
We missed our chance.
You did so great, so good.
So good.
If there's people that are listening
to this conversation that want to get into the music industry,
right, they feel like they have either something to say
or a passion to share, what kind of advice
to give to those that are up and coming?
Give it your all.
What does that mean?
Give it your all, as in don't miss out on opportunities,
and be ready for those opportunities.
Yeah, there's been times where I wasn't
ready for certain things.
Like I didn't make my plane, you know,
and I missed that recording session.
Like why the heck did I miss my plane?
So just know that in the music industry, from my experience,
it can happen anytime.
So just be ready.
Just be ready.
Any other sage words of advice?
Everyone sitting at your feet going, "Teach us, O/B/A."
You got this.
Cool.
Yeah.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you.
I appreciate it.
Did you have a good time?
I had a great time.
Good.
Thank you.