TÖME (Toronto, CANADA)

“I am enough. I am Töme”. With these powerful words, you acquire more than just the meaning of the artist’s middle name (Tomi), you gain access to the essence of the artist Michelle Oiuwatomi Akanbi. Tome’ has spent the better part of the last year unearthing her sound, which is an exotic blend of French lyrics and sultry vocals on top of an eclectic blend of Afro, reggae, pop, hip-hop and R&B. The artist says of the pursuit, “I’ve truly found my sound and know what my music should be.” And in doing so, she also unearthed a personal connection. “The perfect mesh of it all is with my middle name, Tomi, which means ‘enough’. My music is enough to me. I am enough.” Born in Montreal and of Canadian Nigerian heritage, her early musical influences including Rihanna, Beyonce and Alicia Keys. As she progressed in her craft, the need to create something different, more personal, found Töme combining the upbeat, commercial vibe of early influencers with the sound of Jhene Aiko, Sade, and Lauren Hill. It was within this newly woven tapestry where she found her personal sound. With this, the artist says, “I want to change the game musically by creating a genre AFRO-FUSION.