Xona once performed as support act with Niall Horan
Mullingar artist Xona releases third single ‘In My Head’
Sarah Slevin
The singer Xona has gone from growing up in Ardleigh Vale, Mullingar and performing alongside fellow Mullingar man, Niall Horan, and now he’s been making music in London.
Jordan Onubogu, otherwise known as Xona (his Nigerian name), has released his third single, ‘In My Head’ and has plans for more.
Jordan, now based in London, still regularly visits home in Mullingar, and told the Westmeath Examiner about his music from his home in the town.
“I have been back and forth, I come back to see family and also do a lot of music work and recording here,” Jordan said.
Jordan always had an interest in music and when there was not enough space for him in the music class, he joined the choir at his local church in Mullingar.
“My mom suggested I join the choir in church, and for the longest time I just sang and didn’t write music, I just thought I could just sing – Celine Dion doesn’t need to write her own music, people write music for her,” Jordan joked.
“And then I got older and grew up and realised that nobody was writing me songs so in college I learned a lot of arranging music and theory, so I learned how to write music then,” Jordan laughed.
The new single is called ‘In My Head’ which Jordan had been working hard on for a year.
“I wrote it two years ago and it was the most meticulous thing, even just taking out words, or working on the chorus. It took about a year to write.”
“Last year I recorded it in Dublin in the middle of the pandemic, and I then waited a whole year to release it this August,” Jordan said.
Jordan has been doing some recorded gigs and showcases that will be streamed online but has plenty of experience gigging having played alongside Niall Horan and at Electric Picnic.
Before Mullingar man, Niall, found fame on TV talent show, the X Factor, with One Direction, he and Jordan both performed as support acts for former X Factor contestant, Lloyd Daniels at The Academy.
“A friend of ours got both of us on – so we both did the gig and then the next year Niall did X Factor and got in, so that was my claim to fame,” Jordan said.
Jordan also talked about his interesting experience playing with his band at Electric Picnic (EP):
“The last time I did a gig, it was such a funny story, it was at EP in 2019. We were given the time of 7.30pm which I thought was amazing, it’s in the evening on a Friday so we thought there’d be a great crowd,” Jordan said.
“But of course, that’s the time that main stage opened, and it was Billie Eilish who was opening, so I remember walking to get ready for my set and the entirety of the crowd walking against me,” Jordan laughed.
Jordan’s third single ‘In My Head’ is available now on Spotify and YouTube, and he has plans to work on a music video in the coming months.
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Here's a sample of the new single.