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I would say that my inspiration comes from my family; my mother, my sister and my daughter. They always motivate me to work harder and give me the opportunity to learn from every experience. I learn from them every day and that has helped me to discover and rediscover who I am and who I want to become. I also have a few friends that motivate me and sometimes talking to strangers motivates me.
For role models and mentors I have people like Idris Olorunnibe. I also have tons of actors who have a great work ethic and they are so many in the entertainment scene. The list includes directors, music directors and even crew members.
Let’s talk about the very first role that you played, how did it go then?
It was very interesting and my character name was Tope. It was a Yoruba series titled Sababi in 2010 and it was directed by Bimbo Ogunsanya. The experience was very good and very interesting for me. I remember that it was a bit difficult because scripting was in Yoruba and English. Luckily, I got people to translate and get the correct pronunciations of the words.
You are also part of the TV series, Daddy’s Girl. What was it like working on this?
It was so interesting, fun filled, with the cast that included Uncle Femi, and the series was directed by Tope Alake. It was quite easy working with the team because most of the people I worked with knew what they wanted and were passionate about it.Let’s talk about Big Brother Nigeria (BBN). What gave you the drive to do the things that you did on the show? It is quite interesting because I had been auditioning for about eight years before I finally got it last year. The truth of the matter is that I didn’t know anybody but I was determined to make the best from that experience. Right now, I am having auditions here and there. From all the experiences, I would say that no two auditions are the same. Everyone is different and it was always a refreshing experience. So for the Big Brother Nigeria, I went for the audition and gradually I was selected.14 of us contested and I got in, tried my best. The truth of the matter is that it was a tough contest, not like a music contest. Here, you can’t really tell how it was going to go. How did it feel emerging as the first runner up in the contest? It was awesome. Of course, from the outset, I told myself that I would make the best of it. The house was filled with talented people, and to stand out, you have to work very hard. I was very happy, got the exposure that I wanted and it was very exciting for me. On BBN, I learnt how to be more tolerant and I also learnt how to face my fears. The Friday night games were also memorable and I really enjoyed them. How has being on the programme changed your life? The show gave me the wide reach I always wanted and it was an avenue to show the world my abilities, so it has changed my life for good and I’m working on making my life better. What are some of the challenges for young people in the entertainment sector today? As far as I am concerned, I think it would be with the artist themselves. Many do not want to work hard. Most times, I get messages from people asking me to put them in a role. They do not want to go for auditions at all. People just want to rise to the top, get there just by the snap of the fingers. Of course a few people make it that way but if you check well, you would discover that they have actually been in the background, playing music in church and things like that. So, basically, the challenge is that many do not want to work to get to the top. Secondly, things are a lot easier now, thanks to the social media and people are basically selling themselves. Personally, I have gotten the recognition and shown the world my ability. However, I have only just begun; there is so much that I still want to do and want to be known for. What messages do you have in your songs? I try to apply daily life experiences to my music. It is usually about the things we can all relate with, like love, food or transportation. These are things that people have different experiences about from time to time. Not just like the stuff you read about in Mills and Boons and the thought of a Knight in Shining Armour. Acting or music, which would you say comes first? They are on the same level as far as I am concerned. They come to me naturally, just as if I am talking. It is like breathing and breathing. I would not say one surpasses the other. Music, however, was my first love. I participated in Project Fame West Africa in 2008youLet’s talk about Big Brother Nigeria (BBN). What gave you the drive to do the things that you did on the show?
It is quite interesting because I had been auditioning for about eight years before I finally got it last year. The truth of the matter is that I didn’t know anybody but I was determined to make the best from that experience. Right now, I am having auditions here and there. From all the experiences, I would say that no two auditions are the same. Everyone is different and it was always a refreshing experience. So for the Big Brother Nigeria, I went for the audition and gradually I was selected.14 of us contested and I got in, tried my best. The truth of the matter is that it was a tough contest, not like a music contest. Here, you can’t really tell how it was going to go.
How did it feel emerging as the first runner up in the contest?
It was awesome. Of course, from the outset, I told myself that I would make the best of it. The house was filled with talented people, and to stand out, you have to work very hard. I was very happy, got the exposure that I wanted and it was very exciting for me.
On BBN, I learnt how to be more tolerant and I also learnt how to face my fears. The Friday night games were also memorable and I really enjoyed them.
How has being on the programme changed your life?
The show gave me the wide reach I always wanted and it was an avenue to show the world my abilities, so it has changed my life for good and I’m working on making my life bet