Government should fix the country, stop harassment of young Nigerians —Lese
By You have been doing music for how long now?
Well, I would say I have been doing it for long; I was born into a music family. I have been doing it for a while now, can’t really say when, but all I can remember is; I have been singing since I was a little boy.
What are the qualities that give you the impression that you can last on the job?
I am a man with the message. I don’t joke with the message I am trying to pass across. I don’t do music for the sake of doing it. I enjoy what I do but I know what I do is a calling. I didn’t just stumble on it. I do music that has a positive message to my listeners.
You got signed to Idol Records recently and you have been getting a lot of attention. How has it been so far?
I thank God that I am not where I used to be. The struggle was different; it used to be me all alone doing my thing. Now, I am signed to create good music. I am going all out to make good sound, and I can see the result. With Idol records, it’s a new journey to greatness for me.
Are you satisfied with the pace at which you are moving at the moment?
I am never satisfied with little efforts. I always want to bring the best out of myself. I always want to surpass my previous feat. I am not relaxed because I have Idol Records supporting me. I just want to keep doing my thing and stay focused on the big goal.
Recently, you recorded a song with Teni The Entertainer, what inspired that project?
That song is a great song. I have been telling my producer that I wanted to record a song with Teni. We fixed a date and I told my producer to give me a beat after sharing my idea with him so that I can keep rehearsing. On getting to the location where we would meet Teni, my producer flipped this laptop and played several beats and said he knew Teni. When I heard it, I was amazed. While I was vibing to the beat, Teni arrived and walked past me upstairs. My biggest inspiration was meeting Teni that day. She asked me various questions, and I told her that; I wanted to become one of the most talked about artistes. She laughed and said she liked my vibe. She then asked me if I pray? I said yes. She asked if I fast too. I said I don’t joke with food because I love the kitchen. She told me to always fast and pray. She said that the music work we do is spiritual. After the conversation, we started recording. I recorded my own part and I gave her space to do hers, and she nailed it.
What is the difference between the song and the ones you have recorded previously?
I appreciate every song I have recorded. It’s not easy to have a good sound. I always like to be better than what I have had. It does not make the one I used to have less of value. All I do is to motivate myself and be a better version. The song I have with Teni is nice and the ones I will record after this will be better.
When are you releasing the song?
The release date is yet to be announced. I want to catch everybody by surprise. I am also thinking of releasing the video and audio at once. It’s going to be a massive song.
What is your projection for your brand in the next six months?
I know I am going to places. I know I am on the right track because I am doing what I am passionate about. I am going to be different from the way I am.
To you, what makes a good artiste?
Your attitude goes a long way. The perception of your fans also matters a lot. You should never try to mislead them. One thing that makes a good artiste, to me, is how I sell myself to my fans.
Who are the artistes you grew up listening to that shaped your interest in making music?
I have a lot of them. I used to be mummy’s boy and I am happy to be called one because she is a good woman. She believes in me and never questioned what I wanted to be. Growing up, I listened to Skatter Davis; a lot of country music too. I listened to Michael Jackson, Lagbaja, Sir Shina Peters, Bob Marley and Fela. I tapped my Afro-Infusion genre from a host of others I can’t remember.
If you are given the opportunity to feature another artiste, who would that be?
That would be BurnaBoy. He is different. I can’t compare him with other artistes. He is in a league of his own.
There is a raging war of words on the Internet about some artistes endorsing Internet fraud, what’s your take on this?
I don’t judge people; the nation has damaged the youth. It is a situation of the kettle calling pot black. Our political class contributed to the lingering issues. You keep hearing politicians siphoning billions of naira to offshore accounts. The nation is not helping anybody. I am not supporting anyone, but the nation is not supporting the youth. It’s wrong to arrest young people trying to make a living. The nation is not allowing us to thrive. I am not saying internet fraud should be accepted as norm and I am not trying to judge anybody, but I want the government to make life more comfortable for the people.
How do you treat your female fans?
I don’t have a problem with my female fans. I am open to conversations. Some of them hit me up on Instagram, and I have even invited some of them for lunch. I am not that kind of guy who just wants to jump from one girl to another. The ones who love me, I love them right back.
We have seen cases whereby record labels and artistes fall out some times over breach of contracts. What is the situation of things between you and Idols as we speak?
Being in Idol records, I see it as an institution where I am going to be learning a lot. It’s a step after the other. Nobody is better than the other person. I believe life is a race and we have to run it differently. It’s an institution and at the end of the day, we pass out with our grades but we don’t have to smile or agree all the time. What is important to me is that the job is done and every party is happy. Nigerian music industry is messed up. If you have a good song but you don’t have the resources to push the music, it’s a waste. I know better artistes out there, who make good music but lack the resources and platform to push their music to the people. It is very sad but we have to keep pushing on.
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