I SING GOSPEL TO PREACH PEACE, LOVE, SAYS ADETOUN SOTE, TII SHOT

By NBF News

•Adetoun Sote
Ever before she gave her life to Christ in 1984, Mrs Adetoun Sote, popularly known as Tii Shot, had always played music with different bands. The gospel singer, who just launched her debut, Great Beginnings in Lagos, started music in her primary school days and moved on to secondary school, taking active part in operas, theatres and musical shows either in churches or schools.

On getting to the university, Sote honed her skills as a singer and dancer and eventually joined the University of Ibadan band, which was then managed by Tope Babayemi. In 1982, the band recorded a rare feat by coming first in an all university musical competition. This victory further exposed Sote to the larger musical community around Ibadan, hence, she was able to play with such bands as Afrolinkage Ensemble, Ibadan, Jazz 38, Lagos, as well as other top musicians like Balla Miller, Eddy Okonta, Jimi Solanke and Tunji Oyelana.

But having played much of secular music, the talented singer opted for gospel, with a mission to change people's lives and cast their minds away from wordly things. Explained Sote, ''I do not sing for money or fame. I only have a message to send across to the people. And I thank God who has given me the opportunity to minister to people through my music.''

Last January, when Tii Shot launched her album at the MUSON Centre in Lagos, it was a huge gathering of relations and friends, who came to savour her music. Her lyrics and compositions reflected a mastery of virtually all genres of music, including highlife, calypso, Afrobeat, Afro Hip Hop, jazz and country. Sote, who dazed her guests with a live performance of some of her songs, also thrilled with dance and her melodic voice. She joined her vocalists and dancers (students of Redeemers University) with such numbers as Jesus Calypso, God Bless Nigeria and Dance to the Rhythm. Some of these songs were highlighted with the creative use of movements, mime and choreography.

Essentially, Tii Shot's music appeals to men and women, as well as youths in several ways. She said her music is all about ministering to people, using the various genres. She equally uses music to entertain the audience who are necessarily varied and diverse in nature. Her words: ''In Jesus Calypso, I have a duet with Kasope, a singer while in God Bless Nigeria, I speak to Nigerians about the evils of corruption through instrumentals. Dance to the Rhythm is an acapella, whie Who Is Like Unto Thee has backup singers, guitarist and keyboardist. I must confess that through these songs, my dreams have come true. Muisc is really my first love, but I obtained Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Master's in Library Science mainly to satisfy my urge for educational qualifications.''

Her words ''I'd rather love to sing music all my life. I actually started studying Music at th Polytechnic Ibadan before I moved to the university.Before this, I started singing and playing guitar since when I was 16 years old. Now I can start performing in Nigeria and all over the world. Although, I work as a librarian at Redeemers University, I still find time to compose and rehearse my songs. As a musician, I preach the message of peace and joy that is made available in Christ Jesus''.