There are many talented students attending Salisbury University. One of these students is Josh Adewumi, a linebacker on the football team and a musician and singer in his free time.
Adewumi is a senior at SU majoring in exercise science and minoring in music. He is from Springdale, Maryland.
During the 2019-20 football season, Adewumi racked up 34 total tackles, six tackles-for-loss and two sacks. He helped anchor a Sea Gull team that finished the season ranked sixth in the nation and reached the Elite Eight round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament.
Coming from a family of musicians and singers, Adewumi said his father inspired him to take up an instrument.
“My dad gave me the idea,” Adewumi said. “I started out singing at a young age and he told me that he knew I was a talented singer, and a great musical instrument to go with my voice would be the saxophone.”
He started out playing the saxophone for the community at his local church in Prince George’s County.
This is where Adewumi said he developed and grew his musical talent.
“It helped me build my confidence and sharpen my skills with the saxophone,” Adewumi said.
Playing for his congregation gave Adewumi the community outreach necessary for people to hear him perform publicly.
Soon, people began asking him for personal performances including many relatives, friends and companions in his community.
On special occasions, people would request Adewumi to play a favorite song or a happy birthday to someone special.
The more people heard him play, the more the requests began to come in.
“Seeing the smiles on peoples’ faces while I was performing for them pushed me to continue to play,” Adewumi said.
Adewumi has performed a variety of different gigs but described his favorite being wedding proposals.
He has also showcased his talents on SU’s campus. He won the annual talent show at SU, Salisbury Got Talent, in March of last year.
Recently, he went home to perform for his brother's best friend's proposal.
“[My brothers] best friend and I approached his future wife in the park with a speaker while performing ‘If I Ain't Got You’ [by Alicia Keys],” Adewumi said. “It was such a beautiful moment to be a part of something so special between a loving couple.”
Adewumi and the Sea Gulls will be back in action when they travel to face Wesley for the final Route 13 Rivalry game on March 13. The game is slated to kick off at noon.
By JACK FIECHTNER and NICK LEWIS
Staff writer and Sports editor
Featured photo courtesy of Joshua Adewumi.