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MY NEW ALBUM HAS BEEN A SUCCESS- ESSENCE

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Delta born Singer, Uwale Okoro, popularly known as Essence, is one of the wave-making female singers in the country. Essence shot into the limelight in the 90s as Kenny Saint Brown back up singer. Her career took another turn when she did the Superstory sound track. Since, she has made a couple of other landmarks in the course of her career.

In 2004, she was signed on by Kennis Music as the first-ever-female singer on the music label. She also released her first album that same year. Six years after her first album, she recently released her 2nd album, “Truly Essence,” which a 14-tracker album that featured big names like Eddy Remedy, Bouqui , Jaywon and of course her mentor, Kenny Saint Brown. Popular track on the album include ‘Kalangolo’, ‘Facebook’, ‘Truly Essence’.

Recently, BOLA AKINBOADE caught up with her and she opened up on her life, musical career and the six years waiting period.

Bebe Akinboade(B.A):You’ve been in the music industry for some years now and have made a name for yourself. But being a Theater arts graduate, have you ever given acting a thought?

Essence (E): Music is my first love, my first inclination. When I wake up in the morning, that is the first thing that comes out of my mouth. And I have learnt over time that, if you do what you love, what you are most inclined towards doing, you will do it to the best of your ability. Not that I cannot act, actually,as a graduate of Theatre arts, from Delta State University, I’m a performer, character playing and all that. Even in the music lyrics, sometimes you talk about yourself, sometimes you talk about other people, so its all characterization. So would I have done better in movie? I don’t know. It’s something that I need to explore. But now, music is the first thing that comes out of me in the morning.

B.A:But there are those that believe that Essence has been there for ever and you should have gone far beyond where you are now

E:Everything is God’s timing. Of course, you know as a human being, you have plans and aspirations, but if you don’t put God into the picture, then there is nothing you can do. The bible says that “unless God watches the City, the watchman watches in vain”. God has timing for everybody. If you look at the industry, you have particular people that are relevant at a particular time. You can imagine if all of us ‘blow’ at once, it would be difficult to follow a person. So I believe its just God’s timing; God’s timing is the best. No matter what you do, you might have all the big wigs behind you, but if God has not put his stamp or seal of approval on it, then there is nothing you can do. Also the waiting period has helped me build character, strength and my fan base. I have evolved with time. Music has been changing and I have evolved with the music. I believe that God’s time is the best and the time is now.

B.A:You hit the limelight immediately; I still recall those great debut you made during your days as Kenny Saint Brown back-up singer; after a while you music career started dragging, which has been linked to the fact that you left KSB to start your own?

E:No, I don’t think so. During the “ Heaven came down” era, I was Kenny Saint Brown back-up singer and it was our plan to introduce me to Nigerians. She magnanimously used that platform because, she was releasing that album, which was really huge. She wanted to bring to the consciousness of Nigerians. It was an introduction basically. I know people were expecting that I will come out with full album after, but I wasn’t ready. I was in school; I was still an undergraduate and I wasn’t based in Lagos. And I didn’t fancy the idea of shuttling Delta to Lagos; it would have been very risky and time consuming. So the plan was for me to finish my education, which is really good for artistes. So many of us are been viewed as never do wells and school drop-outs.

I come from an academic home; my father is an academic and he always makes it clear that you have to finish your education. If not people will have no respect for you. So I had to finish school and service to the nation. In 2004, I was signed on Kennis Music and released my first album.

B.A: You launched your first album in 2004; it took you six years to release the second one. What went wrong in between?

E: The first album was full of too many ideas. I must confess that it didn’t have a definite direction. It happens to everybody’s first album. I learn’t from that mistake. You know, you have to feel the pulse of the people and know what they want. I have been working since 2007.

Basically, when you release a new album, you will give it like a year and half to breathe, or even two years, so that people can really come into the song and feel the song. Because if you release back to back, a whole lot of things are lost. And it takes a lot of money too to produce an album. You will recall that I released the video in 2007, ‘good boy’; it’s in this my new album. So I have been working, brainstorming with my management team, Kennis Music. So all those things were going on underground. I also had like two or three singles that I put on the air, but they didn’t make the album because as at when the album was coming out, they were no longer relevant. I have being with different producers; so it wasn’t like it took forever.

B.A:So how would you describe your kind of music?

E:I’m an R& B/ Soul/Hip Hop. Basically contemporary hip hop, which embodies R& B and Soul. Nigerians get bored easily, I get bored easily if you have a full R & B, nothing to shake body; or if you have a full hip-hop music, nothing to calm down. I have learn’t even from listening to other people’s albums; so all these things helped me, and I learn’t from their mistakes and also try to incorporate that into my album. So all that time was kind of a learning and training and eye opening period for me. Basically, I’m a contemporary hip hop singer; I can do R & B, Hip Hop and Soul Music. I cannot do Fuji or Waka.

B.A: Superstory sound track was one of those things that brought you into limelight. What are the other landmarks you have made in your field?

E: Thank God for Superstory, I was invited for the song by Tajudeen Omidiran, who also wrote the song, we didn’t expect it to be that big. But I thank God for that opportunity. Since then, I have done other sound tracks for soap operas and drama series such as “Secret and Scandals” “Domino”. I have also done some sound track for movies, such as “Reloaded”, which also won the City People Entertainment Awards last year, and “Guilty Pleasures”, “Before the Light” and others.

B.A: Talking about your new album, what does it entails?

E: It’s a 14 tracker; it has lovely song in it. It has a gospel track, because we really need to thank God at every point in our lives, because without him, we are nothing. I have “Essential”, the title track. And then off course “Kalangolo,” which everybody loves, and that is my fan based produced by Ksolo. And then Facebook Love, which everybody knows because everybody has a facebook lover. Facebook is a song that people are really feeling on the album featuring Jaywon and I really thank God because it has really opened a lot of things for me. People have opened their arms to embrace Essence; it has brought me into a lot of people heart. And one thing about Essence is that I really like to do songs that cut across, I don’t like songs that restrict children and their parents would have to ban them from listening to my songs. So Facebook is a song that is God sent and it’s got a lot of accolades.

B.A: You have been signed on with Kennis Music ever since you came into the industry. You didn’t not leave even when their major artistes left. What explains that?

E: Like I said, when you are underground, you learn a lot of things. Basically, artistes are very creative people, we are very eager to do a lot of things and not too patient. I have watched a whole lot of people come and go, and the reason why they go is so ridiculous and then, they can’t make it back. And I have come to realize that Kennis Music brought hip-hop to the consciousness of Nigerians. Before that it was reggae. But for the youths, we were getting restless and they brought hip-hop, something that we could really tune into. And I have been a back-up singer for Kenny Saint Brown before I released my album in 2004. So I was privileged to see a lot of things. When I see artistes come and go, I wondered why? It’s the same thing everywhere, oh, this thing is not happening the way I want it, this is not going the way I expect it. So many “I,I,I,I.” then I looked at it critically; this is showbiz, that is, the show and the business. Fine you have talent, but if nobody put microphone in your hand, gives you a platform, put a camera in front of your face, spend money on you, tush you up, put you on a CD and sell, there is nothing we can do. So why do we always forget that business. We always forget that business part. It’s not about you, we have to meet each other half way. Yes of course, there could be misunderstanding along the way. But you will learn to work around it, you will learn to have a open conversation. And I don’t believe the record company can be all wrong, you may have done a song that was not good. Basically that is it for me. So if anybody says, oh, you are still there, you are a fool, it doesn’t bother me because I have seen.

B.A: But a lot of people will want to associate your stay with the fact that Kenny Saint Brown is your adopted sister and that whether you like it or not, you must support her brothers

E: No problem, but the people that have come and gone knows what’s up. You can’t explain everything to everybody. It’s a family business and yes, they have become like my family. They are my second family. But we shouldn’t forget the business. Even if my own blood brother borrows me money, he will ask for it. So business is business; at least common sense will make you understand that this guy has dropped money and he wants his money back. It’s business, let’s not get sentimental about it. Somebody put over N1million on your head and he won’t get it back. You just need to be realistic, forget the hype. He has to get it back; he has a family to feed and some other artistes to cater for. That’s just my own way of thinking; some other people might disagree but everybody is entitled to their own opinion.

B.A: One remarkable thing about Essence is that you don’t play the divalicious thing common among your colleagues. You are so down- to-earth and humble. Where is that coming from?

E: Hello! I do the diva when the time is. Don’t catch me in my diva mood, I wear it, it’s like a coat I hang out it on my wardrobe. When its time to be diva, oh my God, you see me, I’m just like suede (Laughs). I don’t know about that.

But for real, I tried but it’s just difficult because it’s not me. The best I can do is that I will just keep quite and smile and people think I’m been divalicious. I just tried to contain myself. Because it’s like a yoyo is bouncing inside of me and I just tried to control myself. I can’t be deliberately nasty or obnoxious, or insensitive, that is been a diva. But it’s home training; I wasn’t brought up that way. Music is a spirit, it comes with a lot of flare and glamour, but I was thought that everything is acting in all, be music or acting, you have a role to play and once you finish playing that role, you have to come back to yourself. People who play diva have split personality problem. So many things are going on inside. You know just keep it real and you will stay longer.

B.A: Another thing about you is that you have not really been romantically linked with any man neither have we seen you stepping out with any man. You are very coded(Laughs).

E: Like I always say, you don’t get it all twisted. I have my life, I have my private life and I’m entitled to my private life. And it’s not necessary that I bring it to the forefront. Why should I? You know I’ve been in relationships and people I’ve been in relationship with know me; their families know me, their friends know me. But it’s not everybody that wants to be suck in. Even my family, they are still coming to terms with some of the lies they write about me in the papers and they get so upset. At this junction, I want to use this opportunity to beg, you are spoiling things for us. That is the truth. As much as you want to write, be positive, because when you are in a serious relationship and your boyfriend mother sees what is written about you, it doesn’t go down well.

B.A: Are you now saying that those negative stories have affected your relationship in a way?

Many times, but now I have learnt. I’m not really like a showy person, but I have learn’t E: to keep my private life private. But when it’s time, we shall all know. When they are ringing the bell, everybody will hear it definitely. But for now, I have learn’t to be discreet. Because the minute it comes to the open, as it always want to be sometimes, the tongue will start wagging again, which I don’t want at all.

B.A: But when it’s time for you to settle down, can you ever consider marrying your producer, which is the trend among female singers?

E: Not at all, I have learn’t. You know this business is an ego tripping business. Two cows can’t drink from the same water pot; they are going to be locked. Even in marriage, the way we were taught, one has to be hot, one has to be cold. I’ve had instances over the years, people that some way, somehow, one has to go for the other. Look at Whitney and Bobby. It’s either one will go for the other, when that one is down, he now pulls the other one down.I’m not saying that it doesn’t work, but I have learnt that you don’t mix it. You need somebody that is far from the maddening crowd. Somebody that when you come home, he can help you to grow and compliment you

B.A: Now that you have finally launched yourself out, your song is doing so well; you are getting a lot of accolades; have your dream true?

E: It’s coming, it’s like all the seeds have been sown, by God’s grace, it’s germinating, it’s yielding. As the fruit are ripening, I’m still waiting to start plucking and bringing into the basket and my store house. I’m grateful for every success that I’ve had, its not by my success or by my might. A lot of people have sown a lot into my life. People like Kenny Saint Brown who told Nigerians, listen to this girl, this girl can sing. People like Kenny Ogungbe and D1 one who have been an epitome of support over the years. And so many people who have contributed to my life one way or the other. I’m really very grateful.

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