Many voices.
One Iyabode.
Music. Culture.
Creative rights.
Iyabode (Rosaline Iyabode Johnson) is a Sierra Leonean singer-songwriter, performer, lawyer and cultural practitioner based in Freetown. Her musical practice draws on Sierra Leonean musical and linguistic traditions, jazz and contemporary neo-soul, creating a distinctive sound rooted in storytelling, identity, poetry and cultural expression.
As a performer, Iyabode has participated in international music programmes and cultural exchanges, including Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop in the United States, Berklee’s Gnaoua and Music Workshop in Morocco, and a music residency and performance in Ghana.
Iyabode is a co-founder of Telem Uncommon Sounds, a creative organisation established to support Sierra Leonean musicians through songwriting retreats, live performances and international exchange opportunities. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Ballanta Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Sierra Leone and performs with The Groovy Colours, the Academy’s resident band.
Alongside her artistic practice, Iyabode is a practising lawyer with interests in intellectual property, copyright, performers’ rights, music rights and arts and cultural development. Her work brings together law, music and cultural advocacy, with a commitment to strengthening opportunities for Sierra Leonean artists and supporting the growth of the country’s creative sector.