I just decided that if I am going into music I would have to rebrand myself. So many times, Clearance Peters would tell me to shave the hair on my head and leave the beards. He said he wanted me to look like Rick Ross. I looked at him and asked him how I could pull such off. I never liked it but now I love it. I tried it on during my video shoot; I still didn’t believe it looked nice on me till I saw the outcome. I was supposed to do a movie role where I was meant to have the Rozay look. Everything was just pushing me towards this look. It is part of my brand now though I could do some changes.
Are you going into movies?
I have always been in the movies but I just never had a big break. Before I got on Project Fame, I was in Tinsel, the popular soap. That would be my first major television appearance. I played the role of Steve Oku; the bow tie- glasses-wearing guy.
How did you feel performing on this year’s Project Fame finals?
That particular stage is legendary. A lot of destinies have been made there. For me it was an honour. I could have been called to perform on any other week and I would have still been glad but I was called for the finals. It was like a reunion, seeing some familiar faces that voted for and against me. Performing with the band, the faculty, it was an awesome experience.
How do you feel now that another winner has emerged in the reality show?
It is human for me to think about the fact that the spotlight is not on me anymore but on someone else. But no matter how bad I feel, I knew another winner would come up. What I did was, from the first month after I won, I had that mindset that it was over and I needed to work harder. I was at the academy and I came out, the onus was on me to prove that I deserved the win. To prove that I could make it in the real entertainment industry; from day one, I had the mindset that my journey just begun and they had started planning for the next winner. I decided I should move ahead. I now feel really good because a certain level of pressure has been taken off me. But I am also under pressure because I know I have to deliver fast.
Why did you choose to sing in Yoruba?
I don’t just do Yoruba songs alone. I am a typical Yoruba boy from Oyo State and I am proud of it. We live in a country with diverse groups, not just the Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. It is just wise to explore whatever market you can and weigh your option. I respect where I am from so I depict that in whatever I do especially in my music. Also, I would not be blind to other cultures as well. I have a video where I featured Phyno, if you see it, you will notice that there is an influx of three languages; we have Igbo, Idoma and Yoruba in it. It is not just about singing Yoruba songs, I love my culture.
If your initial plan does not work, would you go commercial like your predecessors did?
I think we should look at it this way. What message am I trying to pass across at this point in time; what is most acceptable this time? Burna Boy came out with ‘Like to Party’, it was not commercial at the time but he set a trend for himself. There was a time it was Terry G with his fast tempo beats and all. It depends on how far and willing you want to push the trend. It depends on the singer and his promo power.
How strong is your promo power?
Rome was not built in a day. What I am going through right now is a building process for me. I am gathering the power to be able to define the trend. There are some musicians that determine the trend. See Skelewu by Davido for example. He has set another trend and people are going to try and follow it. Wizkid did his and people also followed his trend. Tuface, P-square, they all did the same. I would soon have the power to create a trend and that people would follow. If I try to be commercial like other people, I would just get lost.
Do you feel under pressure to surpass the achievements of Chidinma and Iyanya?
No. The sky is massive and big enough for four aeroplanes to fly. I would be stupid, and very immature to want to sing like Chidinma, Iyanya, Mike or Monica. It would be very stupid of me. No one else would be like me. I am not under any pressure. The only pressure I am under is to be a better person and musician. It is not a competition, we are all family.
What challenges have you faced so far?
The house gives you this mindset that so many people know you. I thought it was just the people in the hall that knew me. I went to Computer Village (Lagos) about a week after I won the competition; about forty men surrounded me, wanting to take pictures with me. They were all amazed and I felt really good about it. About two weeks after, I was invited for an event and everybody behaved as if they did not know me. In fact, I was practically introducing myself. It was a massive contrast; if I was not a strong-willed person, I would feel bad that they didn’t know me. Instead I took it as a challenge. The second challenge which we are still trying to get is my image. I want to find out who I really am. It is a battle everybody fights but it is more pronounced for us that came out through competitions. There is already a standard you set for yourself while in the house. When you are out, you have to go higher than that standard.
How about your prize money?
The N2.5m is not much. You know you can spend N5m in an hour. I had to take care of my family. I am the first child with four younger siblings. Then again, my career was there. I have been pushing my career for a long while. I also had some projects I was working on. When the money first got to my account, I wanted to go mad. I was numb for few seconds. I was in the house thinking, thanking God. It was a week after. My phone beeped when I checked it; at first I did not understand it. When I saw the seven digits, I checked again. The first person I called was my dad; I wanted to be sure that I was alive. I had won it but there was a different feel when I got the money. Then I realised N2.5m was not much, the more the money the more the responsibility. I am lucky I made some investment; I just wish I made more. The money is still where it is.
Have you ever sung to woo a girl before?
Yes I have. It worked; the talent cannot go to waste. It is not just for money making, it can be used for other purposes.
How has the ladies been treating you?
Most of the girls around me are level headed and they believed in me even before I got to Project Fame. They were treating me like royalty, someone that has something to deliver. They were already giving me that respect. That has not really changed because already they are seeing the result of what they saw.
How about your love life?
I was in a few relationships before Project Fame. I broke a few hearts that I am not proud of. I wish things were different. Now, I have to consciously make efforts to lay-off relationships for a while because I have to concentrate on my work. But there is somebody I am ‘eyeing’. If things work out, I probably would be going to my next event with the lovely lady.
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