How Josh Bowale Is Building a Global African Choir Movement – THISDAYLIVE

For Josh Bowale, music has never been just about performance. Long before appearing on Britain’s Got Talent with The Lux City Choir, the Nigerian-born producer, arranger and choir director had already spent years quietly building something far bigger than a traditional choir.

Today, operating between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, Josh is emerging as one of the leading creative voices within a new generation of African diaspora cultural entrepreneurs,  creatives building global platforms while remaining deeply connected to faith, culture and community.

What started as a small choir vision has now evolved into The Lux City Choir, a fast-rising cross-continental collective known for blending African musical identity, contemporary choir culture, immersive live production and immersive worship experiences into a distinctly modern sound.

Earlier this year, mainstream British audiences encountered that vision on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, where The Lux City Choir’s gospel-infused reinterpretation of “Higher Love” earned a standing ovation and progressed to the semi-finals.

Their later semi-final performance of “The Climb” further expanded the choir’s visibility, incorporating African percussion, choir arrangements and Yoruba rhythmic influences into a nationally televised performance that resonated strongly across diaspora audiences online.

For many viewers, the moment represented more than entertainment. It was a visible example of African identity and excellence being presented confidently on a major international platform without compromise.

But Josh Bowale insists the television exposure was never the destination.

“We are trying to build spaces where people can encounter hope, joy, excellence, faith, creativity and community all at once,” he says. “Sometimes music becomes more than entertainment. It becomes healing. It becomes belonging.”

That philosophy now sits at the heart of The Lux City Choir’s identity.

With members spread across cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Hereford, Thetford, Wolverhampton and Lagos, the choir has become more than a performance group. Rehearsals regularly bring together healthcare workers, students, finance professionals, engineers, musicians and young creatives from across the African diaspora.

That growing community reflects a wider cultural shift among younger Africans abroad, where creative and faith-based spaces are increasingly becoming hubs for identity, collaboration and emotional connection.

“African creatives are no longer waiting for permission to build meaningful things,” Bowale says. “There’s a generation creating its own platforms, systems and communities while still staying connected to culture and faith.”

That vision extends beyond choir rehearsals.

Through Lux City Music, Studio26 and ECHOES (his live worship and recording platform) operating across Lagos and London. Josh Bowale has spent recent years building a wider creative infrastructure around music production, artist development, mentorship and large-scale live experiences.

Recent editions of ECHOES have drawn audiences from across the diaspora community, combining choir music, African praise influences, visual storytelling and contemporary production into immersive live events.

For Josh, excellence remains central to everything he builds.

“I’ve always believed that Christians and believers should represent excellence well,” he says. “If we truly believe we are representing the greatest Creator of all, then our work should reflect care, depth, discipline and beauty. Faith should never become an excuse for mediocrity.”

That balance between spiritual depth, cultural authenticity and modern presentation has become one of the defining characteristics of The Lux City Choir’s rise.

At a time when African influence continues to reshape global music and culture, Josh’s work represents a different side of that story – one rooted not only in visibility, but in long-term vision, creative infrastructure and meaningful community.

Whether through live recordings in Lagos, worship gatherings in London or national television appearances in the UK, Josh Bowale and The Lux City Choir are helping redefine what a modern African choir movement can look like on the global stage.

And increasingly, the world is beginning to pay attention.