Foray into music?
Music started for me when I was a child; I have been a music lover since I was young. Coming from a religious family, we listened to music from Don Moen, Kirk Franklin and the likes and that influenced my love for music. My father is a lover of all kinds of music and so I listened to everything.
I also loved to sing in church, although I was never in the choir like many artistes would say, I just loved to sing in church. So, it became a part of me and when I got into secondary school, I was the social prefect by popular demand and by the time I got into the university, the passion blossomed; I would sing and mime other people’s songs and by the second year, I decided to start recording music.
I was doing it for fun then, but after I graduated, I made a decision to build a career in music and by 2009, I came out professionally into the industry.
You started out as a rapper, how was the experience at the initial stage and why did you change your genre of music?
Yes, I started with rap music; I was in a group then and I was the rapper. But there was this other member who could sing and I would admire him and wished I could sing like him. So over time, I started going through processes to develop my voice; I would sing and scream at home so loud that my mother would tell me I was disturbing the house.
After a while, I realised that my voice was better and because I’ve always been a good writer, I just decided to leave rap and change my genre.
You seem to believe that there is politics in the Nigerian music industry, how does this affect you?
Yes, there is, as there is in every sphere of life and choice of occupation. I remember when I started in 2009, I dropped a song, ‘I No Fit Lie’ and personally, I think that it was one of the best songs for a newcomer at that time. It was well written, well sung and had one of the best videos released then. I didn’t get everything I felt I deserved with the song, especially looking at the crop of songs that won most of the awards then.
I felt it was politics, given the fact that whoever was sponsoring me was not much of a ‘power house’ in the industry, and so a lot of people didn’t reckon with him and with my effort and music, and I think that’s politics.
When politics is not involved, everyone would be given a fair chance to be judged, but I was not given that fair chance and that was how I would say the politics affected me.
The same thing happened with the second song, and same as ‘Booty Bounce.’ So for the next three years that followed, I remained consistent with my work and still wasn’t getting what I deserved. However, I kept working and overlooked the politics.
So how is that paying off?
This year has been a very good year for me. I have started seeing the dividends of my efforts and I am grateful to God and my fans for that. I’ve been to more shows this year than I had been in previous years. I’ve had more recognition, award nominations and more money. I just bought myself a Range Rover a couple of weeks back and it shows that we are getting there.
You were supposed to be signed to Davido’s HKN label last year, what changed?
I and HKN were supposed to work together, but I really don’t know the reason it didn’t work out. But I want to believe that it was because we were both not ready to make it happen at that time else it would have happened.
At the same time, I was having a lot of other offers and felt that since HKN was a bit slow and I didn’t really understand what was going on, I could take up the other offers. However, HKN and I have a cordial relationship and we look forward to working together in the future.
You are currently signed to Sprisal Records, how has it been?
It has been good. I have a good relationship with the management and I can say that Sprisal Records is the best label in Nigeria.
You are now highly sought after…
I believe it has to do with the music and the new Orezi, as well as the kinds of music that I now make. I think the trend changed since I dropped ‘Rihanna,’ ‘You Gat It’ and then ‘Shoki.’ So, basically the change came from music; I grew into making music that people love and that made them accept me more than before.
Your version of ‘Shoki’ was a well received track. What inspired it?
I got inspired to do the song ‘Shoki’, after a visit to the African shrine. I saw some people doing some dance steps and I was amused. So I asked them what brought about the moves and was told it was a new dance called ‘Shoki’.
So, having liked it, I decided to do something about it; I spoke with my producer and that was how my ‘Shoki’ track came to being. I also knew that if well promoted, it had a potential to become a very big song, because judging from previous songs that came with its dance steps, Wizkid’s ‘Azonto’ and Davido’s ‘Skelewu’, among others, were big songs.
You also recently signed an endorsement deal with online betting site, MerryBet...
Yes, sincerely, it has been a good year and I am very grateful to God for that. It is one of many other signings to come and it feels great to be recognised as a brand and I’m just grateful to God for it.
You are yet to drop an album...
Yes but I will definitely drop an album soon.
You seem to be uncomfortable with the way marketers deal with artistes. Why is this so?
I don’t think there is any artiste in Nigeria that is comfortable with the way our distributions and marketing of albums in Nigeria are, and that is because we don’t have much options We just have to be cool with it, because if you need your album to be out there, it has to go through the same route.
What exactly is the situation?
I feel it is because there is no way to checkmate the distribution and sales of these albums.
Is there any artiste that you see as your competition?
Every artiste is my competition and the way the industry is being structured now, when people want to organise a show, they just scan through the best of the artistes out. So, if only 10 people would be called for a show and you want to be among these top 10, you have to be up to the task and be able to compete with the rest. Therefore, you need to be competitive.
What stands Orezi out as a brand?
It has to be my person and kind of music. I don’t make the kind of music every other person does. My music is different; I don’t follow the bandwagon. I make sure I do it differently, nobody sings like Orezi.
The ‘Rihanna’ video was allegedly listed by Youtube as one of the eight best videos in the world. How does that feel?
I felt great because I remember the amount of effort that I put in while making the record and the video. We had to travel out of the country to shoot the video and even had to look for a Rihanna look-alike to feature in it. We had to fly her to the location from Mauritius, so it was really an overwhelming experience. I won’t disclose the actual figure spent, but we spent a lot of money on that video.
Do you have a crush on Rihanna?
Which guy doesn’t? I like her a lot.
Do you have any intention to work with her?
Yes, we tried to reach out to her during the ‘Rihanna’ song to be in the video, but there were a lot of complications with her management. However, we are still looking towards making that happen someday.
It was once alleged that you were caught with drugs. Was it true or a rumour?
I remember that was in 2012 when I was in Dubai and I swear to God, I don’t know where that rumour came from. I was so shocked to read about it myself. I was driving on the fateful day and was stopped and questioned by some cops, so I guess maybe some Nigerians drove by and just came up with a story. That is the only thing I could think of.
Educational background?
I started my primary school education in Lagos, and then preceded to Command Secondary School in Ebonyi State. I also studied Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Lagos.
If not music, what else would you have been into?
Initially, I would have loved to be a pilot, but now I’m too scared to do that. So, if not music, I know I would still be in the entertainment industry.
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