In “Insomnia,” Lagos, Nigeria-born, Edmonton, AB-based Osasioo perfectly captures the feeling of losing a lover and knowing you deserved to do so. It’s about realizing that you didn’t treasure someone when they’re around and accepting that they made the right choice to protect themselves from the pain you inflicted by walking away.
Osasioo, born Osas Igbinosun, is known for his descriptive songwriting style and his captivating blend of R&B and modern pop. The Nigerian-born Canadian based artist has amassed a great number of fans with his unique voice and relatable lyrics. His songwriting processes, much like his songs, are a journey, as he originally started “Insomnia” in 2021 during the pandemic.
The song is written from a place that many will find relatable: whether they’re the abuser or the one that was abused. Whichever side of the fence you belong to, his distinctly warm and velvety voice carries the song’s lyrics straight to your heart and you find yourself immediately drawn to the song’s message from the get-go.
“’Insomnia’ was inspired by a friend’s nasty breakup which left him inconsolable. It takes listeners on a journey of the regret that he feels for the wrongs that he did in his past relationship,” he said of the inspiration.
For this soulful track, he enlisted the help of his longtime collaborator Femi Sobaki and worked with Calgary-based producer Colin Carbonera to match the song’s deeply meaningful lyrics with a sad, melancholic instrumental, giving listeners an overall immersive experience.
“Sunday morning’s not the same without you/There’s no dancing around/Picture frames been taken down/Words you said completely shattered my heart/At the door as I stood/I was wrong,” he sings in the opening verse, before going on to describe the degree of his pain in the chorus.
The bridge is another part of the song that’s lyrically heavy and describes so much with its few lines, as he sings, “I’ll understand if you don’t come back/You deserve better and you know better/To find the one who can give the love right back.”
Growing up, he was inspired by the likes of Ne-Yo, Usher and Vianney, and like his influences, he is determined to create songs that’ll leave a lasting impression on the hearts of people.
