'I'LL SING GOSPEL TILL I DIE'
My kind of music
I sing gospel music. I was born and bred in the vineyard of God. So, I started my career from the church. I study things around me and they help in shaping the pattern of my music. My gift as a musician is like a calling so, I don't intend deviating from it. I am the choirmaster, music teacher and coordinator in my church. I've been playing music for 13 years though not professionally.
Inspiration
For me, inspiration does not just come from one source. Sometimes, I get my inspiration from dreams; and also from the things that happen around me. For instance, I get inspiration from cockcrow. I could hear something like a melodious song and I decide to write what I heard.
My message
My promo CD is like appreciating God in advance. As long as you're alive, you should learn to appreciate God. It is not only when things are working according to your expectations that you can recognize God's existence or appreciate Him. You should learn to appreciate Him at all times. My second track, Lord We Give You Glory is for appreciating God the more and glorifying Him for what He has done in my life.
The music industry
It is so glaring that the music industry is growing rapidly. There are some people who would call themselves gospel artistes but what they are dishing out is not compatible with the ways of God. In Nigerian music video, it's common to see young girls dancing half naked. Unfortunately, gospel artistes are now imitating the trend. This is wrong.
Challenges
There are times that one's family may not give the needed support. Secondly, if you're not from a wealthy background, there is always financial handicap. Right now, what I'm confronted with are financial challenges. There's no support in any form for me.
On fame and fortune
I know some people want to sing believing that those already singing are making fortunes. Yes, music brings fame and fortune but many of the stars are not called or are not naturally gifted. The same applies to gospel music. If you are doing gospel music just because you feel you can sing, well, it depends on the way you choose to do it. If you're called, you won't find stress doing music and you will make your mark as a musician. What I notice is that if you go into gospel music because of money, you will definitely want to imitate the secular musicians. After discovering that money is not flooding in as expected, you then try to switch to secular music.
Rehashing music
Repeating songs or choruses already done by someone isn't altogether bad. For instance, if a song or chorus had been done before, someone might get a new inspiration on that same song and you see him pick it up and redo it in a very different but more interesting way. This is so because we have different ways of understanding things, and inspiration comes to different people in different forms.
Role model
I really do not have a role model. I'm coming out just on my own. I don't really have anyone I'd say I want to be like, I can say I am a minister; ministering with songs. You don't have to say I want to be ministering like this or that person. And in gospel music, you don't just blab or continuously passing on the same message over and over. So, you need to be yourself, compose your songs and do it very well.
Advice to colleagues
I want to tell my fellow gospel musicians that in whatever we do, let us be original. If you want to imitate someone, try and do better than that person. I have a track called, God is God. Certainly, God is not man. If He sees that you are sincere in using your music to work for Him, He will surely uplift you.
Plans for the future
I'm not really doing music for the money; I do music for the love of music. And I believe that whatever you do for the love of it lasts long. But if you are doing it for the love of money, when the money is no more there, you'll get fed up and drop out of it. So, because of my love for music, there's no way I'll drop out of it. As long as I'm breathing, music is something I'm going to do and will continue doing because I am a preacher.