Do you know Ify Otuya?  You really should, particularly if you are into eclectic sounds.  Ify Otuya is a singer, song writer who is currently based in UK.  With her E.P  - E.D.M.O, she is making the world sit up and take notice.  Her E.P is a fusion of sounds often not found in one CD.  Her E.P fuses rock, R and B, Afro Beat and Hip Hop in  a sound that is eclectically Ify and eclectically Nigerian.  There were two songs in particular that caught our attention: Palaver and Radio.

 We got a chance to sit down with Ify to discuss her music and what actually inspires her to do what she does.  It was an enlightening and most importantly fun times.  Enjoy the  the interview of Ify Otuya in her own words  and do not forget to click play to listen to excerpts of interview and some of her music.

 

 

 

 

On  E.D.M.O (title of her E.P):

It means the Eclectic Definition of Miss O. It is the title of my debut EP. For that EP, I wanted to put out songs to showcase some of my different music influences, from Rock, RnB, Pop, Soul, Afro beat, Rap, to Naija beats.

On Introduction to the world of music:

My father was in a jazz band when I was really young.  He played the saxophone in the band and because he did  music was always in the house - like Jazz, Afro beat music but it was certainly something that was there early on in my life.  I am also very artistic and joined the art club and choir while I was younger. This ensured that my taste in my music was established that I will go ahead and keep on taking lessons when my family was unaware.

On Family Response to heeding the call to music:

You know how it is in Nigeria.  It is very difficult for the average Nigerian parent to accept because they are concerned about how you will be able to take care of yourself.  It was a very difficult decision for my parents to accept. At first my dad was upset.  I was willing to make sacrifices which eventually convinced my family.  They came around at the end of the day.

On Rock in the song Radio

 

I am a music lover.  I tend to not restrict myself to any genre.  I love all genres.  I appreciate Rock music.  With that song that I did, I wanted to showcase my different musical  influences with that EP.

 

Take a listen

 

On  Palaver, Afrobeat and the death of Afrobeat:

It’s almost like ...there is this perception amongst young people that afrobeat is like old people music and not really the pop culture kind of music.  I am not really sure why that is there...maybe because Fela’s music is very political and he refused to compromise.  Fela’s music is so good and so rich.  One of the reason that I decided to do that song - is because it is a good song and I think it is really related to playing music and playing afrobeat in a way that can be interpreted for my generation to understand.  In a sense, you are diluting certain elements of it and fusing it.  On that track palaver - people from my generation  can listen to it.  Many aren’t aware that they are listening to afrobeat because it sounds like R and B.  It will be great for a lot of our music to be interpreted in a way that the younger generation can vibe with it.  There has been a fusion of Afro beat with Hip Hop with artists recently.  There is a hip hop crossover because Fela's message is very potent. 

 

Message In Palaver:

In Fela’s song - he talks about a poor man who was walking around trying to find food to eat and the police comes to harass him.  Fela asked - ‘na wetin e dey find  na palaver you dey look for'.  You can imagine, someone who doesn't have anything to eat and you are being bothered.  So basically, trouble is sleeping and someone starts to fire start that trouble by saying pay me money when you don’t have the money.  

That song, ‘palaver’ is not that different but in the context of a relationship - a woman is content alone but a guy comes in and says, I will never lie to you and I will not forsake him, only to believe him and only to find out that he cheats.  In that song I sing, “na me be fool and I don forget that I don see your kind before’.  Like an African woman will say , if you want my trouble - I go give it to you double...

Take a listen to Palaver

On Being a Nigerian Musician In The UK:

Being a musician is not a walk in the park you know.  It’s performance but it is a lot of hard work.  Here it can be slightly difficult because when you try to introduce your sounds to them - there are those that will love it because it is different and there are those that won't because they don't understand it.  But, interestingly, I had to go to Nigeria about two years ago to reintroduce my sounds to the Nigerian music scene. I gained a whole new level of respect for some of our artists who are very hardworking and are making a lot out of a little.

 

On Nigerian Musicians and Inspiration:

Banky W because he was in the States and went to Nigeria and started this grass root movement and played a major role in this grass root - bottom up movement. He is such a huge deal at home and he is giving opportunity for other artists as well.  That’s an admirable thing...it is easy for people to get their own material across without pulling anyone up.  He is reminiscent of Jayz in America.  I also love Tiwa Savage as well.  Tiwa Savage is like  beautiful, articulate and intelligent as well. She makes us African girls proud because she does a good job of representing us well.

 

 

Challenges getting music out:

It's difficult sometimes to find the right people to work with. This is true in my case.  I wrote, arranged and produced on my debut EP, so I have an idea of how I want my art to be conveyed. If you have a clear idea of how you want to be seen as an artiste, then it is really important to work with people (i.e management, promoters, etc) who understand and respect that concept, people who can connect with it and convey it. There's only so far you can push any product without the right team.

 

Surprising about me:

Not sure this is surprising, but people have been impressed to hear that I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and that I have a 2:1 in Psychology from the London Metropolitan University.

Purchasing E.P:

We can get it from itunes. You can listen to it via facebook, reverbnation and itunes.


Another CD:

Yes, I've been writing new material and will be putting something out pretty soon! I have some collaborations in the works, collaborations with some London acts, and some African artistes in the diaspora too. Sound wise, it may be eclectic like my previous EP, or a bit more defined and consistent. Either way, I'll be putting a few singles out first.

Nigeria at 51:

There are lots of flaws regarding our country and a lot of things we could make better, but there are also many positives. We can see lots of young people mobilizing, connecting with, and uplifting each other using music, fashion, and the arts. Young people being resourceful regardless of the limited opportunities available. Across the states in Nigeria today, this is something that is prevalent. I think this movement will be significant in shaping the future of our country.

Listen to the interview: 

 

Edited by C.O