How a 'No' Led to a Miracle: The Story Behind the Movie Onobiren and its Soundtrack

Sometimes, things don't go according to plan because something much better is waiting around the corner. That is exactly what happened to filmmaker Laju Iren and her team while working on their latest project.

If you’ve been following the news about the film Onobiren (A Woman’s Story), you might be surprised to learn that it wasn't always called that. In the beginning, the movie was titled A Fisherwoman’s Dream. The team even had a specific song picked out for the opening scene, but after trying their best to negotiate, they realized they simply couldn't afford the artist.

Instead of giving up, Laju decided to trust her gut. Since they couldn't use the other song, she sat down and wrote the first draft of her own lyrics. She even reached out to her dad to find the perfect Itsekiri translation for the phrase, "No food for a lazy woman." As Laju puts it, she might not "know" music, but she knows words and she believes God gave them the right ones for this moment.

When she brought those words to her incredible music team, things moved fast. Producer Joshua Samuel and composer DerryHans worked their magic, and with the powerhouse vocals of Mabel Omajuwa, they created something special. In just one night, they came up with the melody and rearranged the lines. By morning, they had the song "ONOBIREN."

The song was so powerful that it didn't just stay a track on the album, it actually became the new name of the entire movie!

The project is already getting major love internationally. Onobiren has been nominated for Best Foreign Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Score at the International Christian Film and Music Festival in Orlando. It’s clear that this team’s hard work is paying off in a big way.

Laju says this is her best work with Josh yet, and that the entire album is "fire." You won’t have to wait long to hear it for yourself, as the full soundtrack drops this Friday on all music streaming platforms. Get your headphones ready, you won’t want to miss this one.