Eli Fola

Eli Fola is an international multidisciplinary musical artist, musician, DJ, producer, and entrepreneur. He is the creator and pioneer of Yoruba Tech Soul, a fusion of sounds described as a mixture of Afrohouse, techno, jazz, and classical music. Eli Fola was born in Nigeria,
and currently is based between New York and Los Angeles. He also hosts a successful live-hybrid set and musical event series in Tulum, Mexico.
==Early Life and Education==
Eli was born in Lagos, Nigeria where he lived and grew up with his family. At age 7 he was performing in the children's choir, and yearned to play the saxophone. At the time, his family could not afford to purchase a sax for young Eli, so he developed his skills on the drums and keys. Now as an adult, revered as a saxophone genius and a multidisciplinary musician, vocalist, and artist, he is based between New York and Los Angeles.
==Artistry==
Eli Fola is the creator and pioneer of a hybrid-set fusion of sounds called Yoruba Tech Soul, a blend of traditional Nigerian sounds mixed with jazz, classical, and house music. He also started his own independent label called Tech Afrique, serving as an events platform and cultural hub centered on Afrofuturist concepts. The label serves dually as a conduit for new music releases, highlighting rising DJs and producers around the world from historically underrepresented BIPOC communities. 
Eli released his first single and EP in 2016 called The Platform, presenting his Tech Afrqiue hybrid-set debut. He hosted and performed as a TEDXCUNY series Ted Talk guest in 2017, presenting on the power of music and its ability to reconcile and celebrate differences across cultures. He has been a featured performer at No Commission, a renowned Art Basel Miami event, where he shared the stage with the likes of industry giants like Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, ASAP Rocky, and Swizz Beats. As a multidisciplinary artist and film score composer, Eli has also written commissioned work for Vogue Italia in 2019. Eli released his second EP, Soundscape To Freedom, in 2020, followed by his latest EP, Yoruba Vibration, in 2021. Eli performed a debut hybrid set for SXSW 2022, Yoruba Tech Soul 101, at the Samsung x Billboard Galaxy House. Along his journey to develop his own unique Yoruba Tech Soul hybrid-set experience, he has performed with major artists including Audiofly, Black Coffee, and Pablo Fierro.
==Personal Life==
Eli takes great pride in his Nigerian roots, and his own personal music style is influenced by European and American music combined with traditional Nigerian genres. Fela Kuti was his inspiration as a teenager, and a formative influence on his label and sound, in addition to Afrobeat and highlife music. As an electronic artist and producer, technology is an integral element of his innovative sound, from production to daily life. True to his identity as an African now living in America, his Tech Afrique style represents his diverse life experiences and shapes the music he creates.
==Discography==
EPs
The Platform (2016)
Soundscape To Freedom (2020)
Yoruba Vibration (2021)
Category:Musicians
Category:Nigerian DJs
Category:Nigerian producers
Category:Nigerian entrepreneurs