Shaboozey, born Collins Obinna Chibueze on May 9, 1995, in Woodbridge, Virginia, is a genre-defying artist who blends hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana into a sound all his own. The son of Nigerian immigrants, he spent time growing up both in the U.S. and at a boarding school in Nigeria—an experience that deeply shaped his worldview and eclectic musical palette. From Johnny Cash and Kenny Rogers to Pharrell and Fela Kuti, his influences are as diverse as his upbringing.

His stage name, “Shaboozey,” was born out of a mispronunciation of his surname by a high school football coach—a happy accident that stuck. While he originally dreamed of becoming a novelist, storytelling found a new outlet in music during his teen years, and he’s been crafting narratives through lyrics ever since.

He released his debut album, Lady Wrangler, in 2018, and followed it up with Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die in 2022. But 2024 proved to be his breakout year. His album Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going featured the smash hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which spent a record-tying nineteen weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That same year, he featured on two tracks from Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, further cementing his genre-crossing appeal.

From Saturday Night Live to international stages, Shaboozey’s star continues to rise. With Grammy nods, major award wins, and a 2025 European tour underway, he’s redefining what modern American music can sound like—unapologetically bold and uniquely his.