ABIOLA
ASAOLU
I’m Abiola Asaolu, a Marketing Project Manager and versatile creative.
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My journey spans from high-growth scale-ups to established corporations like Siemens, where I've consistently improved processes, built systems from scratch, and collaborated across technical and creative teams.
Before transitioning into marketing and operations, I have done substantial creative work including with major music labels Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group, delivering content strategies that helped artists grow by millions of followers.
I combine analytical rigour with creative problem-solving, whether I'm implementing CRM systems, developing SOPs, or directing a film/shooting.
Queens Without Crowns is a groundbreaking documentary that explores the UK rap scene through an exclusively female lens, positioning itself as a first-of-its-kind examination of women in British hip-hop. As director and editor of this project, I crafted an observational documentary following the lives of four UK-based female rappers whilst addressing the underrepresentation, marginalisation, exclusion, and differences between the US and UK rap scenes.
Concept and Approach
The documentary adopts an observational style, chronicling the journeys of various UK-based female artists. Going beyond a simple chronological history of UK rap, the film focuses primarily on the 2010-20s era, addressing substantial events in the past whilst following artists in the present day.
The narrative is structured across three acts: Act One examines history matters, Act Two explores the come-up, and Act Three considers bringing forward progress. This structure allows for a comprehensive exploration of how female rappers face tribulations and achieve subsequent successes from the streets to the mainstream, set against the backdrop of the Reign of Grime and the explosion of UK drill.
Key Themes
The documentary tackles four central themes:
Underrepresentation of women in UK rap
Marginalisation and systematic barriers
Exclusion from industry opportunities
Differences between the US and UK rap scenes
Production Planning
Pre-production involved extensive preparation to ensure the budget was spent wisely and production ran smoothly. Key documents prepared included schedules, shot lists, storyboards, financial planning and budget sheets, and call sheet templates. Further research was conducted on required equipment, with reviews and permission sought for locations and footage samples.
Production was executed using an URSA camera with primarily a standard and wide-angle lens alongside necessary accessories. Shooting took place primarily in London with one or two locations elsewhere in the UK, depending on the confirmed cast.
The production team comprised a producer, camera assistant/gaffer, sound technician, and willing assistant.
Post-production saw me take on the role of editor, working with a colourist and assistant in Premiere Pro and After Effects to bring the project to completion.
Artistic Vision
Visual Direction: Inspired by my personal graphic design approach, the documentary features a distinct visual pitch deck style. The editing is heavily stylised, with video segments of the cast presented in their natural environment, relying on natural lighting in shots involving movement. Artificial lighting is used for stationary shots, including soft and hard lighting depending on the environment and topic being discussed.
Sound Design: An immersive sonic experience was created using non-diegetic sound elements such as sound effects (including crowd posting or poised silence), music to convey feelings and emotions.
Dream Cast: The documentary features Co Nikx, Stefflon Don, Brenda, Ms Banks, Paigey Cakey, Shaybo, Dutchavelli, and Julissa Barthoe.
This project represents a vital contribution to documenting and elevating the voices of female artists in the UK rap scene, combining observational documentary techniques with a distinctive visual style to create an engaging and important piece of cultural commentary.
Ghosty is an innovative 3D mascot character I helped develop whilst working as a digital strategist for Sony Music Entertainment France, notably for French artist artist Ghost Killer Track. This project resulted in explosive social media growth, transforming the artist's digital presence and achieving viral status across multiple platforms.
Project Overview and Impact
As the creative director of this mascot initiative, I conceptualised and helped execute a comprehensive character development strategy that broke through traditional artist marketing barriers. The results were extraordinary: the Ghosty character helped the artist amass over 500,000 followers on Instagram and grow from zero to over 4 million followers on TikTok, becoming the fastest-growing French account on the platform at one point. Multiple videos featuring Ghosty reached tens of millions of views, establishing the character as a viral phenomenon.
Strategic Vision
The Mascot's Purpose and Viral Potential: The fundamental strength of Ghosty lies in its universal appeal. This character transcends all barriers: it is neither male nor female, has no religion, can speak any language, and exists beyond traditional demographic constraints. This universality creates unlimited potential for viral content and audience engagement across diverse communities.
Unlimited Content Possibilities: The character's greatest asset is its boundlessness. Ghosty can do anything and everything, particularly activities the artist themselves may not want or be able to perform. For instance, when dance challenges trend and go viral instantly, it's not Ghost Killer Track who dances, but the Ghosty character, allowing the artist to participate in trends whilst maintaining their own artistic identity.
Creative Influences
My approach was informed by leading artists in the character design space:
Alex Solis (@alexmdc): An American artist who gained recognition working with 6ix9ine, notably contributing to the art direction of "DUMMY BOY". His bold, character-driven approach to artist branding provided valuable insights into creating memorable visual identities.
Vince Okerman (@vexx): A young Belgian artist who has collaborated with major brands including Samsung, OnePlus, Fanta, and Polaroid. His work demonstrated how character design can transcend music and enter broader commercial spaces.
Implementation Strategy
As digital strategist at Sony Music Entertainment France, my responsibilities encompassed:
Supporting the artist in understanding, developing, and engaging audiences across all platforms
Monitoring KPIs to assess the relevance of actions carried out
Daily interaction with the artist and management to create and approve content
Serving as a privileged interlocutor with platforms and partners (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc.)
People in Places and London Faces is a 90-second short film I directed and edited as part of the Creativity Works: Content Production programme, a six-week training initiative run by award-winning nonprofit A New Direction through their Create Jobs Programme. The film was featured in The Face as one of the standout submissions from the course.
Programme Context
In September, myself and 37 other aspiring young creatives aged 18 to 24 were selected and enrolled in a comprehensive training programme designed to enhance digital storytelling skills for underrepresented individuals entering the film industry. The initiative partnered with leading industry brands including The Face, Untold Studios, Stink Films, and Stink Studios to construct a 360-degree crash course in visual media, providing vital tips and tricks in content production.
The Brief
I was tasked with creating a 90-second short film that served as a visual love letter to my Britain. This brief allowed for personal interpretation of what Britain means to me, set against the backdrop of my unique social and cultural experiences. The freedom to define British identity through my own lens.
Assessment Criteria
The film was evaluated against five fundamental categories:
Storytelling and structure
Technical execution
Use of sound and music
Creativity
Interpretation of the brief
Creative Approach
Through voiceover, music, and stylised visual effects, my film captures London's character through its people and places, examining how individual faces and communal spaces combine to create the rich tapestry of contemporary British life.
Recognition and Impact
People in Places and London Faces was selected as one of the top picks by The Face, featured alongside only three other standout submissions from the programme. The film was showcased during a two-day virtual screening that took spectators on an evocative journey across the landscapes and communities of Britain, presenting the nation through the eyes of its inquisitive and creative youth.
Professional Development
This project served as a crucial stepping stone in bolstering my creative career.
It is not the best film I ever made, it is even far from that, but it helped me build the foundation of essential skills in content production. This experience also fed me invaluable connections and practical knowledge from established professionals in visual media.
The Creativity Works programme was funded by independent social mobility charity the Mayor's Fund for London and Citi Foundation, reflecting the project's commitment to supporting underrepresented voices in the creative industries.
Looking to start a project? Feel free to contact me.