Finding Home in Indie Pop: Dumebi Madubuike’s Musical Journey
At first glance, Dumebi Madubuike is a typical second-year college student studying finance at Canisius University – balancing schoolwork, boy problems, and the everyday stresses of college life. But, as one looks and listens closer, she is creating a staggering sound that reflects a life lived across continents. Her sound is rooted in Western indie pop rock, looking up to influences such as beabadoobee and Clairo.
Dumebi has felt drawn to music since she was young, beginning to write her own songs as early as the age of fourteen. Although Dumebi recorded her first song at the age of sixteen, she didn’t end up releasing anything until earlier this year.
Growing up, Dumebi was surrounded by a plethora of music, specifically mentioning Katy Perry when she was younger and increasingly discovering and listening to rock bands such as Ireland’s U2. Dumebi says “[my music taste] was just a mix of everything… around COVID was when I really started listening to music for myself, as opposed to my parents putting on music and me listening.” Dumebi listened to lots of Girl in Red, Clairo, and beabadoobee, kickstarting her journey into the indie pop world.
Dumebi’s lyrics are generally inspired from personal experiences, having her songs reflect “a very strong wave of emotions… like with ‘Skinny’ – it kind of resonates with how I was feeling in that very moment.”
While Dumebi’s journey as an artist is still unfolding, the foundation she has been building creates an intentional and honest environment. With each song that she produces, she continues to grow more confident in her lyrics and her voice; it is clear that her music is not just a pastime, but rather an evolving expression of who she is becoming.
Born in Nigeria, Dumebi lived there until the age of five before moving to France where she spent the next several years of her childhood. At ten, she returned to Nigeria, continuing to adapt to her shifting environments and experiences. Only last year did Dumebi make her most recent move to the United States, a transition that has impacted both her personal growth and artistic perspective.
Being in Buffalo has helped Dumebi tap into her musical creativity, allowing her to experiment. Away from familiar expectations and surrounded by a new environment, she has found comfort in trusting her instincts as an artist. She tells me “[I] feel more open and to be as free as I would like with my music.”
When asked what message or feeling she wants her listeners to receive from her music, Dumebi tells me, “I guess I just want people to feel seen and heard… I want people to see themselves through my music. I hope that people can find a connection between my music and themselves.”
