This morning (18 January), news emerged that Nigerian disco innovator William Onyeabor has passed away, aged 70.
Throughout his life, Onyeabor’s creative work was shrouded in mystery. His story was best told through Noisey’s 2014 Fantastic Man, documentary, however, this film doesn’t include an interview.
Onyeabor had never sat down to speak with the press until 2014 when the record label Luaka Bop tracked him down for a conversation with BBC 6Music’s Lauren Laverne. It went on to be his sole interview.
In the conversation, Onyeabor discusses his creative mission, his life of travel and the fact that he’s never played his music live.
Listen to the interview in full below.