TOLU
OGUNLEYETOLU OGUNLEYE
Award-Winning Artistic Director (Music)
Musical Director · Composer · Executive · Live Music Curator
A practice across sonic identity, direction, leadership, and culture.
Tolulope Ogunleye (Drtonez) is a Nigerian award-winning Artistic Director, Music Director, composer, and live music curator whose practice is rooted in original musical composition, contemporary African music, and collaborative artistic expression. Working across recorded music, live performance, and cultural programming, he develops original works that blend Afrobeats, soul, gospel, and traditional African musical traditions. His work spans creating sonic identity, artistic direction, artistic/cultural leadership, and musical arrangement — building creative systems that shape institutions, careers, and cultural moments across Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Drtonez doesn't just create music; he curates the systems that allow creativity to thrive across continents.
Read the full biography →Artistic Direction, Cultural Leadership & Executive Impact
Areas of Practice
Artistic Direction
Leading creative vision for concerts, festivals, recordings, live productions, and multidisciplinary artistic projects.
Cultural Leadership
Building creative ecosystems, nurturing emerging talent, and using music to inspire cultural dialogue and social impact.
Executive Leadership
Providing strategic leadership for creative organisations, cultural initiatives, and music-driven enterprises.
Music Direction
Leading bands, ensembles, vocalists, rehearsals, and live musical productions while shaping artistic interpretation.
Music Arrangement
Creating musical arrangements that blend contemporary African music with diverse musical traditions for live and recorded performance.
Live Music Curation
Designing and curating concerts, showcases, festivals, and cultural experiences that connect artists with audiences.
Curation
Curating artists, programmes, festivals, and cross-cultural collaborations.
Authorship
Writing on artistic practice, music, cultural leadership, and creative systems.
Selected Works in Motion
Serving on the international jury — Celestial International Juvenile Music Competition.
INK Collection
Five literary works exploring imagination, artistic expression, culture, identity, and the human experience through literary expression by Tolu Ogunleye “Drtonez”.
Explore Ink →