Love Remain announces new EP ‘Is What It Is’ in tribute to the late poet, Gboyega Odubanjo

UK producer, Love Remain has announced a new EP, ‘Is What It Is’ which will include poetry from the late Gboyega Odubanjo.

Featuring track on the project, ‘LDN GIRLS’ is out now featuring vocals from Odubanjo who went missing after Shambala festival in 2023.

The anonymous producer was friends with Odubanjo and has created this EP in tribute to his friend with support from the poet’s close friends and family who also appear on the new track and music video.

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Speaking on the track Love Remain explains: “This song means so much to me, I was sitting on the instrumental for about a year, then during a studio session I had an idea that only yega would really get, his energy was the light that the song needed, and it came at a time when we were both in a place of Joy, we had so much fun throughout the process of putting it together, and they are memories I will cherish forever”.

Love Remain continues: “I’m so grateful we were able to have something that is reprensative of the time and place we were in and where we grew as friends.”

The British-Nigerian writer and poet was 27-year-old when he passed away.

Before his death he had received an Eric Gregory Award, New Poets’ Prize and the Michael Marks Award for his work.

A fundraiser was created for Gboyega Odubanjo’s family around the time he was confirmed missing. This fundraiser has now reached over £80,000.

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The fundraiser, organised by Rose Odubanjo, described him as a “beloved son, brother and friend” whose life was “so suddenly cut short”.

Using the donations, his friends and family have launched The Gboyega Odubanjo Foundation to support low-income black writers.

Take a listen to the EP below.

Becky Buckle is Mixmag’s Multimedia Editor, follow her on Twitter