Josephine

Josephine Oniyama is a singer and songwriter from the United Kingdom, originally associated with Manchester. She records under the mononym Josephine and works in soul, pop and neo-soul, with drone also listed among the styles connected to the name.

Background and influences

Her music draws on the musicians of the Manchester area and on the musical heritage of her West African family. As a child, her home listening centred on her mother’s record collection, which included highlife, soul and Congolese music. Among the artists present in that collection are King Sunny Ade, The Isley Brothers, The Supremes, Ali Farka Touré and Johnny Cash.

Recording career

Her first track is Closer, which appears on In the City: Unsigned 2006. Her most recent album is Portrait, released on Ark. She is identified as a UK soul singer.