Tolü Makay is a Nigerian-Irish recording artist, songwriter, redefining the boundaries of alternative pop and soul. Her music fuses rich gospel undertones, R&B textures, and a fearless emotional core that speaks to transformation, resilience, and the search for self. Based between London and Ireland, Tolü creates art that is both deeply personal and globally resonant.
From humble beginnings to commanding stages across the world, Tolü has carved her own path as an independent artist. Her breakout moment came with a hauntingly powerful cover of The Saw Doctors' N17, which went viral and reached over 3 million views across YouTube and Spotify. The single debuted at #2 on the Irish charts, making her the highest-charting solo female artist in Ireland since 2019.
Her critically acclaimed EP Being explored the themes of self-discovery and liberation, with lead singles “Don’t Let Go” and “You Are Enough” receiving major Irish radio airplay and international recognition including praise from BBC Introducing and playlisting across RTÉ Radio 1 and 2FM.
Tolü’s sound has lit up stages at
Electric Picnic, All Together Now
(on the Guinness Stage), and Beyond
the Pale, where she shared lineups with
icons like Grace Jones. Internationally,
she has performed in New York, Los Angeles,
Chicago, and Washington D.C., including
a standout set at the John F. Kennedy Center
and the sold-out 3Arena in Dublin for the
College Football Classic. She’s also performed
for the President of Ireland and at Ireland’s
100-year commemoration ceremony.
Not one to follow trends, Tolü's genre-bending
artistry has earned her industry accolades,
including a viral collaboration with Irish Women
in Harmony, a Tatler Award for Artist of the Year,
and selection for the prestigious Keychange
EU Programme.
With over 900,000 streams on her solo single
Goodbye (achieved without a promotional
campaign) and a loyal, growing online community,
Tolü has emerged as a voice for a generation
reclaiming its power.
Her new single, WAR (dropping April 29), marks a
bold new chapter—both a sonic declaration and a
deeply personal reckoning. A vivid reflection of
her evolution, WAR leads the charge toward a
new body of work, with more singles to follow
and an EP slated for release later this year.
She has worked with leading global talent
agency UTA, performing at School Night in LA
and their curated showcase in London.
Tolü Makay stands as a global artist in the
making. Honest, genre-defying, and impossible
to ignore.