What I May Destroy You ’s Weruche Opia Is Listening to Right Now
In another life, Weruche Opia would’ve been a rapper. “If I could sing and rap, I would be hitting all the areas like Drake,” the 32-year-old emphasizes from a space in her bedroom specifically reserved for Zoom calls. This is not that life, though her current path is pretty good, too: She’s a co-star on BBC One and HBO’s I May Destroy You, Michaela Coel’s sprawling and suspenseful television series about a woman and her group of friends and the effects of sex and consent on their lives. It’s one of the best TV shows of the year. Opia has been a breakout star as Terry, the struggling-actress best friend of Michaela Coel’s Arabella.
I May Destroy You stands out in so many ways—from Michaela Coel and Sam Miller’s direction to Coel’s scripts—but the show’s soundtrack has been a revelation. Every song choice feels like a natural part of the characters’ lives. In the sixth episode, a series of flashback scenes focused on teenage versions of Arabella and Terry are soundtracked exclusively by UK garage. It’s an experience Opia can relate to, as a teenager who had moved to the UK from Nigeria, trying to fit in at under-18 clubs by sipping on non-alcoholic sugar drinks and listening to garage music.
But Opia’s real love was for the American hip-hop and R&B rising in the early ’00s. She blushes when she reflects on the Bow Wow and B2K CDs she bought. In recent years, her taste has evolved to include the emerging Nigerian pop scene, where some of her favorite music is currently being made. This combination has formed her well-rounded and culturally diverse taste, befitting of someone with Drake-like aspirations.
J. Cole: 4 Your Eyez Only
Weruche Opia: It was hard to pick between this and Forest Hills Drive, but I literally have a memory attached to every song on this one. It was 2016, so much was happening in my life: my niece was born, I traveled a lot even though I had no money, and was working as a teacher’s assistant. It was a really slow year, like the acting wasn’t really happening, but I remember using this album to push through. Like “Folding Clothes,” my favorite song on the album, takes me back to my days running around my neighborhood trying to get my fitness together. I would always run past this school and have my hands on my hips, but I would be encouraging myself to keep going. I have a relationship like that to music, where I think of little moments. It’s good but can also be bad, especially if it was something I was listening to during a sad period in my life.
J. Cole is my favorite rapper, period. I remember I got to see him live when I happened to be in Lagos around when KOD came out. It was so electric and he tore up the stage! He had literally just released the album days before and the whole crowd knew the words—he barely knew them himself. It was magical, like a life goal of mine coming true.
Ladipoe: “Know You” [ft. Simi]
The only TikTok video I ever made was to this song. It was the only one because I didn’t realize how much work it was to make one. After, I was like “I’m not getting paid for this.” Ladipoe, I would liken him to the Kendrick of Nigeria; he has powerful words that make you think. This one is different though, it’s one of those cute songs. It makes you think about your crushes—I regret to say I still have crushes.
I actually went to elementary school back in Nigeria with Ladipoe. I sent him a DM on Instagram telling him how much I love the song and he gave me the idea to make a TikTok video for it. He told me to make one of those duet videos, and I literally went and made an account, but didn’t know to do a duet so just made a normal one. I didn’t do it because he asked, I just love the song so much and wanted to take part.
WizKid: “Smile” [ft. H.E.R.]
Sometimes when different genres cross over it goes wrong, but this one makes me so happy, I’m digging it. I know the song is literally brand new—I’m not usually one of those people listening to music as soon as it comes out, but this is the exception. I love H.E.R.’s voice and WizKid is the pioneer. It’s crazy to say it because he’s young, but he’s already a legend, he’s helped Afrobeats reach the whole world. When I saw these two came together I was like, “Oh my God!” My favorite people together. I’m eating it up.
Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
