They searched for the light
before the dawn
and prayed that they’d find
where they were going.
Just like spices in my mom’s kitchen, my music combines flavors, West African influenced guitar with production techniques spanning black electronic music traditions, expressing the diversity of cultures that make up who I am. These songs are the lessons I have learned existing at the crossroads of many brave journeys.
Who Is Jojo Sounds?
Atéha Bailly, also known as Jojo Sounds, is a music producer, songwriter, and sound designer whose work weaves a rich tapestry of sound that reflects the multicultural and multi-generational journey of his family’s immigration, from a West Africa, to the Caribbean/Central America, to the U.S.
Bailly grew up in Central Massachusetts and studied at Reed College in Portland, OR before completing research at Harvard Divinity School, where he examined how music shapes religious, political, and racial identity among Muslim and Ananda Marga communities worldwide.
Bailly's innovative productions combine danceable rhythms from around the world with hip hop’s depth of storytelling and a keen focus on the human spirit found in reggae, dub, and jazz. This fusion creates a sonic landscape that invites introspection while urging you to dance.
Bailly has been honored with a number for of fellowships and creative scholarships including: the Kaspar T. Locher Creative Scholarship, 2023 AIRIE Fellow, 2025 Assets for Artists Capacity Building Grant.