Dreamer Isioma brings “StarX Lover” to life at The Observatory
Photo courtesy of Malik Ross
Dreamer Isioma’s The StarX Lover North America Tour started in late April in Washington D.C. and will continue through the end of May, ending in the artist’s hometown of Chicago after performing 24 shows across the country.
The Panther was able to get an inside look into their show at The Observatory on Saturday, May 22, 2025.
The album, I thought it was really cool……the sound includes Afrobeats, from your Nigerian heritage, and then also pop and rock definitely have influences. Can you tell me a little bit about your influences, artist-wise, genre-wise, and also, like your own traditions?
Dreamer Isioma: Yeah, I've been calling the genre Afro pop rock, because I'm trying to just evolve and, like, revolutionize what it means to be a Nigerian artist making music.
Are there any artists, specifically, who you're influenced by, whether in your sound or just vibe?
Isioma: Definitely like, 1960s Fela Kuti was a big inspiration, because he was just so, like, political and so, like, raw and like, so, like, cared for himself. But also, like, the pop punk evolution in like the 2010s like, Pierce the Veil, fucking Fall Out Boy, Paramore and people like that.
This tour is the first time that StarX Lovers is coming to life on stage. Was there any difficulty inbringing that to life on stage, in terms ofthemes or sound or anything?
Isioma: I mean, every night has been cool because I've been basically building the studio that I like, made the album in every night on stage. I call it X's lab, because, similar to in the album cover, like I have, like, the literal guitar that I made to produce a lot of these songs, I have literal keyboard I use to, like, produce a lot of the songs, like, on stage with me every night, and then, just, like, it's singing, because I have Celestials here with me. I got Dante playing guitar and then Romelo doing drums. So, like, it's been really cool to, like, just recreate what we did in the studio, but, like, live every night. I think there's a lot more, like, technical aspects of it this time around, but I think it's been fun. It sounds like the future and it looks like the future.
Looking back a little bit, (your song) “Sensitive” blew up on TikTok and on other social media. Is there anything you think made that song in particular resonate with people specifically? And do you think that kind of changed the way that you were able to interact with your fanbase or make music?
Isioma: I mean, that was like one of my first songs ever, so there was no fanbase, at the time. However, I just think people think it's raw, and I've just kept that energy this entire time, and I plan to continue keeping that, that free spirited hardness within my music, but also it's very political still, and it's very like, it's very me, and I think a lot of people see themselves within that, because I think all good people want the same thing. We all just want peace. We want love. We want good things for everyone. So that's just what my vibe is all about.
Do you think there's anywhere specifically you see your sound or your vibe going next, or like anyone you want to collaborate with in a dream world?
Isioma: I will say, like, of course, StarX Lover is phenomenal. I think it needs, like 10 Grammys and like five Emmys and like, fucking a billion dollars. But my music is, I'm still making a lot of music and I would say, like my next projects, I'm very, very fucking excited for. I hope that, uh, this is for Chapman University, right? I hope you guys bring me over so that way you guys can hear the evolution live in person as well. But, um, yeah, that's, yeah, I'm excited.
Do you have any other final thoughts that you want to add for the article?
Isioma: Free Palestine, free Congo, free the world, fuck Donald Trump and the government and go stream StarX Lover.