A day after the concert, the 32-year-old met with entertainment outfit Flytime Productions for a short interview with Jumai Shaba where she talks about her new found love for Nigeria, and the strength of the people who live there… enjoy!
How are you feeling right now, with you being in Nigeria?
This is my first time to Nigeria, with the love I’ve received. I met D’Banj the other night and I think he’s rare. Everybody seems to love him.
You can sing, you can dance, you can act, you can perform.
(Laughs)
What drives you?
It’s in my body to entertain. It’s in my body to sing. It’s in my spirit to make people feel good. When I’m motivated it just makes me go harder and harder. Throughout the year you kind of loose it a little bit because you’ve done too much. But you always get back to it because it’s in my blood. And of course the people around me inspire me, love inspires me, my daughter inspires me.
Oh, okay. How is she?
She’s doing great. And the fans they believe in you. And they believe in you even when you don’t believe in yourself. So it’s about them as well.
I was completely blown away by the show, by the people, by the fans. It was just a great experience for me. It gave me a lot of confidence. I was like ‘Oh my God’ I didn’t realise a lot of people loved me here. It’s like ‘wow, I can’t believe I haven’t been here all these years. What took me long to get over here. The way everybody responded to me was just beautiful. I can’t wait to come back and put on a beautiful show with my band, all of my songs, you know that’s what all of them deserve.
I feel like Africa has really influenced you a lot.
Yes
Like from Afrodisiac. The spelling, you put ‘Afro’. And your daughter’s name.
Yes. And my braids, all of that.
Yes and your braids, and now that you’ve come. Has the culture like gotten into your system a little bit more? Laughs
Absolutely, I want to. I tell my manager all the time, I want to come over here more. Because I’ve never received the kind of love I’ve received over here. Like I feel I’m at home.
I have a lot of memories of Nigeria. Just the scene you know of coming to the hotel . Everybody just represented strength of how they carried the boxes to the top of skies of their head, and just walking with ease. That represented strength to me, and then on stage. How I was able to connect with the fans, seeing them cry, fall out. It made me feel like, ‘Oh my God, we love you so much’. I will always remember that. I did not expect that, and I was completely blown away. I will never forget that, and that’s why I’m coming back to Nigeria. The fans; it felt like I know everybody.
That’s how it feels?
That’s how it feels. I want to come back more and more, and I’m embarrassed to say that this is my first time to Nigeria. I really want to come back more and tap into the market and get in touch with my fans. So you’ll be seeing a lot more of me over here.
I cherish the Grammys the most because that’s the most prestigious award in music. And the way I received the award was the most outlandish thing I’d ever done in my career. Like I ran to the stage. I wasn’t classy, or pleasant at all. Like it was very ghetto. How I ran to the stage, snatched it and grabbed it from the person and said ‘I know this is ghetto, but this is a grammy’. It was crazy how the experience was. So I would say the grammy and the way I received the grammy, that has to be the biggest and best award in my career.
I just want to be remembered for timeless music. Being an inspiration to people. Because that’s what it’s all about. Music is about moving people.
And I think you’ve achieved so much. For the age you are
Thank you.
It’s such a blessing for me to meet you
Aww, thank you.
I want to say, how would you like feel, like your life, being put in the same place with Fela . He’s put his life on stage like on Broadway
Laughs. I don’t think that’s a bad idea. I have a lot I have to go through. But definitely, I’ve been through so much. I definitely want to do something like that. But I want to wait a little bit. See what I can experience.
Is there anything else we should look out for?
Look out for the new album, you know look out for new TV projects. I have a whole new career ahead of me. Look for me on stage.
You have this glow on you right now. I’m completely loving it.
Thank you.
We’ll be looking out for you. And also will you consider doing a collaboration with a Nigerian artist?
Yeah, why not? You guys are talented over here. I will really love that.
Thank you so much.
culled from NETNG
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