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Who is the ‘real’ Oslo Ibrahim, really? Even he, at one point, had to do some soul-searching to figure that out.
It sounds like a simple question. But for an artist trying to build something that lasts, it’s a loaded one. Oslo’s musical journey has been marked by swift decisions, shifting perceptions, and constant pivots when plans fell apart.
This year, though, he’s ready to answer. His latest EP, Top 5, feels like his way of reintroducing himself—not just as a content creator, but as a musician first.
“In terms of mentality, the ‘real’ Oslo is still the same. It’s the kid from Sumatra who fought to make his music more known by emigrating to Jakarta,” Oslo told me.
A shift in circumstance
Oslo first made waves in 2018, eventually landing on the map with I Only Dance When I’m Sad, his 2020 debut album. It earned him both an AMI Award nomination for Best Urban Solo Artist and nods from senior musicians, while also making alternative pop feel fresh again for local mainstream listeners.
“There were many things that, as it happened, it felt like nothing at all," Oslo said, referring to the early years of his career.
"Having said that, after looking back, that's when I realized that I've been through a lot. Turns out, we can only feel the process once we're out on the other side."
But then came what Oslo describes as a “shifting of circumstances”.
His career gained momentum just as music promotion moved from TV to the internet—and then the pandemic hit.
He’d imagined 2020 as a breakout year, but COVID-19 put a dent in the blueprint.
“Whenever I thought, like, ‘This is my time’, then suddenly, there came something about which there was nothing I could have done,” he said.
“Things shifted, and we had no idea what to do.”
With live gigs off the table, Oslo leaned into social media. He grew an audience on TikTok through a quirky segment called “Top 5”, where he ranked everything from pop culture moments to oddly specific life observations.
Over on Instagram, his blend of offbeat captions and bold photos gave him even more visibility—but not necessarily for his music.
By 2022, Oslo was back onstage, performing at as many festivals as he could. But the comeback was short-lived. His second album, Head Head Head, was delayed and didn’t drop until September 2024. Meanwhile, the festival circuit that had exploded post-pandemic began to fizzle out.
“Somehow, and I still don’t understand why, I felt like I was stagnating back in 2023,” he says.
“It was almost the opposite of 2022, and it felt so instantaneous.”
The reintroduction
That’s why 2025 matters.
Oslo was coming off Head Head Head, which he says managed to “pretty much” make up for lost time—though not fully. But to many Indonesians now, he’s better known as a content creator and internet personality than a musician.
Enter Top 5, the EP. With five tracks and a title borrowed from his viral series, it’s part tongue-in-cheek and part course correction.
Oslo wants people to hear the music—and hear him—again. This year, he’s steering perception back to where it belongs. With Top 5, he’s pushing back: Oslo Ibrahim the musician comes first.
“Even though I don’t know if it’s right or wrong, I think people can enjoy the best experience of me once they watch me perform [music] live,” he said.
“As opposed to watching my content or even listening to my music on the digital streaming platform. When I perform live, that’s Oslo Ibrahim’s proper introduction.”
And sure, the tracks do sound built for a stage. The EP moves through a range of moods—anger, longing, love—with sharp guitar work, catchy synths, and Oslo’s smooth, almost conversational vocals.
The standout, “Alone Together”, looks back on the simplicity of earlier days.
“I missed the time when I didn’t need to think about anything,” he said.
“It’s a conversation between me and who I used to be.”
And while Olso himself doesn’t seem too concerned with how others define the ‘real’ Oslo Ibrahim, his artistry is loud and clear. For him, Top 5 is less about reinvention than realignment.
Now, Oslo is preparing for a tour while teasing his next full-length album. But, is he ready for more listeners to discover the ‘real’ Oslo?
“I’ve never known what that feels like,” he said with a grin.
“Who knows? Maybe that’s a good thing, after all.”
