For Genesis Owusu, the path has always felt clear to him. Even before his music career began in 2021, the Ghanaian-Australian artist has always felt destined for breaking the mould. Largely fuelled by political influences and a personal conviction to stand up for justice, his music blends neo-soul with pop inflections. However, defining Owusu’s genre is arbitrary, when the core of every song is the brutally honest lyricism. With each track of his third album Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge, he builds upon a world that both terrifies and reassures the listener, holding up a torchlight leading to victory.
In light of the release of his latest album today, Owusu shares his creative journey that’s led him to where he is now, and what gives him the energy to keep going in the fight for justice.
Your latest album Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge comes out so soon, on 15th May. How are you feeling about putting it into the world?
It’s been a long time in the making, so glad to finally (almost) have it out.
Is there a particular song that you’re excited for audiences to hear?
The whole thing — I make albums as albums, so I want people to listen to the whole package in one sitting.
From neo-soul to alt-pop, it feels quite genre-defying. Do you see genre as a tool, or just something to be explored?
I don’t think or care about it for the most part. If it’s good, it’s good, if it’s honest, it’s honest.
Similarly, is sonic tension between angular and liquid textures something that interests you?
If it makes you want to throw up, run through a wall or fall in love, that interests me. Anything in between is a failure on my part.
A lot of your albums feel very conceptual — when you start a project, where do you typically begin? A story, or a personal experience perhaps?
It will start as a dream, or a feeling, or a story or something that I need to scream, and then will go from there.
There’s a strong political influence in your music too, even directly calling out the war on Gaza. Is that intentional, or just something you find yourself gravitating towards?
I would have to work hard to not include politics in my music. Politics isn’t just a bunch of eighty-year-olds making arbitrary decisions in an old ass building; it’s the framework of how life runs in a society. Modern living is not separate from politics, and especially as a black man, I’m reminded every day that life itself is political.
“We’re fighting the good fight, but to what end? To live, laugh and love. That was really the goal the whole time.”
In a political climate shrouded by hate, it feels impossible to ignore the burning landscape around us. If there’s anything you want audiences to take away from the album, what would it be?
The bombardment of information that we’re exposed to every day can create apathy and indifference. It’s hard to have the energy to care about all of these different things, and I think that is by design in a lot of cases. No energy to fight means no resistance to tyranny. It feels unrealistic to be able to win against grand, imperial, billionaire forces, and I think that is also by design; but it actually is realistic. The reason many of us can vote is because people fought and won. The reason we have workers’ rights is because people fought and won. The reason we have things as taken for granted as the concept of weekends, is because people fought and won. Nothing’s changed in that regard.
It feels like a more pivotal time than ever for artists to stand up for what they believe in. Are there any other creatives that you feel inspired by?
Shout out to Saul Williams always; Amyl and the Sniffers, Annahstasia, Idles. Everyone who refuses to shut the fuck up.
What do you think the role of a creative means right now, or has always meant?
To create. Create worlds, create meaning, create comfort and discomfort.
Since beginning your musical career in 2021, have you felt an evolution in your work in any way? From your debut LP Smiling with No Teeth, to now, is there anything that you’ve learned which you feel is crucial to how you’re currently making music?
I’ve known exactly who I was since I was a child. And when I was young, I gave myself the mission of being a life-long boundary breaker. The constant task is keeping the outside voices from steering me off the path that I already know for myself.
The visual side of your work is also deeply stylish. Where does that come from?
It’s innate. Can’t teach swag.
While the album can feel quite heavy, there’s a quiet presence of hope woven throughout, a reminder to still find joy. What does joy look like to you?
Two days ago, I went to paintball with my friends, and then we hired a magician for a hundred and fifty dollars, and grilled some sausages in my backyard. We’re fighting the good fight, but to what end? To live, laugh and love. That was really the goal the whole time.
