ESE's New EP, Spirit Guitar & Wellness Retreat Home

I’m ESE Julia Otobo. I believe music is medicine, and for me, it’s also a pathway to building a sanctuary ,for myself, and for others who are seeking space to heal, to listen, to breathe.

You can read my full story here

The Music — Spirit Guitar

My solo project Spirit Guitar began in May 2023. I sat in my mother’s unplastered, half-painted home, playing and praying, sweating in the Lagos heat, struggling even to move between chords, but holding tight to the call inside me: you must sing, you must release. (This was after years of feeling muted, unsure, lost.)

I’ve lived on the fringes: disconnected from the music industry, without sponsors or big platforms. I decided: no more chasing. It’s time to build my own table and invite the world in.

I’m raising $10,000 to make Spirit Guitar real:

Studio time, mixing, mastering

Hiring musicians, paying collaborators

Marketing, distribution, pressing CDs

Touring (to bring the music to places I otherwise can’t afford)

These songs are prayers, reflections, and healing 'medicine music'. They are part of my life’s work.

️ The Land & The Dream

This music isn’t separate from the land I now call home. I’ve moved to a piece of farmed land in Anambra, and I have a vision: to build a simple one-bedroom off-grid house, fence the land, start camping / retreat infrastructure, and eventually cultivate a healing sanctuary.

Imagine:

The first guest is sleeping under canvas of stars, waking to dawn and birdsong

A fire pit and circle of songs at night

Yoga, breathwork, sound healing, quiet walks, conscious music DJ sets, somatic movement sessions, farm to table meals & massage therapy

Musicians/Creatives gathering on the land to write, practice, and share

A community of support, connection, creative expansion & spirituality

This retreat space, even at its humble start, will be an extension of my music. I envision a vessel for rest, healing, and the kind of deep listening, and connecting to the Divine I hope to share through Spirit Guitar.

How These Two Worlds Merge

I deeply believe that music and places of healing are one. The EP and this sanctuary feed one another:

The retreat will be a live space where people experience Spirit Guitar’s songs in real, embodied ways

The land and retreat will host future concerts, residencies, workshops

Supporters who help build this begin as part of the story not just donors, but collaborators in creating something alive and evolving

Funding Breakdown & Transparency

Here’s where your donation goes:

What It Covers

Music / EP: Studio, mixing, mastering, session musicians, marketing, physical CD pressing, small tour support

Off-Grid Build: One-bedroom house structure, basic materials, solar / water / plumbing setup, fence, roofing

Retreat Infrastructure Camping gear, toilets, firepit, seating, paths, basic amenities

I will post regular updates (photos, videos, stories) so you can see progress in both the music and the land.

As a thank you, supporters will get credit in the EP, early listening sessions, first invites to retreats, and behind-the-scenes access to my journey.

Why It Matters to Me — & to You

I have 31 years of carrying, resisting, rebuilding, reclaiming. Music saved me. Land is healing. I want to build something that isn’t just for me. I want to invite you into that — to co-author, co-create, witness, receive, and expand.

If you resonate, whether it’s the music, the dream of a grounded sanctuary, or the idea of healing in community, I’d be grateful if you’d join me. Make a donation & share my gofundme link with one or two people.

You can read my full story here

Updates on the progress of the projects will be shared on NAPPYESE for transparency

Thank you for reading, believing, giving, witnessing.

With Love

ESE