The Great Recession, and then the pandemic, did in some of the last holdouts. But not Berkeley's Back Room, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary this month. The Back Room's survival is due to the passion of its founder, Sam Rudin, the musicians who love it and come back time after time to play there, and the commitment of audience members who know the experiences they have there are truly memorable.
Odeal's music sits loosely within R&B, also drawing on Afrobeats, neo-soul and contemporary pop. Across his catalogue, love is rarely conclusive. Instead, songs live in emotional grey areas.