Olana
Acclaimed Ethiopian-Norwegian visual artist Olana Janfa first picked up a paintbrush in 2018. In just a few short years, entirely self taught, Olana has established an instantly recognisable presence locally and internationally with his unique style of self-expression and playful perspective on everything from politics to privilege and pop culture.
In 2024, acclaimed Ethiopian-Norwegian visual artist Olana Janfa made a bold leap into music with his debut single, Skillful Man—a joyous, reggae-infused tribute to the unsung workers who keep the world moving. Seamlessly translating his eccentric visual aesthetic into sound, the track—produced by Swick (M.I.A, Diplo, Tkay Maidza)—was met with enthusiasm from listeners worldwide.
In a suitably eccentric continuation of his unlikely musical journey, the Melbourne-based creative has teamed up with producer Harvey Sutherland (Disclosure, Khruangbin) in 2025 for two new singles—the unapologetically playful Chicken on Bike and the hypnotically groove-driven Twenty Five an Hour. Here, Sutherland’s genre-bending fusion of deep digital bass and infectious dancehall grooves lay the perfect sonic foundation for Olana’s ever-humorous social commentary, which sees him effortlessly upending cultural assumptions with his signature naïve charm. The result is a disarming and highly danceable excursion into the mind of a truly original artist.
Though best known as a painter, Olana says he has always drawn inspiration from music, with reggae, hip-hop, and afrobeat lyrics often sparking new visual ideas. “Music has always been a part of my artwork. Sometimes, just one line from a song is enough to inspire a new piece,” he shares. Now, that same creative dialogue comes full circle as he channels his unique storytelling and sharp cultural observations into anthemic dancefloor grooves, offering a refreshingly original and unfiltered perspective on the world around him.
As a visual artist, Olana has built a striking presence both locally and internationally, with work spanning murals, book illustration, fashion collaborations, and creative projects with the likes of Nike, Nicholas Daley, NGV, and SBS. His work has been recognised by outlets including Vogue UK, Vogue Living, It’s Nice That, Hypebeast, ABC TV, SBS Radio, Broadsheet, The Design Files, The Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Design Review, and Fashion Journal, among others.
Olana shares, “Art connected me strongly with my culture and allowed me to communicate many ideas and experiences in ways that my broken English couldn’t. Art is how I express my identity; the things I find funny; the things that are important to me. I think my broken English makes it even more beautiful.”
Photo by Sarah Panell