As we get ready to celebrate Record Store Day on April 12, we met with Olana Janfa the Naarm/Melbourne-based multidisciplinary artist whose recent release Chicken On Bike is having a special vinyl release on the 12th to celebrate. The visual artist and musician is a creative force: his work includes murals, book illustrations, fashion collaborations and also being a singer-songwriter, channelling his cultural thoughts about the world into song. Chicken On Bike is the new upbeat track, crafted alongside Harvey Sutherland. We spoke to Janfa about the new song and what's next:

You've just released "Chicken On Bike" which we love. Which side of Olana does this song celebrate and spotlight?

My sense of humour, mostly. I always like to put a mirror up to common racial stereotypes, talk about the elephant in the room, just embrace it, make people think but also make them laugh. The song brings together the playful side of my visual art with music in a way that feels authentic to me. I wanted to create something that makes people smile and shows my perspective. 

You worked with Harvey Sutherland on this track. How did that collaboration come to be? What does he bring to your sonic world?

We’ve been friends for a couple of years now. We met after his partner bought a piece of my art for his studio. Last year we got together for a beer and I told him my idea [for the song]. He just said, "Come to my studio." When we finished the track, he was like, "That's a banger." I felt confident working with Harvey because it was my second time around. I definitely feel like he gets where I come from creatively. He gave me the space to express myself and push my boundaries, which I liked.

What is your writing process like?

I have lived in three very different cultures (Ethiopia, Norway, Australia) and speak five languages, so there are a lot of small things in language that I find interesting and funny. Expression is so personal, it’s an art in itself and is something I enjoy playing with. Sometimes I’ll hear an Australian expression or a reggae lyric that makes me laugh and that’s all it takes. I bounce a lot of ideas off friends to see what they find funny, especially my other migrant friends; there's a shared experience there that helps me know what will connect. If something makes us laugh together, I know it's good.

What does songwriting and making music give you that perhaps painting doesn't?

Music is a much longer process and more collaborative. The process of working with a producer allows me to be more experimental and push boundaries I might not have in my visual art. With painting, it's just me and my ideas, but music brings in other voices and perspectives that help shape what’s created. It's like my ideas get to bounce around in a bigger space and try different things.

If "Chicken On Bike" was to be the soundtrack to one of your artworks, which one would you choose?

It's actually based on an existing work that I did a couple of years ago (which has now become the Chicken On Bike single cover art). It was one of those pieces that people resonated with right away. I think the absurdity of the visual jolts people out of their every-day—it's playful but also meaningful in its own way. A chicken on a bike would be so foreign to people here in Melbourne where I live, but in Africa, where I grew up it’s maybe not so out of the ordinary. I'm a self-taught artist and my style has always been imperfect, a bit wonky—I’m proud of that, and I like to lean into it, both in my art and in my music. I think Harvey really understands that about me. People relate to the raw imperfect nature of my work. It's unfiltered, not self-conscious, which I think people find refreshing. The song really feels like one of my artworks.

What has been inspiring you lately?

With art and music, I draw from my everyday life, often through the lens of being a migrant and the things that are unique to that experience. I never struggle to find inspiration, so many characters I meet in everyday life intrigue me, and that’s all it takes sometimes. I try to be myself, focus on what's funny, and show people another side of myself through music. My daily experiences, the contrasts between my Ethiopian heritage and Norwegian upbringing, and now my life in Australia—it all feeds into my work.

Which artists (both art/music) are you excited about?

Ethiopian jazz has always been a huge influence. I grew up with artists like Hailu Mergia, Mulatu Astatke, Ali Birra, Mahmoud Ahmed—these sounds are in my blood. I recently met Hailu Mergia while he was touring Australia and it made me so proud to see a young generation of fans—black and white—enjoying his music. I’ve also discovered a London-based Eritrean-Swedish singer called Miryam Solomon who weaves some nice East African elements into her sound, which I find really inspiring. I'm drawn to artists who embrace their cultural heritage and bring it into contemporary forms. Whether it's visual art or music, that authenticity comes through clearly when an artist is proud of their roots.

Dream music collaboration?

Working with someone like Mad Professor or Dennis Bovell would be amazing. I'd love to imagine what something like that could create. Reggae, dub and Jamaican music have always been linked to Ethiopia and I’ve always been a big fan of Jamaican music. There's a natural bridge there that I like to explore in my music, bringing the two worlds together in a way that references tradition but creates something new.

What's something you're passionate about, aside from art and music, that you'd like to use your platform for?

Sport is a big one for me, it's a big passion and I always love opportunities to work on projects that combine art and sport (like the Nike basketball court I designed). I also do a lot of art workshops for children and young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds and economically disadvantaged areas. Being a migrant living in a foreign country and culture, I find a lot of joy in seeing young people from these communities connect with the liberating potential of art, creativity and self-expression. When I see that spark happen—when a kid realises they can tell their own story through art, their own way—it's really special. It reminds me why I started creating in the first place. These workshops aren't just about teaching techniques; they're about showing young people that their voices and experiences matter, that they belong in creative spaces too.

What's next?

I recorded a second song with Harvey Sutherland that is coming out in time for Record Store Day on 12 April. This one will be released digitally and as part of a limited-edition vinyl EP including Chicken on Bike and my first single Skillful Man (produced by Swick). I’ll be doing some in-stores with Harvey and Swick in Melbourne to celebrate, which I’m really looking forward to. I also have a bunch of public art and brand projects on the go at the moment, which will take up the next few months. Hopefully some more travel on the horizon at the end of the year. I don't like to plan too much, I just take it step by step, seeing where this journey takes me.

Listen to Chicken On Bike HERE.

@jahnf_bless