Ase Odin Encourages Us Not to Worry with Ultra Catchy Afrobeat Single “No Wahala”

Ase Odin has a message: life is tough, yes, but you shouldn’t worry so much.

Born Godwin Osa Asemota, Ase Odin is an emerging afrobeat artist from Seattle. With four singles released just this year, he is rapidly establishing a place for himself.

The single, “No Wahala,” which translates as “no trouble,” has been blowing up the Afrobeat airwaves. It’s easy to see why. The track has a catchy, laid-back groove, punctuated with Ase Odin’s spoken word chanting and a female vocalist (Nikita) who begins the track with the song’s key message:

Me no want no problems

Me no want no fight

You and I got to get away

Originally from Benin City in Nigeria, Ase Odin was exposed to music at an early age: his father was in the police band in Abeokuta. When he got older, the singer relocated to Seattle where he lives with his family and works as a pharmacist. His music underscores his close ties to his homeland, with Afrobeat rhythms and use of instruments like the shekere.

Odin’s vocals are reminiscent of Nigerian afrobeat superstar Fela Kuti, but Odin’s sound is uniquely his own. He has a relaxed delivery, essentially performing in a spoken word style. His voice has a pleasant gruffness, delivering a timeless message in a distinctive English-Yoruba creole:

I no want wahala

My belly dey hunger

My body done tired (tire)

Every day na struggle

What are we go do? (Wetin we go do?)

Chill, no wahala, no trouble

Hakuna matata

Odin says, “I came up with that song because of what life is, the struggles we go through. How we get so caught up in that. I wanted to say, just relax, and sometimes be grateful and content. Sometimes you want to just sit back and get away, take a vacation. Or sometimes you look forward, to say hey, if I just wait until tomorrow, tomorrow will be another day. And it might be a better day also.”

Odin is self-produced, recording at Undercaste Studios in Seattle. There, he works with a talented engineer who helps bring his songs to life.

The music on “No Wahala” is a multi-layered tapestry. It blends xylophone, shakers (shekere), horns, guitars, keyboards, drums, bass, and more.

Streaming numbers for “No Wahala” are steadily increasing on Spotify, a testament to the song’s infectiousness. The track has also been garnering radio play in Europe and Africa. In a recent Instagram post, Odin shared a radio show clip and the caption, “Had a great time on Lagos Traffic Radio 96.1 FM, talking about my journey, my sound, and of course the new single ‘NO WAHALA.’”

A true Seattlite, Ase Odin has also released a song devoted to his hometown’s NFL team, the Seahawks. Titled “We Got This,” the single commemorates the team’s 50th anniversary in 2025. Musically, the track is more hip hop than Odin’s other music, but an afrobeat undercurrent makes the song an unusual hybrid. Odin’s son, THEO Ma1, is featured as a guest artist, as is rapper Gravelly.

Looking ahead, Odin plans to complete his 10-song album by November. In addition to the afrobeat and hip hop sounds, it will incorporate reggae, R&B, love ballads, and even rock. Odin says, “I love to embrace all different cultures.”

His overall message is inspirational. “Do not give up on your dreams,” he says. “Believe in yourself. Live your dream. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to live my dream, have my family, and have the freedom to create. And to be who I am.”