OneDa – ‘Formula OneDa’ review: an energising springboard for the multifaceted rapper

4 October, 2024

OneDa in a Formula One racing helmet and suit, photo by Jody Hartley

Manchester’s OneDa wants to prove how versatile she is on debut album ‘Formula OneDa’. Hotly tipped as the next rising star from the 0161, OneDa (real name Onye Ezeh) has supported the likes of Heavenly labelmates Kneecap and Baxter Dury and stood on some of the biggest musical stages in the UK – Boomtown, The Great Escape and Glastonbury to name a few. Now, the British-Nigerian rapper-producer wants to show her worth and eclecticism on ‘Formula OneDa’.

The record kicks off with ‘Let Me In’, which admittedly isn’t the most appealing opening track: over a repetitive saxophone-led instrumental produced by Fat Buddha, OneDa voices her frustration about gatekeepers allowing her talents to go unnoticed. Some bars are simple to a fault – a continuous problem throughout the record.

Luckily, ‘Formula OneDa’ shows a lot of promise. Other songs represent her strong storytelling better as she seamlessly shifts between grime, dance, and hip-hop, delving into a wide array of themes. The lofty synths and sing-songy refrains in ‘Major Pay’ make for an escapist tune, whilst autobiographical gem ‘Raised’ reveals the girl behind the music as she raps: “Raised on Church on Sunday / Teenage gunplay / Fuck the Lord, get money”.

OneDa is a self-proclaimed “Pussy Power Promoter”, as per the unapologetic 2023 EP ‘Pussy Power’. That uncompromising demeanour carries over to ‘Formula OneDa’; on ‘The Formula’, she reminds women of their power in an empowering interlude and bigs up all the “rude girls” on ‘Set It Off’, encouraging them to “not edit the image” and “just be you and just kill it”. You can hear that fierce aforementioned self-advocacy throughout these high-octane tracks, especially on ‘Pull Up’ and ‘Sometimes’, two songs that show her relentlessness to reach musical dominance.

‘Leader’ is the true highlight of the album. OneDa produced it herself, crafting a fun, arena-ready song while maintaining her uplifting ethos. She declares: “I was born to be a bad girl / I was born to be a leader, you know.” She also recites some of the bars in a thick Nigerian accent over the jungle-inspired song, which is a welcome addition.

OneDa shows that her pussy power is nothing to play with on ‘Formula OneDa’. The album is a fun and empowering stepping stone that will keep you energised for the rest of the year – hopefully it’s the catalyst to OneDa’s meteoric rise.