Odeal

Hillary Dennis Udanoh (born December 13, 1999), known professionally as Odeal, is a British singer-songwriter of Nigerian origin. He rose to prominence with the release of the song "Soh-Soh" which peaked at 3 on the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart, peaked at 12 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs, and peaked at 42 on the Nigeria Official Top 100 Songs. On 2 September 2025, Billboard named Odeal as its African Rookie of the Year.

Hillary Dennis Udanoh was born in Germany to Igbo Nigerian parents. His early childhood was marked by movement across Europe and Africa: at the age of three, he relocated to Spain, and around age six, his family settled in the United Kingdom. He recalls that, even as a toddler, he preferred singing along to his mother's CDs over watching cartoons, and she encouraged his passion by gifting him a toy microphone that became an early creative tool. At age fourteen, Odeal moved to Awka in Anambra State, Nigeria, to attend boarding school and live with his father. There, he discovered a local youth club recording studio and spent his free time crafting his earliest original songs, inspired by R&B rather than the mainstream African pop around him. Despite initial cultural differences in musical style, he remained dedicated, learning by observation and immersing himself in studio sessions. During his school years, Odeal continued exploring music production, even installing FruityLoops on a school computer and secretly composing beats late at night—an experiment that was eventually discovered, but revealed his deep commitment to craft. After returning to London at seventeen, he witnessed the rise of Afroswing in the UK. Initially collaborating with the group TMG, he soon embarked on a solo path, releasing his debut EP Need Time in 2017. Earlier that year, he also experienced a serious illness that required hospitalization, which intensified his determination to leave a meaningful mark through music.